How can companies benefit from electronically sealed e-invoices?

In the digital world, electronic invoices (e-invoices) are a must for any forward-thinking business – in some countries, they are mandatory or will be in the future. But how can decision-makers ensure their e-invoices are secure and legally compliant while being processed as efficiently as possible? The answer lies in the combined use of electronic seals. Find out how this approach can benefit your business.

E-invoices and electronic seals: An unbeatable duo

E-invoices are digital documents that certify a service provided and are issued, sent, and received in a structured format. For example, from 2025 onwards, it will be mandatory for many B2B transactions in Germany to offer such e-invoices. Italy is already further advanced in this area and is regarded as a pioneer in the EU. There, e-invoicing is already mandatory in many areas of the economy. In many EU countries (e.g., France or the Netherlands), the process is obligatory for business-to-government (B2G) transactions. E-invoices must comply with specific standards and formats to facilitate processing, exchange, and archiving. Electronic seals are a valuable addition to ensure that these e-invoices are secure and legally compliant. These seals used by legal entities uniquely certify the authenticity and integrity of an electronic document. They provide legal proof that a document originated from the stated source and has not been altered since its creation. Electronic seals allow batch processing, making it easy to quickly issue even large numbers of e-invoices – efficient and secure.

Benefits of electronic seals on e-invoices

Authenticity and integrity: Electronic seals ensure that the e-invoice is authentic (i.e., it comes from the stated sender) and that the content has not been tampered with. This is particularly important to prevent fraud and build trust between business partners.
Legal requirements: In many countries, e-invoices must be secured by digital signatures or seals to ensure their legal validity. From 2025, this requirement will be mandatory for B2B companies in many parts of Europe, including Germany. The eIDAS regulation facilitates its use by providing a uniform framework for Europe.
Standardization: Electronic seals contribute to the standardization and simplification of e-invoicing. Using standards such as XRechnung or ZUGFeRD in combination with electronic seals ensures that invoices can be exchanged and processed regardless of the system used.
Traceability and archiving: Electronic seals facilitate the traceability and long-term archiving of e-invoices. They ensure that archived documents can be proven original and unaltered even after many years. Electronic seals could be combined with qualified electronic timestamps for effective long-term validation.
Process automation: Electronic seals on e-invoices enable greater automation in invoice processing, as the authenticity and integrity of invoices can be automatically verified, resulting in more efficient and faster workflows.
Increased security and fraud protection: Electronic seals and e-invoices use cryptographic methods to guarantee the authenticity and integrity of documents, providing increased protection against forgery and unauthorized changes.
Process optimization and cost savings: E-invoicing enables more efficient and faster processing, reducing cycle times and fewer errors. Companies can save costs by eliminating physical documents and increasing their attractiveness as employers. Unlike personalized e-signatures, electronic seals must not be manually confirmed each time, allowing batch processing and making the process more efficient.
Improved transparency and traceability: Electronic seals enable greater invoice transparency and traceability. All changes and deliveries can be tracked, facilitating internal and external audits.

Electronic seals are a key factor for the success of e-invoices

The relationship between e-seals and e-invoicing will be critical to the legal and operational implementation of mandatory e-invoicing in the B2B sector starting in 2025. The security, efficiency, and integrity of e-invoices are essential to their practical use, and the boost provided by seals must be considered today for forward-looking economic planning. Swisscom Trust Services offers comprehensive solutions and support for implementing electronic seals for e-invoices – even for cross-border transactions. Our team is ready to answer your questions and help you achieve secure and efficient invoice processing.

Customer success stories

Customer success stories

How can companies benefit from electronically sealed e-invoices?

E-invoices and electronic seals: An unbeatable duo

Benefits of electronic seals on e-invoices

Electronic seals are a key factor for the success of e-invoices

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