E-invoicing and Micro-enterprises

1. Concept of eInvoicing
eInvoicing is a B2B or B2C transaction in which invoices are issued and paid over the Internet. eInvoicing involves four main components:
Delivering an invoice from the supplier to the payer using a web browser interface that allows the payer to review online
Handling billing disputes online
Electronic payment through both the payer’s and supplier’s financial institution
Integration with internal applications

To simplify, eInvoicing is the process where a business sends invoices to other business or consumer using computer in digital form, without printing it out on paper. Thus, eInvoicing is a substitute for paper-based invoice management.
Is eInvoicing really beneficial or is it just a fashionable trend and how it works in the realm of small business world?

2. Pros of eInvoicing
The pros of eInvoicing can be arranged in different ways, depending on what is most important:
B2C vs. B2B
Supplier vs. payer
Internal eInvoicing vs. outsourced eInvoicing service

2.1. B2C vs. B2B
It is very important to understand the two main markets- B2B and B2C- differences in them require totally different approach to eInvoicing depending on which (or both) market is the company aiming to operate in. Invoicing process in these two markets differs greatly (see Table 1)

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