Three large businesses will this month start using a service
that enables them to automate the distribution and payment of
invoices.
The companies have signed up to use an e-invoicing
service from Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) which links into
their ERP systems. The service replaces slow paper invoicing which
relied on people and the postal system.
Ian Watkinson, head of e-invoicing at RBS, said the e-invoicing
service will help businesses get the most out of their investments
in technologies such as ERP software.
"Our customers have invested heavily in accounting systems. This
type of e-invoicing service
makes it easier for them to get information into these
systems," he said.
When an invoice is received it is sent to a server known as the
e-invoicing hub and matched with the purchase order for the related
product or service. It is checked for errors and possible fraud
before being automatically dealt with by the company's accounting
system.
Watkinson said the firms going live are "very large
organisations" and represent the first of a handful of customers
initially using the service.
Benefits to the customers include getting discounts through
paying invoices early, reducing the resources required to process
invoices and reducing the amount of paper used, he said.
Separately, logistics company
DHL is using the Accountis e-invoicing system across Europe,
and expects to save millions of pounds by reducing billing costs by
at least 15% across the region.
Watkinson said the bank has been working on the Accountis
product to make it fit in which its own technology strategy.
"We have been industrialising the Accountis platform so we were
happy to put our name on it," said Watkinson. "We have been
building it for the future."
Abbey offers a similar service in partnership with e-invoicing
service provider OB10.
RBS' technology is provided by Accountis as a white label
service.