The complete purchase-to-pay chain via Peppol. From order to invoice, structured and automated. With e-ordering, you extend the chain from invoicing alone to the complete procurement process.
From order to payment, via Peppol
E-ordering connects the procurement process with the invoicing process. Orders go to the supplier in a structured format, and the supplier sends back an invoice with a single click. No retyping, no errors, full traceability.
With e-ordering, the purchasing organisation sends a structured purchase order via Peppol to the supplier. The supplier receives the order in a readable format and can confirm, reject or modify it. Once the order is confirmed and delivery has taken place, the supplier creates an invoice based on the order data.
The invoice is automatically matched with the original order. eConnect checks whether the invoice amount matches the order value, whether the supplier and item overview are correct and whether the payment terms are accurate. When there is a full match, the invoice is processed automatically. When there are discrepancies, the invoice is offered for review.
A particularly powerful feature is the order flip. With this, an approved purchase order is automatically converted into an invoice, without the supplier having to manually create an invoice. The supplier only needs to confirm that delivery has taken place in accordance with the order. The invoice is then automatically generated based on the order data.
This saves the supplier time and prevents errors: the invoice contains exactly the same data as the order, which means matching on the purchasing side always succeeds. Order flip is particularly valuable with high volumes and recurring orders.
eConnect supports the complete Peppol BIS document cycle for ordering. This includes not only the purchase order and invoice, but also the order confirmation (Order Response), the shipping notification (Despatch Advice) and credit notes. Each document type is validated against the Peppol BIS schema.
E-invoicing focuses on sending and receiving invoices. E-ordering covers the complete purchase-to-pay process: from purchase order to invoice and payment. Where e-invoicing starts at the invoice, e-ordering starts at the order. The order drives the entire process: which items are ordered, at what price, with what delivery terms.
The advantage of e-ordering is that the invoice can be automatically matched with the original order. This eliminates disputes about prices and quantities, speeds up the approval process and reduces the chance of errors. In addition, the order flip makes it possible to automatically generate invoices based on approved orders, saving the supplier time.
With an order flip, an approved purchase order is automatically converted into an invoice. The process starts with the purchasing organisation placing an order. The supplier receives the order, confirms delivery and then no longer needs to create an invoice. The invoice is automatically generated based on the order data, with exactly the same items, prices and terms.
This has two major advantages. First, the supplier saves time: no invoice needs to be created. Second, matching on the purchasing side is guaranteed: the invoice by definition contains the same data as the order. Order flip is particularly effective with high volumes, recurring orders and situations where the supplier does not have their own invoicing software. The supplier only needs to confirm via the eConnect portal that delivery has taken place.
E-ordering via eConnect works with any ERP system that can generate purchase orders in a structured format. The integration runs via the eConnect REST API or via one of the available software connectors. Commonly used ERP systems with which e-ordering is deployed include SAP, Microsoft Dynamics 365, Oracle and Unit4.
The technical integration consists of delivering orders in UBL format via the API, or having orders generated from the ERP connector. eConnect then handles validation, transformation and routing via Peppol. Incoming order confirmations and invoices are automatically returned to the ERP system.
E-ordering is particularly valuable for organisations with a high procurement volume, many recurring orders or a large supplier base. Typical users are municipalities and provinces (who deploy e-ordering via Peppol as part of their procurement policy), hospitals and healthcare institutions, housing associations (maintenance and renovation) and wholesalers with regular buyers.
The investment in e-ordering pays for itself through lower processing costs per transaction, faster throughput times and fewer errors through automatic matching. The threshold to get started is low: if you are already sending or receiving e-invoices via eConnect, e-ordering is a logical extension of the same integration.
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See also: E-invoicing · Invoice processing · Documentation