Last week was all about issuing invoices, so the next logical step would be to discuss receiving invoices. How convenient, because that’s exactly with we’ll be doing in part 11 of the E-invoicing Checklist series! A sales invoice has become your purchase invoice. So, now what? Somewhere during transport, the invoice has undergone a transformation: the sales invoice has become a purchase invoice. The invoice is now residing under your responsibility as a customer, buyer, purchaser. This is what you’ll need to pay attention to:
Register all invoices
If you have any doubts about the authenticity (formal: required format/address or substantive: required content) or correctness of the invoice, you have to inform your supplier. Provide them with details about the problems and ask for a changed, credit or custom invoice.
Avoid duplicate invoices/fake invoices
Measures also need to be taken to detect duplicate invoices and fraudulent invoices. Prevent them from being processed and -most importantly- from being paid.
Secure your computers and software
Computers and software involved in this invoice control process have to be adequately protected from unauthorized access.
Automated receipt processes are tested
Automated processing of received (purchase) invoices should be tested in advance. Make sure you have a report of the test results available.
Verify the contents of the inbound invoice
Each invoice must be checked beyond reasonable doubt. If possible, verify that the invoice comes from an approved supplier (or acting on behalf of the supplier: a third party) and doesn’t seem to have been changed since it was issued to you.
Option: check the electronic signature
If the invoice was signed with an electronic signature, check whether the electronic signature can be verified. And then: verify the electronic signature. This also applies to other technical guarantees: check whether they can be verified and then: verify. Just like back-ups: make a back-up and then verify whether you can restore it or not.
Check the invoice with other sources of transactional information
You should further check the coherence of the invoice with other sources of available transaction information (such as contracts, purchase-orders, delivery receipts) if possible.
Previously published articles in this series:
New series: The E-invoicing Checklist [part 1]
The E-invoicing Checklist: Manual [part 2]
The E-invoicing Checklist: Current EU e-invoicing basics [part 3]
The E-invoicing Checklist: The new EU E-invoicing Directive [part 4]
The E-invoicing Checklist: content – tax requirements [part 5]
The E-invoicing Checklist: content of the simple invoice [part 6]
The E-invoicing Checklist: content clarity and comprehensibility [part 7]
The E-invoicing Checklist: content payment instructions [part 8]
The E-invoicing Checklist: create your invoice [part 9]
The E-invoicing Checklist: It’s issuing time! [part 10]
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