What is an electronic invoice?

An electronic invoice is a digital version of a traditional paper invoice. It is sent by email or through an invoicing system directly to the recipient and contains all the necessary accounting information – such as date, invoice number, items, prices and VAT. It documents a financial transaction and is typically used for B2B sales that must be recorded correctly.

Unlike a scanned or manually entered invoice, an electronic invoice is structured so that it can be read automatically into both the sender's and the recipient's systems. This saves time, minimises human error and complies with accounting and VAT legislation.

An example from the hospitality industry

Imagine a café working with a local catering company that delivers ingredients every month. Instead of sending a paper bill, the catering company issues an electronic invoice directly to the café's email or via an integration. The invoice contains all relevant information about the goods delivered, plus the total amount and VAT. The café can now easily import the details into its accounting system, pay the bill and store the invoice digitally for future reference.

Why are electronic invoices important when using POS systems?

A modern POS system handles much more than just payment at the till. With electronic invoices you can easily send bills to regular customers, companies or partners – for example in connection with agreement invoicing. At the same time, integrations with accounting systems make it possible to share and book invoices automatically, saving manual work and ensuring correct bookkeeping.

Electronic invoices also make it easy to keep track of outstanding payments, send reminders and document financial transactions. That gives you a better overview and more time for operations and guest service.

How Flexybox uses electronic invoices

Flexybox's POS and booking system supports electronic invoicing. This means that, as a café or restaurant owner, you can easily send invoices directly from the system to your customers or partners. It saves time and significantly reduces paper use. Flexybox also links the invoices to relevant information in the system, giving you a complete overview of sales and agreements.

Frequently asked questions

An electronic invoice is sent digitally and processed automatically in accounting systems, while a paper invoice is printed and often requires manual entry.

It isn't required in every case, but it is recommended. Rules on mandatory e-invoicing differ per country and are changing, so check what applies where you trade. It saves time, minimises errors and is easier to handle in modern POS systems and accounting software.

Yes, but electronic invoices are mostly used in B2B contexts. For private individuals, receipts or till slips are more common.

Yes, the electronic invoices from Flexybox meet VAT and accounting requirements and can be used as documentation in your bookkeeping.