Making sense of e-invoicing with Alfa: new podcast episode out now!

In this eye-opening episode of the Asset Finance Connect European Equipment Finance Podcast, sponsored by Alfa, we tackle a topic that’s often overlooked but rapidly rising up the agenda for asset finance professionals: e-invoicing. And guiding us through it are two experts from Alfa, one of the industry’s most trusted technology partners – Emily Hammond, director of product, and John Murray, director, office of the CTO.

Hosted by AFC’s Richard O’Donohue, the conversation dives deep into why e-invoicing is more than just a regulatory box-ticking exercise, and how it’s poised to reshape operations across the finance ecosystem.

What is e-invoicing and why should you care?

E-invoicing isn’t simply sending a PDF invoice by email. As Emily explains, it’s the machine-to-machine transfer of structured invoice data, designed to be instantly understood and processed by both the sender and recipient’s systems. No manual rekeying. No image scans. No OCR guesswork. Just fast, accurate, real-time data exchange.

John adds context by explaining the regulatory push behind e-invoicing, particularly in the EU where “VAT in the Digital Age” (ViDA) will make real-time e-invoicing mandatory for B2B transactions by July 2030. Countries like Italy are already fully live, while others such as France are rolling out phased mandates. The momentum is clear: regulators see e-invoicing as a tool for fighting VAT fraud and improving transparency.

Beyond compliance: the business benefits

While regulation is driving adoption, the operational upside is just as compelling. Emily outlines how companies can:

• Cut invoice processing costs by up to 80%
• Gain real-time visibility into payables and receivables
• Improve cash flow management and access to financing
• Enhance emissions and compliance reporting using accurate, granular data

The key is not just automation, but confidence in the quality and timeliness of data, something that Emily, with her background in investment banking, argues is absolutely critical for smarter financial decision-making.

The challenge: fragmented standards and readiness

Despite the benefits, the current e-invoicing landscape is fragmented and complex. Different countries are adopting different standards and timelines, making it difficult for multi-national companies to stay ahead.

Through Alfa’s user groups – like their recent gathering in Stockholm – clients are voicing concerns about choosing the right e-invoicing providers, aligning with multiple national standards, and preparing internal systems for what’s coming.

As John notes, readiness varies widely, with larger companies investing early, while smaller firms weigh the ROI more cautiously.

How Alfa helps

Alfa’s flexible platform and API-first architecture make it easier for companies to extract, structure, and transmit invoice data in the formats required by local regulations or software providers. Emily and John describe how Alfa is already working with forward-thinking clients to implement e-invoicing integrations – often with low-code or no-code setups, allowing for rapid and tailored deployment.

And with the PEPPOL (Pan-European Public Procurement On-Line) standard emerging as a likely cross-border benchmark, Alfa is ensuring its clients are prepared to adapt and scale as the regulatory landscape evolves.

The future: AI and the evolution of invoicing

The episode closes on a forward-looking note. Could artificial intelligence eventually disrupt e-invoicing as we know it? John offers a compelling thought: as AI continues to evolve, the rigid data structures we’re building today could be replaced by models that simply “read” any invoice, regardless of format. While that future isn’t here yet, the foundation being laid today – clean, structured, real-time data – will still be essential in an AI-powered world.

Don’t miss this one

Whether you’re a CFO, IT leader, operations specialist, or regulatory compliance professional, this episode provides clear, actionable insight into how to prepare for the e-invoicing revolution. It’s not just about meeting mandates – it’s about transforming how your business processes, understands, and leverages financial data.

Listen now to Episode 5 of the Asset Finance Connect European Equipment Finance Podcast to make sense of e-invoicingand discover how Alfa is helping companies unlock the true value of e-invoicing.