When it comes to electronic invoicing, many companies ask themselves a practical question: Do we need to use a single digital mail service provider for everything, or can we combine different solutions depending on what works best for us?
In practice, you may have more than one digital mail provider. It’s important to distinguish between which provider you use to process issued e-invoices and which one you use for received e-invoices. This is where you have the opportunity to set up your processes so that they work as smoothly as possible for your business.
When Does It Make Sense to Have Multiple Digital Mailbox Providers?
Not every company needs to overhaul its entire invoicing process all at once. Often, a company already has a well-established method for issuing invoices thatis linked to its accounting system, internal procedures, or an external accounting firm. However, that doesn’t mean it has to use the same solution for incoming invoices as well.
Quite the contrary. In many cases, it makes sense to keep the existing method of sending issued e-invoices and handle receipt separately through another digital mail provider. This way, you can gain a better overview, more control, and easier processing of received documents without disrupting a process that is already working.
What does this mean for received and issued e-invoices?
Issued and received e-invoices are two different processes. For issued invoices, it is important to know where the invoice originates and through which system it is sent. For received e-invoices, on the other hand, it is essential to know where they arrive, who processes them, and how they are subsequently forwarded for approval or accounting.
Therefore, it’s perfectly natural for a company to have one digital mail handler set up for sending and another for receiving. Just because you’ve already figured out how to handle outgoing e-invoices doesn’t mean that the same solution is necessarily ideal for incoming ones.
Real-World Example 1: An external accounting firm issues an invoice; your company receives it in Flowis
Imagine a company where an external accounting firm handles issued invoices using accounting system X. This system already has its own connection to a digital mail service, so the sending of issued e-invoices is taken care of, and there is no reason to change this process.
However, the business owner or internal team wants to have options and a better overview of received invoices. They need to have them all in one place, see what has arrived, what is pending approval, and what has already been processed—or integrate them directly into the accounting system. In this case, the company can use Flowis Digital Mailbox separately for received invoices, even if outgoing invoices are already being sent through a different digital mailbox.
The result is simple: The accountant continues with their usual process, and at the same time, the company improves its management of received e-invoices through Flowis.
Real-World Example 2: Your company issues invoices in System X and wants to separate the received invoices
Another common scenario is when a company issues invoices directly within its own System X. The issued e-invoices are sent from the same environment, making the process convenient for sales and back-office teams.
When it comes to incoming invoices, the company wants to have more control over the processing of those invoices while also automating the processes.
In some cases, a company also needs a digital mail handler that can receive an invoice in BIS 3 format from the Peppol network and automatically convert it to a format the company normally uses, such as PDF.
Flowis makes this possible as well. This allows a company to use multiple digital mail carriers. At the same time, it provides a simpler solution for receiving mail, ensures compliance with legal requirements, and enables the automation of follow-up processes.
Why This Model Is Practical for Businesses
The biggest advantage is flexibility. You don’t have to change the entire process just because you want to improve one part of it. If your invoicing process is working well, keep it running as is. If you need to better manage incoming invoices, set up a solution that works better for you in this area.
This is also practical for companies because the changes tend to be smaller, faster, and easier to implement. Instead of making major changes to your invoicing system, you can address a specific problem in a targeted way.
How to Consider This When Making a Decision
If you’re already using a digital mailbox for issued e-invoices, it’s worth asking yourself a simple question: Does it work just as well for received invoices? If not, you don’t have to limit yourself to one solution for everything.
You can use Flowis precisely in situations where you want to process received e-invoices in a clear and organized manner, independently, and without having to change your existing system. For many companies, this is the easiest way to set up the process based on real-world practices, rather than on the system’s limitations.
Conclusion
Having multiple digital mailboxes is an option, and in many cases, it’s a very practical setup.
Flowis is a certified solution for both small and large businesses with various accounting systems. So if you’re looking for a way to receive e-invoices more efficiently without having to change your accounting system, this might just be the solution that makes sense for your company.