The security of e-invoices is not just a matter of document format. An electronic invoice contains business, accounting, and financial data that is exchanged between companies, accounting systems, ERP solutions, and delivery infrastructure.
Therefore, it is not enough to simply determine whether a company is able to issue an e-invoice.
It is also important to consider who has access to the invoice, whether it reaches the correct recipient, what happens to it during processing, and whether the data is transferred between systems without unnecessary manual re-entry.
If you first need to understand what an electronic invoice is and how it differs from a regular PDF, we recommend starting with the article “An E-Invoice Is Not a PDF.”
Now let’s take a look at security. Where might risks arise with e-invoicing, and how does the Flowis Digital Mailbox help address them?
Why It’s Not Enough to Send an Invoice as a PDF via Email
Sending a PDF invoice by email is simple, and companies are used to this way of doing business.
However, it does have its weaknesses.
An email may be sent to the wrong person. An attachment may go unnoticed in the inbox, be forwarded, or be saved in a location where it must later be tracked down.
The processing itself may also be a problem.
When did the invoice arrive? Who processed it? Has it been posted yet? Was it entered into the ERP system? Was it processed twice?
When there are only a few invoices, situations like this can be handled manually. However, as the number of documents increases, so do the manual steps—and with them, the potential for errors.
E-invoicing is changing this process.
Instead of a document intended primarily for human readers, it works with structured data that can also be processed by information systems.
In the Peppol environment, e-invoices are sent in a standardized format, which allows information systems to process them automatically.
In practice, this means that the accountant does not have to manually enter the data from the invoice. The system can import, verify, and further process the data.
However, the format alone is not enough.
The entire process—from creating an invoice to its delivery and processing—is important.
1. The invoice is sent to the wrong recipient
When it comes to an invoice, it’s important to know who sent it and who it’s addressed to.
If a document is sent to the wrong recipient or the sender is not correctly identified, it may cause a delay or an error in further processing.
That’s why, when it comes to e-invoicing, we don’t rely solely on the company name or email address.
It is important to clearly identify the participants and ensure the document is sent to the correct recipient.
2. The invoice will remain outside the audit process
Not every security risk stems from an external attack.
It often arises quite naturally.
The invoice is sent to one person via email. That person forwards it to the accountant. Another colleague saves it to a folder, and someone else enters the data into the ERP system.
The more steps like this there are, the harder it is to keep track of everything.
A document may be lost, left unprocessed, or processed more than once.
E-invoicing, therefore, is not simply a matter of replacing a PDF file with an XML file.
It is important to incorporate invoices into a clear and controlled process.
3. The data is transcribed by hand
Manually transcribing data from invoices is another area where errors can occur.
All it takes is a mistake when entering the IBAN, amount, variable symbol, company ID number, or due date.
A structured e-invoice allows this data to be transferred between systems automatically.
This allows the accounting or ERP system to import them without a person having to re-enter them repeatedly.
The result is less manual work and fewer opportunities for errors when entering data.
4. More people than necessary have access to invoices
Invoices contain sensitive business and financial information.
That is why it is important to know who has access to them.
The accountant needs one set of information, company management needs another, and the external accounting firm needs yet another.
Properly configured access controls help ensure that users work only with the data they need for their tasks.
This is particularly important in companies with multiple departments or when working with an external accountant.
5. The company cannot determine retroactively what happened to the invoice
When it comes to invoices, the history is also important.
A company may need to determine when a document was sent, where it was sent, or what its current status is.
If this information is scattered across emails, folders, and the accounting system, finding it can be time-consuming.
The digital process makes it easier to view the history and status of invoice processing in one place.
The audit trail thus assists with accounting, internal controls, and resolving specific invoices with suppliers or customers.
6. E-invoicing operates separately from the ERP system
E-invoicing does not automatically require a company to change its accounting or ERP system.
What matters is its connection.
If employees have to manually export, upload, or transcribe invoices between systems, it creates extra work and opens the door to more errors.
That is why the Flowis digital mail service is designed to integrate with existing accounting, invoicing, and ERP systems.
If your system is capable of generating the required structured e-invoice, it can submit it for further processing and delivery.
If it does not have such an output, one solution may be to convert the available billing data into the required format.
You can find the technical options on the API Integration for ERP Systems page.
How Flowis, the Digital Mail Carrier, Helps Improve the Security of E-Invoices
When it comes to the security of e-invoices, it is important that delivery, document verification, user access, and integration with existing systems function as a single process.
What matters is how delivery, document verification, user access, history, and integration with existing systems work together.
Invoices go through a controlled process
Flowis, a digital mail service, helps companies receive and send e-invoices through the required infrastructure.
This way, the company does not have to base the entire process on sending attachments via email.
It provides a clearer way to receive and send invoices and a better overview of their status.
Structured data can be verified
An e-invoice contains data in a format that information systems can understand.
This makes it possible to automatically verify the required data before further processing.
For the company, this means fewer manual steps and better control over what data enters the next process.
History helps us keep track of things
With digital processing, it is possible to track information about the document’s processing history.
This makes it easier for the company to determine what has been received, what has been sent, and the current status of an invoice.
Instead of searching for information in emails, it provides a clearer history.
Access settings can be configured as needed
Not every user needs to see everything.
Access control helps separate users and their roles.
This is useful, for example, for external accountants, accounting firms, or companies where multiple people handle invoices.
Security is an integral part of the entire solution
Security is not just a property of the file itself.
This also includes access controls, history, process reliability, and how the service is operated.
When working with sensitive accounting and business data, it is therefore important to look at the entire process, not just the invoice format.
For more information about Flowis’s approach to this area, visit the Digital Mailbox Security page.
Without replacing the existing system
The new solution should not create additional manual work for accountants.
That is why it is important to integrate with the systems the company already uses.
The Flowis digital mail service can integrate with an existing accounting or ERP system to receive and send e-invoices.
This allows the company to retain its established processes and prepare for e-invoicing gradually.
The security of e-invoices is an integral part of the entire process
When it comes to the security of e-invoices, it’s not just about the file itself.
It is important to know who is sending the document, who it is intended for, who has access to it, what happens to it, and how its data is entered into the accounting system.
This is exactly where the Flowis Digital Mail Carrier can help.
It integrates the receipt and sending of e-invoices, document verification, status tracking, and integration with existing systems.
E-invoicing doesn’t have to be another complicated process. It can be set up step by step, in a clear and straightforward way, without unnecessary complexity.
Would you like to know how the Flowis Digital Mailbox can work with your accounting or ERP system? Check out the integration options for ERP systems or contact us through the Digital Mailbox page.