About eInvoicing
eInvoicing is the ability to send electronic invoices directly to your clients accounting software via a secure network.
With direct exchange of invoice data between any two accounting systems, doing business can become smoother, faster and safer. With less manual handling and processing, it can reduce admin, errors and delays – and help speed up processing and payment, to improve business cash flow.
Read more about eInvoicing here
You can send eInvoices regardless of the software your client is using.
- Make sure your business’s global identifier (ABN, NZBN) and registered business name is set up in Abtrac
- Make sure your Name of client business number is set to either NZBN or ABN
- Find your clients identifier (ABN, NZBN) and add it to their billing details in Abtrac.
- Update your clients project number within Abtrac
- Confirm your client is registered to receive eInvoices.
Adding eInvoicing to your subscription
eInvoicing is an optional add-on to your Abtrac subscription. You can activate eInvoicing from Abtrac via the subscriptions page by choosing Add/Remove Licenses.
Setting up your company details for eInvoicing
In Abtrac your company details for eInvoicing are managed from Administration >> Settings >> Invoice and Other Office Settings > Our eInvoicing Settings.
In Abtrac you can manage multiple offices, with each office/branch optionally invoicing separately. As such you can also have more than one invoice setting configuration in Abtrac, including eInvoice settings.
Although eInvoicing can be multi-office it’s currently not available for multi-currency. If your default company and office is based in Australia you can only connect and send through the Australian eInvoice network, even if your company also has a registered New Zealand Business.
For your default Invoice setting (and any others that need to have different eInvoice options) enter your eInvoice Company details:
Invoice Currency
Choose either NZD or AUD for eInvoicing currency options. Additional options will be included as eInvoicing becomes available in other countries.
Company Legal Entity Name
This is your company’s legal registered entity, which may differ from your trading or business names. It will need to match the legal name associated with your business number.
If you are unsure of your business entity name you can find this from the websites below:
Company Business Number
This will be your companies ABN (Australia) or NZBN (New Zealand)
If you are unsure of your legal business number you can find this from the websites below:
How to find your entity name and business number
Australia businesses: Legal name and ABN
Australian businesses can find your clients ABN from the ABN Lookup website.
New Zealand businesses: Legal name and NZBN
New Zealand companies can find a clients NZBN from the NZBN Register.
Selecting who can send eInvoices
Using System Privileges to control who can send invoices
From Administration > Employees > User Group Management you can set permissions for all users logging in to Abtrac – including who can send invoices.
Read about setting User Groups and Permissions here
Using invoice status to control which invoices can be sent
The invoice status feature in Abtrac helps control which invoices can be sent. You can associate any created invoice status with a “Can be Sent” option.
Companies using eInvoicing may wish to add an additional invoice status to highlight invoices that need send over the eInvoice (Peppol) network.
Learn how to set up a send invoice status here
Setting up your client tax settings for eInvoicing
Name of Client Business Number
The eInvoice network your Abtrac invoices are directed to are controlled by your client business number settings.
These are managed from Administration >> Settings >> Invoice and Other Office Settings > Sales Tax Settings. Here you will need to choose the Name of Client Business Number. Choose either NZBN or ABN.
The name here must be exact, NZBN or ABN, any additional characters will cause the connection to fail.
Setting up your eInvoice recipients
- Confirm your client is registered to receive eInvoices
- Flag the client, project or invoice as “Bill via eInvoice”
- Find your clients identifier (ABN, NZBN) and add it to their billing details in Abtrac.
- Update your clients project number within Abtrac
Your client must be registered to receive eInvoices.
Your client needs to be registered with Peppol to receive eInvoices, you can check this by asking them or checking their registration on the relevant government website.
How can I check if my client is registered to receive eInvoices?
You can add eInvoice recipient details at the client, project or invoice level
eInvoice recipients details are stored in Abtrac alongside the client or project invoice address information. Abtrac will first look for data from Clients > Invoice Defaults and then to Job Billing Details.
Read more about Invoice address details in Abtrac here
Adding Client Business Number (Global Identifier – ABN or NZBN)
Invoices sent via eInvoicing must include the recipients business identifier (ABN or NZBN). You can enter this at the client, project or invoice stage.
How can I find my clients global business identifier
Adding Client Business Number: Client Invoice Defaults
From Clients, Contacts & Jobs > Clients > Invoice Defaults you can add a Clients Business Number.
Adding Client Business Number: Job Billing Details
If projects for a client are likely to have different Clients Business Numbers, you can instead add the global business identifier here
Adding Client Business Number: Invoice Details
You can also add the client invoice number directly to the invoice.
Setting the recipient as billable via eInvoice
To send eInvoices you must mark the recipient as “Billable via eInvoice”. As shown in the screenshots above this can be selected from either the invoice, project or client level.
When this is enabled you’ll be prompted to review the eInvoice requirements.
Record the Client’s Project Reference
When your client confirms they are eligible for eInvoicing they need to provide you with their own project reference number. This needs to be logged in Abtrac and used to match your invoice once it is received in their accounting system.
You can update “Contact Project No.” from Jobs > Job Billing Details in advance or directly on the Invoice detail section of the invoice to be sent.
Adding Client Project Number: Job Billing Details > Contact Job No.
Adding Client Project Number: Invoice Details > Client Job Number
Sending eInvoices
You can send eInvoices regardless of the software your client is using.
- Make sure your business’s global identifier (ABN, NZBN), currency and registered business name is set up in Abtrac
- Make sure your Name of client business number is set to either NZBN or ABN
- Find your clients identifier (ABN, NZBN) and add it to their billing details in Abtrac.
- Update your clients project number within Abtrac
- Confirm your client is registered to receive eInvoices
- Check your invoice meets the invoice line requirements
Complete the requirements for all the steps above. Then create your Abtrac invoice in the usual way and choose Send as eInvoice.
Read more about How to send eInvoices via Abtrac here
Checking the send status for eInvoices
Any user can view the send status of all invoices sent via Abtrac from the Load invoice screen.
You can add “Can bill via eInvoice” and “eInvoice Status” columns from Administration > Settings > User Control Settings > Load Invoice.
If a company is not registered for eInvoicing with Peppol, you’ll be notified that the eInvoice can’t be sent. In this case you can send the invoice as a PDF or by email instead.
Read more about eInvoice delivery status results here
Video: Setting up and sending eInvoices
Abtrac KB# 2015