Electronic invoicing: supporting accounting firm clients

In less than a year's time, the generalization of electronic invoicing for French companies will begin to be implemented in 2024. The transformation of the accounting profession is linked to that of businesses.

The transition to electronic invoicing requires a thorough overhaul of internal processes, tools, and working methods related to corporate accounting and fiscal management. But above all, it will require a shift in your employees' jobs and missions. Firms must quickly become aware of this need and organize themselves to train and develop new services.

Guiding your clients toward electronic invoicing

‍It should be emphasized that electronic invoicing should not be considered a technical challenge for accounting firms. In fact, the technical complexity should be taken care of by future Dematerialization Platform Partners (DPP), and not by end users: accountants and their employees.

The accountant has a role to play in choosing Dematerialization Platform Partners that will be able to respond to two main challenges:

• the firm's and its clients' legal compliance
• the firm's new value proposition: the platform chosen should offer a range of relevant functionalities allowing the firm to develop new missions

New jobs and new missions for your firm

Electronic invoicing is above all an organizational challenge for the firm. Automating certain tasks performed by accounting employees will free up time for your team. It is therefore essential to how this time will be used, and more generally, what the firm's new strategy will be.

Indeed, once accounting and electronic invoicing are automated, what will your firm's revenue model be?

This question is of paramount importance, as it must take your firm's internal skills and reality into account. It is therefore necessary to consider the most suitable assignments to meet all your needs, and to draw on the skills available. Here are just a few examples of areas you can exploit to establish your new value proposition:

• Administrative support
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• Financial support: client reminders, supplier payments, cash flow monitoring, etc.
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• Company management support
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• High-added value consulting: invoices, which will be processed in real-time with the new reform, are real sources of information that will allow you to support and advise your clients on a daily basis. Knowing how to analyze them allows you to improve support to each client in managing their business.

Accounting firms that integrate the right Dematerialization Platform Partners and support some of their employees in developing their skills in these new areas will have the future in their hands!