Electronic invoicing now also available to SMEs
Aalst, 17 September 2007
Now that electronic invoicing has been adopted by a growing number of big businesses, Certipost has put electronic invoicing within reach of SMEs as well. Certipost, the joint venture between Belgacom and De Post which is specialised in secure electronic document exchange, will be launching the new ’e-Invoicing Start’ service on 17 September.
This online service allows more than half a million SMEs to legally send and receive electronic invoices and electronically archive them via Certipost for the statutory ten year period. Electronic invoicing results in cost cuts, less administration and a higher efficiency. Invoices no longer need to be printed, put in an envelope and archived. It is quick and easy and reducing the paper invoice mountain is good for the environment.
Low entry level
Certipost removes any doubt that SMEs had about electronic invoicing in terms of cost price and complexity. ’e-Invoicing Start’ was specifically developed with SMEs in mind and is interesting for businesses that send up to five hundred invoices a year. Certipost has other formulas for companies that send more invoices.
’e-Invoicing Start’ comprises a digital certificate, credits and an online archive. The digital certificate allows you to electronically sign invoices before you send them. Sending electronic invoices in a legally valid way requires this signature. The sender also needs credits in order to send invoices. Receipt of electronic invoices is free.
The certificate can also be used for a whole range of electronic government declarations and applications, such as the electronic VAT declaration. This will become compulsory for medium-sized businesses from January 2008 and for small businesses from January 2009. Businesses will also need a certificate to deposit the annual accounts with the National Bank of Belgium. The Certipost certificate can also be used to sign digital documents and e-mails.
Attractive price
SMEs and one-man businesses can choose between an electronic certificate on a smart card or USB-token for one (199 euro), two (249 euro) or five years (399 euro). This certificate can be purchased in the webshop via http://www.certipost.be/webshop. In addition to the certificate they receive a hundred credits to send as many invoices and an archive with a storage capacity of 2 gigabytes for one year. Companies that already have a Certipost certificate are able to send and archive a hundred invoices for 49 euro. Additional credits can be purchased in the webshop: a hundred credits for 49 euro, five hundred for 199 euro and a thousand for 349 euro. All services can be purchased via Certipost’s webshop: www.certipost.be/webshop : www.certipost.be/webshop.
Fast
Certipost’s new offer allows small businesses to send, receive and archive electronic invoices immediately. No complicated technical installation whatsoever is required. Certificates and credits are purchased online. The archive can be consulted online and invoices are sent from Microsoft Office Outlook or any other e-mail program.
Certipost’s range of solutions offers a unique growing curve that allows the level of automation in the invoicing process to grow at the same pace as the business.
Huge potential
"More than 23,000 big businesses already use our electronic invoicing", says Stijn Vander Plaetse, CEO of Certipost. "Every year businesses in Belgium exchange 450 million invoices. With ’e-Invoicing Start’ SMEs and one-man businesses are able to reduce their paper administration quickly and easily, cut costs and assume a modern image. They told us they wanted to switch to electronic invoicing but they couldn’t find a product that satisfied them 100%. Now they have."
About Certipost - "We facilitate and certify e-communications"
Certipost enables, automates and secures electronic billing and electronic document exchange via the Internet.
Certipost provides solutions for the delivery of invoices and electronic documents to the right person, company or organisation. These solutions allow companies to limit their costs, improve their customer service, as well as the environment and increase their efficiency. Certipost’s CertiONE platform is an open platform that allows large numbers of users and companies to be connected very quickly and electronically exchange business documents. It can be integrated in any accounting software package or ERP system.
Certipost also provides electronic identification services for a secure usage of online applications. In Belgium, Certipost issues the electronic identity card (eID), comprising two certificates, to all citizens. This identity card gives access to various secured access management applications such as registered mail.
Certipost was established in 2002 in Belgium as a joint venture between De Post and Belgacom. It hosts more than 23,000 companies and 300,000 private individuals on its platform in Europe. The company is based in Aalst and has offices in the Netherlands and France. Stijn Vander Plaetse is Certipost’s CEO.
For more information go to www.certipost.be.
Also see http://www.quadrantcommunications.be/downloads/certipost
Certipost
Katrien Busschaert, Head of Marketing
Ninovesteenweg 196, B-9320 Erembodegem (Aalst)
Tel.: +32 (0)53 601 134
Email:
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Contact voor journalisten :
Quadrant Communications
Bart Inslegers
Franklin Rooseveltlaan 348, B-9000 Gent
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