Does your business involve customer service, sales and payments, and does the word "invoice" occupy a large part of your daily life and your profession? Then this article is for you!
Electronic invoicing is a legal obligation in Portugal. The truth is that this obligation has brought about the simplification of fiscal duties, making them more efficient. Through certified invoicing programs, issuing and sending electronic invoices has become a much simpler process. On the other hand, electronic invoicing as a legal obligation also brought greater security to taxpayers and improved relations between companies and consumers. If you already use a certified invoicing program in your company, I'm sure it helps - a lot! - on your rights and duties as an entrepreneur. But, is the invoicing program you use the best one for your business? Do your administrative processes have a sufficiently intuitive system, which corresponds to the needs of your company and your sales volume? Come find out!
In an age as digital as the one we live in, issuing, sending and storing invoices manually, and on paper, no longer makes sense. Your company deserves to take another step on the path to modernity!
We have two certainties:
Surely you will know that inspections are increasingly tight, and the fines awarded can tighten - and a lot! - your wallet! Maybe you don't want to take that risk... Therefore, the best way to avoid invoicing failures and, in turn, avoid problems with inspection, is to resort to reliable, certified invoicing software. It is the most efficient way to comply with all legal procedures inherent to your business, making it transparent!
In addition to these initial potentials, there are a few more that can help to clear all your doubts! A certified invoicing program also allows you to:
In the day-to-day of a company, invoicing is the watchword and invoicing is, without a doubt, the central process. However, it is important that the invoicing software used is able to respond to your needs and those of your business. This is the only way to increase productivity and reduce costs!
A certified billing program works in accordance with the current General Data Protection Regulation, protecting, as much as possible, all the personal data contained therein! Be it yours, your customers, and/or the suppliers you work with.
Invoicing software, in turn, also prevents a series of errors that, when done manually, are liable to happen. It is obvious that when issuing an invoice “by hand”, the probability of making an error is greater than if it is done through a certified invoicing program.
By using an invoicing program in your company you are, above all, saving time! This time can be useful, for example, to devise new strategies to boost your business to other levels. Have you ever thought about it?!
Cost savings - without compromising the quality of service provided, of course! - is one of the main goals of a business towards success. Compared with the traditional method, the process of issuing an invoice through an invoicing software allows your company to save an average of 60%.
The collection of your taxes and all the legal obligations associated with your company are made in a much simpler and automatic way.
Through its certified invoicing software, you can control your expenses, access your invoices and manage your stock. You can also enhance the relationship with your customers, allowing them to receive their invoices in digital format.
By taking your business down the digital path, reducing the use of paper, you are contributing to your ecological footprint and to a more sustainable world.
You've already figured out how important it is to use a certified invoicing program, right? The “final bill” to be paid will certainly be less heavy!
As mentioned at the beginning of this article, it is mandatory to issue invoices and documents from a billing program certified by the Tax Authority. Since 1 January 2020, this obligation has also been extended to taxable persons who have, or who have chosen organized accountability.
In addition, the communication of billing series is also mandatory. According to Article 35 of Decree-Law 28/2019, "taxable persons must communicate electronically to AT, before use, the identification of the series used in the issuance of invoices and other fiscally relevant documents by each establishment and medium of processing used.”.
Therefore, you have already managed to realize that issuing invoices is a reality from which you cannot escape! Hence the need - and obligation - to choose a certified invoicing program. Fortunately, there are many on the market! The choice depends on knowing which is the most suitable for you and your business needs.
Choosing the best - and most effective - certified invoicing program is not an easy task! There are a number of issues you should consider before moving on to the final decision:
Don't forget that it is important that the certified invoicing program you choose allows for fast and efficient data processing. If you have any questions about choosing the ideal invoicing program, you can always contact us!
Online billing programs allow you to access your system from your mobile phone, for example, as long as it has an Internet connection.
That way, wherever you are and in real time, you can access your data and your company's data, issue that urgent bill, make payments… All this without having to go to your office to do it!
Offline invoicing software allows you to carry out practically the same tasks as in an online invoicing program. In that aspect, nothing is compromised!
To bill Offline, you just need a computer equipped with the features common to most computers on the market, where the software will be installed to quickly start billing!
When deciding which method is most suitable for you and your business, you will, once again, have to put your needs in the balance. It's no use choosing an extremely complex and full-featured invoicing program when, in fact, you know you won't use even half of them!
Get to know some points that differentiate the two software:
Online Invoicing Program: hiring an exclusively online invoicing program allows you to access and control your company from any location and device, as long as it has an Internet connection.
Offline Billing Program: Offline billing programs are limited to a local device only. If you want to install the software on more than one device, you will have to purchase individual licenses for each one.
Online Invoicing Program: with the use of an online invoicing program, you are dependent on the Internet connection. In case it is weak - or even fails - its management is compromised for a moment.
Offline Invoicing Program: the fact that offline invoicing programs, as the name implies, have the advantage of not needing the Internet for their operation. In case you are issuing an invoice, you know that there is no risk of the procedure being interrupted!
When it comes to data security and handling - whether confidential or not - the two billing methods play side by side! Since, in any of them, it is necessary to make a periodic backup in order to avoid losses. Some billing software already makes these backups automatically.
Online Billing Program: to bill online, you are charged a single monthly or annual fee to ensure the software works. However, this amount that is paid already includes all license fees, possible costs of software updates, etc.
Offline Invoicing Program: as mentioned in the first point, case want to use the same invoicing software on more than one device, you will need to purchase a license for each device.
Both online and offline invoicing programs have their own pros and cons. Have you considered purchasing a certified invoicing program that is able to give you the best of both worlds? In that case, the ideal solution for you is even opting for a hybrid invoicing software: an online invoicing program, which also works offline, and which is able to facilitate the fulfillment of your legal obligations. This way, you will have more time to devise new and different strategies for your business, leading it to success!
It's time to grab a pen and paper, sit down, and imagine the perfect invoicing program for your business!
And speaking of perfect invoicing software... are you familiar with ZONESOFT?
We have at your disposal a hybrid invoicing software, and duly certified by the Tax Authority. With proven success in the catering, retail and mobility markets, ZONESOFT software is easy to install, operate and update. Contact us!
