Sending e-invoices from a phone or tablet: what to know

Sending an e-invoice from a phone or tablet works the same way as from a computer: your invoicing software builds the structured invoice and its Peppol provider delivers it. What changes on a small screen is the checking, so keep a short list of fields to confirm before you send.

Plenty of invoices are ready at the end of a job rather than at a desk: the repair is done, the delivery is signed for, the workshop is over. Being able to send the invoice there and then shortens the wait for payment. This guide explains what actually happens when you tap send, and how to avoid the mistakes that are easier to make on a small screen. For the general steps of sending over Peppol, see sending an e-invoice over Peppol.

What the phone does, and what it does not

An e-invoice is a structured file, not a picture of an invoice, which is why a PDF is not an e-invoice. Your phone usually does not build or deliver that file itself. The work is split like this:

Step	Where it happens
You review the invoice and confirm the send	On the phone or tablet
The structured invoice is built from your data	In your invoicing software
The invoice is checked against the rules	Usually at your Peppol provider
The customer's Peppol ID is looked up	At your provider
The invoice travels to the customer's provider	Between the two providers
An accepted or rejected response may come back	From the customer, through the providers

Two practical consequences follow. A weak mobile connection affects how quickly your tap reaches the software, not the quality of the e-invoice. And the Peppol ID belongs to your business, not to a device, so sending from a phone, a tablet or a desktop computer makes no difference to the customer. The providers' role is explained in what a Peppol access point is.

A check that fits on a phone screen

On a large screen you see the whole invoice at once. On a phone you scroll, and it is easy to skip a field. A short, fixed routine helps:

1. The customer. Right company, and a Peppol ID stored on their record.
2. The reference. Peppol invoices need a buyer reference or an order reference. If the customer gave you a purchase number, it goes here.
3. The lines. Quantities, prices and a VAT category on every line.
4. The totals. Do they match what you agreed on site?
5. The due date. Payment terms as agreed with this customer.

Then send. If your provider stops the invoice because something does not pass the rules, the message usually names the field, and fixing it on the phone is often quicker than it sounds.

When to send from the phone, and when to wait

• Good moments: repeat customers whose details are already complete, simple invoices of a few lines, and invoices that someone else prepared for you to review.
• Better at a desk: a new customer whose details you still need to enter, invoices with many lines, and anything you are unsure about.

Remember that a delivered e-invoice cannot be called back. If something was wrong, the fix is a credit note, as explained in when to issue a credit note, and a credit note is just as easy to get wrong in a hurry.

What the customer sees

Nothing on the customer's side tells them the invoice was confirmed on a phone. Their software receives the same structured file it would receive from a desktop, reads the same fields and checks them against the same rules. That is the point of a structured invoice: the content, not the device or the layout, is what travels.

It also means a rushed invoice looks exactly as rushed on the customer's screen. A missing order reference can hold up payment for weeks if the customer's accounts team cannot match the invoice to an order. A few seconds on the check above usually saves more time than it costs.

Working as a team on the move

In many small businesses, the person who finishes the job is not the person who sends invoices. Splitting the work can help: one person prepares the invoice at the end of the job, another reviews and sends it. A phone is well suited to that second step, because reviewing a short, prepared invoice fits a small screen far better than typing one from scratch.

Phone habits that protect your invoices

• Lock the screen. A phone that can send invoices deserves a passcode and a short auto-lock time.
• Plan for loss. Know how to sign the business account out of a lost phone before you need to.
• Share roles, not devices. Give each person their own sign-in rather than passing one phone around.

If the network itself is new to you, what Peppol is and how it works covers the basics.

Frequently asked questions

Can I send a Peppol invoice from my phone?

Yes, if your invoicing software has a phone app and is connected to the Peppol network through a provider. The phone is where you review and confirm; the software and the provider do the rest.

Do I need a separate Peppol ID for each device?

No. The Peppol ID identifies your business, whatever device you send from. Customers see the same sender either way.

Is an e-invoice sent from a phone legally different?

Generally no. The invoice is the same structured file whichever screen you confirmed it on, and the same rules apply to its content.