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eInvoicing Project

Leading agency: Queensland Shared Services

Start date: July 2022

End date: November 2023

About the project

Queensland Shared Services (QSS) in the Department of Transport and Main Roads is conducting an eInvoicing pilot project to make paying supplier invoices faster and easier.

The pilot focuses on implementing eInvoicing technology for QSS customers who currently use the QSS SAP Rest of Government (RoG) system.

What’s eInvoicing

An electronic eInvoice (eInvoice) is a computer-readable file that:

  • is created according to an agreed standard
  • is exchanged with suppliers digitally, using a secure network
  • provides a more efficient and accurate method of invoicing that supports departments to maintain compliance with the Queensland Government On Time Payment Policy.

Pilot objectives

The QSS project team will engage with stakeholders to test the following key processes:

  • sending and receiving eInvoices with external suppliers
  • automated validation of eInvoices
  • customer review of eInvoices
  • payment authorisation
  • automated invoice payments.

The pilot aims to:

  • prove eInvoicing technology can work in a shared service arrangement
  • demonstrate the Queensland government’s commitment to the rollout of eInvoicing across Australia
  • determine the benefits of eInvoicing to agencies, suppliers and QSS
  • determine the business process and solution design changes needed to realise these benefits, and to share those learnings with other departments.

What’s next

Assess the outcomes of the pilot to inform a decision as to whether the technology should be extended to the remaining agencies, listed below, which currently use the QSS SAP RoG System.

Agencies involved

Agriculture and Fisheries
Child Safety, Seniors and Disability Services
Housing, Local Government, Planning and Public Works
Electoral Commission Queensland
Employment, Small Business and Training
Energy and Climate
Environment, Science and Innovation
Justice and Attorney-General
Office of Industrial Relations
Premier and Cabinet
Queensland Ambulance Service
Queensland Corrective Services
Queensland Fire Department
Queensland Police Service
Regional Development, Manufacturing and Water
Treaty, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships, Communities and the Arts
State Development and Infrastructure
Tourism and Sport

Benefits

Improved security

Invoices are typically exchanged via unsecured email with suppliers. eInvoices will be exchanged electronically using an encrypted, secure message service. This process also allows each party to securely verify their identities.

Faster payments

eInvoicing decreases the risk of late payments by:

  • sending eInvoices directly to the departments finance system, appearing automatically in their accounting software
  • using workflow technology to send tasks to relevant parties to complete the process, including built in reminders
  • driving the automation of payment processes.

Fewer errors

eInvoices received will undergo a series of automated validations to detect potential errors. eInvoices are also produced by suppliers using a standardised format, making them easier to review and understand.

Reduced costs

The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) estimates paper and email invoices cost businesses between $27 and $30 each to process. This is due to how the costs to create invoices may vary, depending on the technology and processes used. The ATO estimates that switching to eInvoicing can reduce costs to businesses to less than $10 per invoice.

Ease of set-up

Getting started is quick and easy. In most cases, supplier software can already eInvoice and will have instructions to register and get started. Alternatively your accountant or bookkeeper can help you get started.

The Australian Taxation Office also has guidance on how to become eInvoicing enabled.

Connect once, trade with many

Once connected to the eInvoicing network, suppliers can exchange eInvoices with any business also on the network.

Key milestones

The capability to send and receive eInvoices has been tested successfully with the pilot group.

Project phase

The eInvoicing pilot is currently at the delivery phase.

Get involved

If you would like to try eInvoicing and participate in the QSS pilot, please contact the eInvoicing Project Team.

Contacts

Name: eInvoicing project team

Email: QSS E-invoicing@chde.qld.gov.au

Supporting information