How to Move from PDFs to True E-Invoices

If you’re still sending PDF invoices by email, you have made a start on digitizing your invoicing process, but it won’t take you far. PDF files can’t be processed automatically and often require manual data entry. They also fall short of current e-invoicing standards.

Electronic invoices or e-invoices are different. They are structured, machine-readable, and built for integration with your ERP system. That means fewer delays and fewer errors.

In this guide, we’ll show you how to move from PDFs to true e-invoicing and how Kolleno can help you automate the switch.

Why PDF Invoicing Isn’t Enough Anymore

PDF invoices help businesses move away from paper invoices, but they aren’t built for automation. A PDF invoice is a static file. It can be sent and saved, but it doesn’t contain structured data that systems can work with.

Each step still relies on human input. Someone needs to open the file, read the invoice data, and enter it manually into the company’s ERP system or accounting system. This slows down the process and increases the risk of error.

PDFs also limit visibility. You can’t see when an invoice has been received or processed. There’s no way to validate tax fields automatically or route the invoice through an automated workflow. And as volumes grow, the manual work adds up fast.

What looks digital is still manual behind the scenes. PDF invoicing may remove printing, but it keeps you stuck with slow processes and disconnected systems.

Kolleno’s e-invoicing system replaces PDFs with structured electronic invoices. These invoices can move from creation to approval to posting without manual effort, freeing up your team and reducing friction.

What Is E-Invoicing—and How Is It Different?

E-invoicing means sending and receiving invoices in a structured electronic format. These invoices aren’t static documents like PDFs. They’re machine-readable files, built for direct exchange between systems, without human input.

An e-invoice includes all the required invoice data, such as amounts, dates, tax rates, and line items, in a format your ERP system can process automatically. That allows for validation, approval, and posting without manual steps.

This structured approach unlocks a range of benefits. You get faster payment cycles and better visibility into each invoice’s status. You reduce processing times and eliminate the errors that come from manual entry. And you can stay compliant with mandatory e invoicing regulations in regions where it applies.

Unlike PDF attachments, e-invoices support real-time data exchange through standards like electronic data interchange (EDI) or PEPPOL. This makes them easier to integrate with your wider finance tech stack.

Platforms like Kolleno help you make the switch. With support for global standards and full integration with your ERP system, Kolleno’s e-invoicing solution gives you a faster, cleaner, and more reliable way to handle invoicing at scale.

How to Convert PDF Invoices Into E-Invoices

If your team currently works with PDF invoices, the first step toward automation is converting those static files into structured, machine-readable electronic invoices. This doesn’t mean redoing your entire invoicing process, but it does mean using tools that can turn flat documents into structured invoice data.

Here’s how the conversion works in practice.

Step 1: Extract Key Data from PDF Files

Start by identifying the essential invoice details your system needs—things like line items, tax rates, payment terms, and totals. Tools like OCR (optical character recognition) or invoice parsing software can help extract data from existing PDF invoices, though accuracy varies depending on format and quality.

This step helps reduce manual data entry, but it’s only part of the solution.

Step 2: Structure the Data for Automation

To be processed automatically, the extracted data must follow a standardized format—usually XML, UBL, or PEPPOL. This is what turns it into a true e-invoice.

Kolleno simplifies this by allowing teams to generate electronic invoices directly from raw data or imported files. Instead of relying on patchwork extraction tools, Kolleno ensures each invoice is created in the correct format from the start.

Step 3: Connect to the Buyer’s System

Once structured, the e-invoice can be sent to the buyer’s system or e invoicing portal for processing. Depending on the recipient’s setup, this may involve integration with their ERP system or submitting through a government platform.

By replacing PDFs with structured e-invoices, you eliminate the need for the buyer to retype, scan, or manually review each invoice—speeding up the payment process.

Step 4: Automate Recurring Invoice Generation

If you send multiple invoices each month, manual file conversion won’t scale. Use a platform like Kolleno to automate the creation of electronic invoices from your ERP or accounting system, skipping the PDF entirely.

This gives you consistency, compliance, and the ability to monitor each invoice from issue to payment.

Key Steps to Transition from PDF to E-Invoicing

Converting PDFs into structured invoices is one part of the shift. But building a scalable, compliant e-invoicing process requires more than just formatting changes. You need to align your systems, people, and workflows around a new way of working.

Here’s how to roll out e-invoicing across your business with confidence.

1. Define Goals for the Transition

Start by setting a clear objective. Do you want faster payment cycles? Lower processing costs? Compliance with mandatory e-invoicing regulations? Each goal may shape the way you implement your new e-invoicing system.

2. Align Teams and Stakeholders

Finance, IT, and operations all play a role in changing your invoicing process. Make sure everyone understands how e-invoicing enables better automation and visibility, and how it differs from sending PDF attachments by email.

Bring in senior leadership early, especially if this change affects your wider ERP system or accounts payable setup.

3. Integrate with Your ERP or Accounting System

True electronic invoicing requires system-to-system exchange. Your e-invoicing platform should integrate with your existing tools so that invoice data can flow without human intervention.

Kolleno supports seamless integration with major ERP modules, helping businesses sync invoices automatically—no more importing files or switching between systems.

4. Plan for Testing and Compliance

Before scaling, test your new e-invoicing portal and workflows with a small group of trading partners or internal users. Validate formatting, field mapping, and system integration. If you operate in regulated regions, confirm that your setup meets e-invoicing requirements and supports real-time reporting.

5. Train Teams and Monitor Performance

Once live, train your team on new steps in the billing process, such as monitoring invoice status, managing exceptions, and reviewing automation logs. Help them understand why this isn’t just a new tool—it’s a more efficient way to work.

Track key metrics like processing time, error rates, and payment times. These will help you spot issues early and prove the business value of the change.

How E-Invoicing Improves Payment Times and Business Performance

Moving from PDF invoices to structured e-invoices doesn’t just modernize your systems—it creates measurable business value. With the right e-invoicing setup, including tools like Kolleno, you can reduce friction, improve accuracy, and strengthen your financial position.

• Faster payment cycles: Structured e-invoices flow directly into the buyer’s system, speeding up validation and approval. That means less chasing and faster payments.
• Lower processing costs: E-invoicing eliminates repetitive admin tasks like manual data entry, file handling, and approval routing—cutting labor costs and reducing delays.
• Fewer errors and better data accuracy: Standardized invoice formats reduce the risk of typos, mismatched totals, and missing details that often slow down payment.
• Improved cash flow visibility: With real-time insight into invoice status, your finance team can forecast more accurately and manage working capital with greater confidence.
• Better compliance and control: E-invoicing systems like Kolleno help meet evolving tax and audit requirements through automated validation, digital signatures, and secure delivery.

Final Thoughts

Switching from PDF invoices to true e-invoicing isn’t just a technical upgrade. It’s a strategic move that helps finance teams reduce friction, improve accuracy, and get paid faster. With structured invoice data flowing automatically between systems, your team can spend less time on admin and more time driving results.

Kolleno makes this transition easier. Its e-invoicing solution integrates with your existing ERP and accounting systems, helping you streamline your invoicing process without disrupting day-to-day operations.

Ready to leave PDF invoicing behind? Book a demo to learn more about how Kolleno can support your move to true e-invoicing.