Sustainability is a top priority for many companies. But many don't know where to start. A first step is the implementation of e-bills. They provide a very simple way to improve sustainability at your company – at no great effort.

Saving costs thanks to e-bills

Issuing invoices takes time: entering the data, printing the invoice, putting it in an envelope it and sending it – this can often take several hours. The same is true when you receive an invoice and need to process it in your accounting system. And it all comes down to money. Every paper invoice generates costs that you can save with e-bills.

Digitized invoicing processes eliminate a large part of the work. The costs are correspondingly lower, with possible savings of between 60 and 80 percent. Implementation of e-bills requires one-off investments. However, these are small and can be recouped after a short period. There are also four positive side effects:

• Faster incoming payments: because e-bills are paid faster, the company enjoys increased financial flexibility.
• Process cost optimization thanks to automation: you do not have to manually input the invoices that you receive. The order assignment also takes place automatically.
• Digital archiving: digitized invoices are archived automatically, require hardly any storage space and can be accessed with just a few clicks – in contrast to paper invoices in a folder.
• Fewer payment reminders: experience shows that e-bills are paid much more reliably than paper bills.

Switch to e-bills with PostFinance

Switching to e-bills makes companies more sustainable. PostFinance supports you on the path to greater sustainability. The integrated e-billing solution processes data from your financial software and automatically forwards it to the recipient in electronic form. Or you can send, receive and manage e-bills directly and independently with the eInvoicing portal from PostFinance.

Go paperless to fight climate change

E-bills not only make your company more economical, but also more environmentally sustainable. By making the switch, you are taking responsibility for the environment. You are conserving natural resources and helping to protect trees and forests, because large quantities of wood are consumed in the production of paper invoices. In 2021, 74% of all invoices in Switzerland were sent by letter post. That's 758 million paper invoices − or thousands of trees that could be protected.

In addition to protecting trees, switching to e-billing also reduces your company's carbon footprint. Conventional invoices generate emissions – from paper production to delivery by letter post. According to the study “The link will open in a new window Sustainability in Accounting” (Six Group, March 2022), the complete conversion to eBill could save more than 50,000 tons of CO₂. That is equivalent to the carbon footprint of around 3,500 people in Switzerland – including consumption, mobility, housing and food.

Building and reinforcing a sustainable image

Regardless of the industry, sustainable products and companies are in demand. Customers attach ever more importance to sustainability, so a manufacturer’s environmentally friendly image can have a positive influence on purchasing decisions. So start using e-bills. It shows that you are willing to use advances in digital technology to conserve resources.

Because e-bills are not yet widespread, you can score points by using them. Things will be different in a few years. It is estimated that by 2028 around 80% of invoice traffic will be digital. E-bills will soon be the norm. The sooner you make the switch, the sooner your commitment to sustainability will have an impact on your customers.

You can send e-bills directly to your customers’ e-banking as eBills or, in the case of corporate customers, have them delivered directly to your accounting system. Find out how to motivate your customers to receive their bills digitally as eBills in e-banking in the article “How to get your customers excited about eBill”.