eInvoicing is often treated as a finance or IT project. That makes sense at first: invoices land in finance systems, and the connection to the Peppol network usually involves technology. But as eInvoicing becomes more established across Australia and New Zealand, procurement and contract teams have a bigger role to play.
New Zealand is a good example. From 1 January 2027, government agencies that follow the Government Procurement Rules will need to require large suppliers to send eInvoices. Importantly, the requirement is not being applied retrospectively to every existing contract overnight. Instead, agencies are expected to build eInvoicing into procurement activity, contract renewals, retenders and significant variations over time.
That is a useful lesson for organisations on both sides of the Tasman. If eInvoicing only appears once an invoice reaches accounts payable, you are already late in the process. The best opportunity to make eInvoicing the normal way of working is earlier, when supplier expectations and commercial terms are being set.
The invoice process starts before the invoice
A supplier does not decide how to invoice you in isolation. The method is often shaped by onboarding information, purchase orders, contract terms and the instructions they receive from procurement or account managers. If those touchpoints still say “email your invoice to this address”, suppliers will keep using PDFs even if your finance system is ready for eInvoicing.
Procurement and contract teams can help close that gap by making the preferred invoicing method clear from the beginning. That could mean adding eInvoicing information to tender documents, supplier onboarding packs, contract schedules or purchase order instructions.
Build eInvoicing into procurement requirements
When you’re sourcing a new supplier, ask about eInvoicing capability early. You do not need a long technical questionnaire. In many cases, a few simple questions are enough:
- Can the supplier send Peppol eInvoices?
- What business identifier will they use, such as an ABN or NZBN?
- If they are not enabled today, what is their plan and timeframe to become enabled?
Capturing this information during procurement gives finance and implementation teams a clearer picture of which suppliers can be onboarded quickly and which may need extra support.
Make the contract language practical
Contract wording should make the invoicing process easy to understand. If eInvoicing is required or preferred, say so clearly and explain what the supplier needs to do. It is also worth checking that invoice requirements in the contract line up with the data your finance system needs, such as a purchase order number, contract reference or business unit identifier.
This matters because eInvoicing works best when structured invoice data can move straight into automated workflows. If a supplier sends an eInvoice but leaves out the information needed for matching or approval, the invoice can still end up in an exception queue.
Use contract events as natural transition points
You do not always need to move every supplier at once. Contract renewals, retenders, new scopes of work and major variations can be useful points to introduce or strengthen eInvoicing requirements. They are moments when both parties are already reviewing processes and expectations, so the change is easier to explain and document.
This is particularly relevant in New Zealand as agencies prepare for the 2027 large-supplier requirement. Government guidance makes it clear that the rule is expected to be incorporated through procurement and contract management processes over time, rather than applied retrospectively to every existing contract on 1 January 2027.
Keep supplier master data up to date
Once a supplier is eInvoicing enabled, record that information somewhere your teams can use it. Depending on your systems, that might be your ERP, procurement platform or contract management system.
Useful information can include the supplier’s Peppol identifier, whether they are ready to send or receive eInvoices, when they were onboarded and any special invoice requirements. This can help procurement avoid giving suppliers outdated instructions and gives finance better visibility of where eInvoicing should be the default channel.
Give procurement, finance and IT clear ownership
eInvoicing works across several parts of the business, so responsibility should not sit with one team alone. A simple operating model can make a big difference: procurement sets expectations with suppliers, finance owns invoice processing and exception handling, and IT or your eInvoicing provider manages the technical connection and system changes.
The important part is having a clear handover. For example, when procurement onboards a supplier that can send eInvoices, finance should know when to expect the channel to change. If the supplier has a technical issue, everyone should know whether it goes to your internal IT team, the supplier’s software provider or your Access Point provider.
Australia can use the same approach
Australia does not have the same 1 January 2027 large-supplier rule, but the principle still applies. The ATO continues to support Peppol as the standardised eInvoicing network in Australia, while government policy continues to focus on improving payment practices and reducing friction for suppliers.
For Australian organisations, putting eInvoicing into procurement and contract processes can help turn an available technical capability into a business-as-usual process. It creates a more consistent supplier experience, helps increase eInvoicing volumes and gives finance teams a better chance of automating invoices from the moment they arrive.
A practical checklist
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- Tender and sourcing: Ask suppliers about Peppol eInvoicing capability during procurement.
- Contracts: State whether eInvoicing is required or preferred and make invoice data requirements clear.
- Supplier onboarding: Give suppliers consistent eInvoicing instructions before their first invoice.
- Supplier master data: Record eInvoicing readiness, identifiers and any special processing requirements.
- Contract events: Use renewals, retenders and major variations as opportunities to transition suppliers.
- Internal ownership: Define the roles of procurement, finance, IT and your Access Point provider.
- Ongoing review: Track which suppliers still use PDFs and target the highest-value opportunities first.
Make eInvoicing part of the supplier relationship
The more eInvoicing is treated as a normal part of buying, contracting and supplier management, the less work finance teams need to do later to move suppliers away from manual invoicing.
For New Zealand organisations, the 2027 government requirements make this especially timely. For Australian businesses, it is a practical way to improve adoption and get more value from the eInvoicing capability they already have.
If you want to make eInvoicing easier to build into your supplier processes, MessageXchange can help you connect your existing software to the Peppol network and support your onboarding approach, get in touch with our team below.
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