eInvoicing here is optional. It is also faster money.
There is no mandate for private businesses in New Zealand. What there is, is a payment rule: around 135 government agencies must pay eInvoices within 5 business days, against 10 business days for a PDF or paper invoice.
What an eInvoice actually is
Not a PDF attached to an email. An eInvoice is a structured file sent directly from your accounting software into your customer's accounting software, over a network called Peppol. Nobody re-types anything, nothing gets lost in an inbox, and there is no "can you resend that" three weeks later.
How you are addressed on the network
Your NZBN — your New Zealand Business Number — is your address. That is what your customer's system uses to find you. It is why setup is usually quick: you already have the identifier.
What it costs
Around 57 accounting and invoicing software providers in New Zealand already support eInvoicing, many at no additional cost or a small one. If you are on Xero or MYOB, the capability is very likely already included in what you pay today. It is usually a setup task, not a purchase.
Why it is worth doing even if you do not supply government
- Invoices arrive in your customer's system already coded, so they get approved sooner
- No more "we never received it" — delivery is confirmed
- Fewer disputes over what was actually on the invoice
- Less re-keying at both ends, which means fewer errors on both sides
Get on the 5 business day track
ACC, NZTA, Health New Zealand, NZ Police and around 130 other agencies. If you already supply any of them, this is the single clearest cashflow win available to you.
Going furtherAutomate the rest of it
Supplier bills captured automatically, bank rules that actually work, approvals with a record attached, and a monthly reporting pack that means something.
What we do
- Check whether your current software already supports it — usually it does
- Register you on the network against your NZBN
- Configure your invoice templates and item data so what goes out is complete
- Send a test invoice and confirm it arrived properly
- Show whoever raises your invoices what has changed — usually very little
For most small businesses this is a short piece of work, not a project.
General information only. This page summarises publicly available guidance so a business owner can understand it. It is not personalised tax, legal or financial advice, and your own obligations depend on your circumstances. Confirm your position with the relevant authority or a qualified adviser before acting.
Not sure if your software already does this?
Tell us what you use to invoice and who your biggest customers are. We will tell you whether it is a five-minute setting or a longer job, and whether it is worth it for you.