Invoicing is one of the most powerful levers your B2B company has for protecting cash flow, maintaining strong relationships with clients, and staying compliant. As global rules regarding electronic invoicing change and more businesses move away from PDFs and spreadsheets, the way you invoice can directly affect how quickly you get paid and whether your processes can scale with you. Below, we’ll explain what you need to know to modernize and improve your B2B invoicing strategy.

What’s in this article?

• What is a B2B invoice and what should it include?
  
• Is there a standard B2B invoice template I can use?
  
• What is B2B e‑invoicing and how does it work?
  
• Is e‑invoicing mandatory for B2B businesses?
  
• What are the benefits of B2B e‑invoicing?
  

What is a B2B invoice and what should it include?

A B2B invoice is the bill one business sends to another after it delivers goods or services. It’s both a request for payment and a record of the transaction. The stakes are often higher than in B2C sales: the totals are larger, the contracts have longer terms, and accounting teams rely on these records. If the invoice is incomplete or formatted poorly, payment can be delayed. An effective B2B invoice includes the following:

• Your business information: Company name, address, contact details, and any required tax or registration numbers (e.g., VAT ID)
  
• Customer information: Your client’s business name, billing address, the contact or department that handles payments (e.g., “Accounts Payable”), and any required tax or registration numbers
  
• Invoice details: A unique invoice number, issue date, and payment due date
  
• Line items: An itemized list that shows what was delivered, as well as the quantities, unit prices, and totals for each line
  
• Pricing breakdown: The subtotal, taxes, shipping or fees, discounts (if any), and the total amount due
  
• Payment terms: When and how to pay, as well as any late fee terms or early payment discounts that apply
  
• Supporting notes: A thank-you message, supporting documents (e.g., time sheets), or anything else the customer should know
  
• Purchase order (PO) or reference number: The number that ties the invoice back to the PO, if the client issued one (larger companies might not process your invoice without one)
  

It’s also worth ensuring your invoice looks clean and professional. It reflects well on your business and helps the client process payment faster.

Is there a standard B2B invoice template I can use?

There isn’t a single, universal template that every business uses for B2B invoices, but these invoices do tend to follow a common structure. If you want to reduce the time you spend creating invoices from scratch, you can download static templates (Word, Excel, or PDF) or use software-generated invoices.

Built-in templates from tools like Stripe Invoicing can:

• Automatically handle formatting
  
• Generate sequential invoice numbers
  
• Calculate taxes in real time
  
• Customize logos, colors, and layout
  
• Include additional fields for region-specific data points
  

Stripe lets you create reusable invoice templates, schedule recurring invoices, and send them out with integrated payment links. That means your invoices go out on time and in the proper format with less manual work, and your client can pay directly online.

What is B2B e‑invoicing and how does it work?

B2B e‑invoicing is when you send an invoice electronically to another business in a structured digital format (e.g., XML, UBL) that can be automatically read and processed by the business’s systems.

While digital invoicing refers to simply emailing a PDF or sending a payment link, e-invoicing is the process of sending data that the recipient’s software can automatically receive, validate, and record. Here’s how it works:

• Invoice data is generated from your accounting, enterprise resource planning (ERP) system, or invoicing tool.
  
• The invoice is formatted in a structured data format (e.g., XML, UBL, EDIFACT).
  
• It’s transmitted electronically, either directly via application programming interface (API), through an e‑invoicing network, or through a government-run exchange platform (depending on the country).
  
• The client’s system receives and processes the invoice automatically.
  

This automation can minimize errors, speed up payment, and create a digital audit trail that’s easier to track and manage.

Is e‑invoicing mandatory for B2B businesses?

Depending on where you operate, e-invoicing might be a requirement. In some countries, B2B e‑invoicing is optional, but in others, it’s legally required and tightly regulated. Here’s how it works in different regions.

United States

E‑invoicing for B2B transactions isn’t mandatory in the US. There’s no federal rule that requires businesses to send invoices in a structured digital format; you can use PDFs or even paper. Some government agencies are moving towards e‑invoicing (e.g., the US Treasury’s Invoice Processing Platform), but it’s still optional for companies.

Europe

E‑invoicing mandates are expanding fast. Italy was the first EU country to make e‑invoicing mandatory for all domestic B2B transactions using the Italian Revenue Agency’s e-invoicing platform. France, Germany, Poland, and other countries are introducing similar requirements, often using the Pan-European Public Procurement Online (PEPPOL) network. Romania rolled out mandatory e‑invoicing for all B2B transactions in 2024.

The EU’s “VAT in the Digital Age” (ViDA) initiative plans to introduce e‑invoicing standards for cross-border B2B transactions by 2030.

Latin America

E‑invoicing mandates are already widespread and enforced. Countries such as Brazil, Chile, and Mexico require invoices to be submitted to the tax authority in real time. If you don’t use the official platform in each country, the invoice isn’t valid.

Asia and the Middle East

Mandates vary by country, but many are moving towards stricter controls:

• India requires businesses above a certain size (with a turnover of INR 5 crore or more) to issue structured e‑invoices through the Invoice Registration Portal.
  
• Saudi Arabia is introducing phased e‑invoicing requirements for businesses.
  
• South Korea requires most businesses to submit e‑invoices through the National Tax Service.
  

Even in places where e-invoicing isn’t required, the trend is clear: structured, automated invoicing is becoming the norm. And if you work across borders, adopting e‑invoicing now can help you stay compliant.

Stripe Invoicing already supports many of the formats and integrations businesses need to stay ahead, whether they’re invoicing domestically or across regulated markets.

What are the benefits of B2B e‑invoicing?

E‑invoicing changes how businesses get paid, track revenue, and address compliance. It improves accuracy, speed, and visibility across the billing process. Here’s a closer look at its benefits.

Faster payments

Digital invoices move faster. When you send an invoice that your customer’s system can open, review, and pay online in minutes, you can shorten the payment cycle dramatically. Quicker payments mean stronger cash flow, which gives your business more flexibility to invest, hire, or scale.

Fewer errors and billing disputes

Manual invoicing leaves room for mistakes—typos, miscalculated taxes, missing PO numbers, and more. E‑invoicing tools reduce that risk by pulling accurate data directly from your systems. There are fewer entry points for error, there’s less back-and-forth with clients to fix invoice issues, and it’s easier to match invoices to POs or contracts.

Lower operating costs

Paper-based invoicing costs add up with postage, printing, and staff time. Even emailed PDFs often require manual entry. E‑invoicing eliminates most of those touchpoints with automated data entry and reconciliation, no physical storage or printing, and less overhead as finance teams won’t have to chase approvals or correct issues.

Automated workflows

Once invoices are digital, it’s easier to automate related tasks. You can auto-generate invoices from project or billing systems and automate recurring invoices for subscription services, payment reminders, and real-time invoice status updates. Stripe Invoicing supports all these functions, providing you end-to-end visibility and control without requiring a separate billing system.

Real-time tracking and audit readiness

E‑invoicing creates a full, searchable record of every transaction. You can see exactly when an invoice is delivered, viewed, or paid, quickly find outstanding balances, and stay prepared for audits or financial reviews with clean digital logs.

Easier compliance

When e‑invoicing is mandated, structured invoices help you meet local tax rules from Day 1. Built-in checks reduce the risk of noncompliant invoices and make it easier to integrate with systems that report to tax authorities. If e-invoicing mandates are introduced, you won’t have to retrofit your process to stay compliant. Stripe’s invoicing tools help businesses meet local e‑invoicing rules without needing to build custom solutions.

Taken together, these benefits can improve your entire revenue cycle. You can get paid faster, track performance more easily, and build a system that scales as you grow. Whether you’re invoicing across borders or billing a long-term client in your own city, e‑invoicing helps you stay ready for what’s next.