Top Considerations for your E-Invoicing RFP Process

For many organisations, the e-invoicing RFP is the moment when theory turns into commitment. It’s the point at which regulatory awareness, internal debate, and market research crystallise into a decision that will shape how the business operates for years to come.

An RFP - or request for proposal - is the structured process used to define requirements for a new solution, invite vendors to respond, and assess which one best fits the organisation’s needs. In e-invoicing, that process carries particular weight. The choices made at this stage shape not only how a company meets compliance obligations, but how effectively tax, finance, and IT can work together as those obligations continue to evolve.

Too often, however, e-invoicing RFPs are approached as a short-term response to a specific mandate or deadline - owned by Procurement alone, without Tax, Finance or IT at the table - and that's where the problems begin. The immediate goal becomes implementation speed, rather than long-term suitability. However, an RFP done well is not just about selecting a vendor; it’s about setting a sustainable operating model that can adapt to change, scale with the business, and support compliance with confidence over time.

1. Start with the business problem, not the mandate

Many RFPs are triggered by a specific country mandate, but stopping there is a mistake. If the RFP is framed purely around meeting today’s requirement, you risk selecting a solution that solves one problem and creates ten more.

Businesses should take a step back and define the broader business problem. Key aims can include reducing manual intervention, improving data quality and auditability, supporting faster close cycles, and/or enabling growth into new markets. 

Clarifying these objectives upfront ensures the RFP evaluates solutions against business outcomes, not just regulatory checklists, and helps everyone agree on what good actually looks like before the process begins.

And don't forget the AP side. Many RFPs focus exclusively on accounts receivable (invoice issuance) while accounts payable requirements are an afterthought. Both need to be scoped from the start. The question is no longer whether to implement e-invoicing, it's which organisation you trust to grow with you.

2. Design the RFP for cross functional ownership

E-invoicing sits at the intersection of tax, finance, and IT, yet many RFPs are still owned by a single function. That’s where misalignment begins.

Tax teams focus on compliance and audit risk. Finance looks at process efficiency and controls. IT is concerned with architecture, integration, and long-term maintainability. All three perspectives are valid, and all need to be reflected in the RFP.

A strong RFP explicitly includes requirements and evaluation criteria for each function. More importantly, it brings stakeholders together early, before vendor demos and scoring begin. Alignment upfront prevents costly surprises later.

Executive sponsorship matters too. A VP or C-suite sponsor brings the 18 to 24 month vision, particularly around M&A strategy and ERP consolidation, that operational teams often don't have visibility of. Leave any one of these groups out and you will feel it later.

3. Prioritise architecture and scalability

One of the most overlooked areas in an e-invoicing RFP is technical architecture. Buyers often focus on country coverage and functional features, without asking the harder question: how the solution fits into their existing ERP and broader technology landscape.

Key questions to address include: 

• How does the solution integrate with your ERP(s)? 
• How does the solution handle data transformation and validation? 
• What happens when you add new countries, business units, or transaction volumes?

Scalability is not just about adding jurisdictions, it’s about supporting organisational change without constant reimplementation. An RFP written without that picture is an RFP written for the wrong company. The RFP should test whether a provider can support that reality.

4. Evaluate regulatory expertise, not just coverage

Many providers claim broad country coverage, but coverage alone doesn’t guarantee compliance. Regulations evolve, technical specifications change, and enforcement approaches differ by country.

Your RFP should investigate how providers monitor regulatory change, update their solutions, and communicate impacts to customers. It should ask how local requirements are interpreted, validated, and tested before changes go live.

Green flags? The vendors worth talking to ask questions back when they receive your RFP. They probe your scenarios, push back on unrealistic timelines, and are transparent about their limitations. They will tell you when a big bang approach is probably not the right answer. That's not weakness - that's a partner.

This is where domain expertise matters. A solution that scales globally must be backed by deep, ongoing regulatory knowledge, not just a static set of connections.

5. Think beyond go‑live to ongoing operations

Finally, an e‑invoicing RFP should reflect the reality that compliance is not a one‑time project. Once live, the solution becomes part of daily operations. And mandates don't stop evolving after you go live. If you are not tracking regulatory change continuously, you are already behind.

Consider support models, incident management, reporting, and visibility. Think about how you might solve issues later:

• How easy is it to identify and resolve errors? 
• How quickly can issues be escalated when a tax authority rejects transactions?
• What insight do you have into performance and compliance status?

These operational considerations often determine whether an implementation is viewed internally as a success or a constant source of friction.

Use the RFP as a strategic lever

An e-invoicing RFP is more than a buying decision. It’s an opportunity to establish a scalable compliance model, align internal teams, and futureproof your approach as mandates continue to expand.

By grounding the RFP in business objectives, designing it for cross functional ownership, and focusing on long-term architecture and expertise, organisations can move beyond reactive compliance and build something that actually scales with you.

The question is no longer whether to implement e-invoicing. It's whether your RFP is asking the right questions of the right vendors - before you are locked in.

To find out more, watch our recent webinar, How to Build a Successful Future Ready E-Invoicing RFP.