The digital transformation of businesses is a growing trend in recent years. According to the latest data published by the National Institute of Statistics (INE) last October, 31,6% of Spanish companies and self-employed individuals use new digital tools , such as e-commerce or online sales systems, to sell via the internet.

None of this is a coincidence. Businesses and self-employed individuals must adapt and be resilient to market developments. Society and consumption are constantly changing. The most notable change has been the shift in consumer purchasing habits, which in recent years has increased the use of stores and digital platforms to purchase products. It's worth noting that these two years of the pandemic have also produced a considerable acceleration of this social change. Most of the income of businesses and self-employed individuals came from online sales.

These events are not an isolated incident, but rather confirm and accelerate a trend that already existed before COVID-19. In fact, the government has based its new policies, such as the Create and Grow Law , which will require businesses and the self-employed to issue electronic invoices by 2023, on this trend. To this end, they have also launched a package of aid for businesses and the self-employed where the digitization process is still underway.

The steps to digitize your business

Nearly 80% of businesses and self-employed individuals in Spain already have a website for their business. So what's the next step? As we mentioned earlier, at Winfor Consulting we recommend implementing electronic invoicing in your company . Besides being mandatory in many cases next year, it's also an essential requirement for selling online. In fact, if you have an online store, you're probably already invoicing electronically. Therefore, the process of adapting and adopting this invoicing model won't require any effort on your part.

Leaving aside the legal reasons, there are countless benefits for your business that justify implementing electronic invoicing. As mentioned before, the market is trending towards online sales . And this isn't the only thing that has accelerated with the pandemic. A new work model has also emerged: remote work.

Having an electronic invoicing system allows you to work remotely, saving you time and money. These tools include templates and databases that simplify creating quotes and automate the invoice issuance process . Many even offer email invoice delivery to clients. Furthermore, all your billing information is centralized in a single portal, simplifying data organization and ensuring transparency.

How to implement electronic invoicing?

There are many tools available today for electronic invoicing. In fact, as we mentioned earlier, many eCommerce systems and point-of-sale terminals already have some kind of integrated solution. However, it's important to have a comprehensive tool that allows businesses and freelancers not only to issue electronic invoices but also to manage the accounting for their entire business.

If you decide to digitize your company and implement electronic invoicing, it's best to do so using a tool that manages all of your business's accounting . An ERP system is the best option. It offers tools to manage daily business activities, such as accounting, procurement, project management, and even human resources.

Take advantage of the support offered by the Digital Kit and Acelera PYME programs to reduce the cost of implementation in your business and take the next step in the digitalization of your company.