Convenience, agility, traceability, resource optimization... These are just some of the many benefits that the digitization of the business world has brought. Public institutions are also part of this world. In fact, they were the first to commit to implementing electronic management and invoicing systems. If you are an entrepreneur and have worked with public bodies, you will surely know what we are talking about. In that case, you will be familiar with the SII, Peppol, the Crea y Crece Law... And FACeB2B.
The term FACeB2B refers to a platform designed and launched by the Spanish government itself. But as a concept, it encompasses much more. Its objective is to promote and boost online billing for companies, and it raises many questions and issues that we will attempt to resolve in the following lines.
What is FACeB2B?
FACeB2B is the electronic invoice distribution platform made available to economic operators and individuals to enable the sending of invoices between subcontractors and contractors in public sector contracts." This is the definition of FACeB2B provided by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Digital Transformation, which is the entity that has implemented it through the General Secretariat for Digital Administration.
As we have said, this is a platform promoted by the government itself and regulated by law. In fact, its mandatory nature is enshrined in law, specifically in the thirty-second additional provision of Law 9/2017 on Public Sector Contracts. You can register on the platform whether you are a customer or an invoice service company, as stated on the official FACeB2B website.
The fact is that the idea for this tool was proposed by the Public Administration in 2015. Shortly thereafter, it would come into effect. The fact is that with its implementation and the mandatory use of electronic invoicing by Spanish companies, the government aims to optimize taxation in the business sector. In this context, FACeB2B has become a fantastic ally in achieving this goal.
In turn, although its use is currently only required for companies that carry out transactions with the public administration, FACeB2B advocates for the implementation of electronic invoicing in the private sector. To this end, it also allows for the optional free and unlimited exchange of invoices between non-governmental companies, with the many advantages that this offers.
Is it mandatory for all companies to register with FACeB2B?
It depends. Right now, it is not necessary to register with the government to send electronic invoices. In fact, you don't need to carry out any type of procedure with the Public Administration to register. All you need is to have good invoicing software implemented that is accepted by FACeB2B.
However, it is mandatory to register with FACeB2B in order to receive electronic invoices. To do so, the company must:
- Register with the DIRe, which is the Directory of Entities that assigns each company a unique alphanumeric code.
- Register with FACeB2B to start trading with the code you have been assigned.
- Authorize a Billing Service Company (ESF) to access the platform on its behalf to download the invoices issued to it.
In any case, the business world is moving towards a context in which electronic invoicing will be mandatory for all companies. This even applies to self-employed professionals, regardless of whether the transaction is with a public company or a private sector company. So why not adapt as soon as possible?
What features does this platform offer?
Like many other applications that have emerged in the wake of digital transformation, FACeB2B offers multiple advantages: traceability, resource optimization, improvements in tax matters, and communication with the Spanish Tax Agency (AEAT) for companies. We will detail these later. But first, let's list the features offered by this platform:
- Issue, receive, and cancel electronic invoices electronically.
- Download, save, and store invoices in a cloud space.
- View information on paid and pending invoices, as well as modify the status of each one.
- Record submitted invoices until they are downloaded by the recipient in question.
At the same time, there is a very important aspect to mention, which is validation. In this regard, you should bear in mind that FACeB2B accepts all those with e-invoice format. However, when they are downloaded, the validity of their electronic signatures will be checked and a report on their legal validity will be produced. If they are not valid, they may be discarded and the user, i.e., the company, will decide whether to validate or reject them.
It is also worth mentioning access to FACeB2B, as it can be twofold. As the portal's own website indicates, you can:
- Log in to the platform as a billing service company.
- Log in with a customer profile that you wish to associate with an EFS.
How can Faceb2b improve businesses?
But after reading about the features of this platform, if you are not familiar with digital transformation, you may not be aware of its many advantages. In that case, don't worry, we will list some of the main benefits of FACeB2B:
- It is free of charge and you can use it for your billing processes with any company that also uses it.
- It allows you to comply with the Late Payment Act by generating a receipt with the date and time each invoice was sent.
- Average collection times are reduced.
- You replace traditional, arduous conventional billing processes for a much more agile platform that allows you to save on equipment, materials, and, above all, time.
- Automate the workflow for your invoices.
In short, although there are many specific and concrete improvements, the advantage of a system like FACeB2B is that it provides you with a major overall benefit: resource optimization. And not just any resources. We are talking about time and money, which are two real treasures, whatever your sector and regardless of whether you are an SME or a large company.
The role of easyap in relation to FACeB2B
In conclusion, you may be wondering what role easyap plays in relation to FACeB2B, so we will answer that question ourselves. We have been providing technological solutions for the finance and accounting departments of international companies of all kinds for more than 20 years. But we also focus on electronic invoicing.
We develop software tailored to your business that facilitates and streamlines your entire invoice workflow. In addition, we have experience integrating our systems with platforms such as FACeB2B, TicketBAI, the SII (AEAT Tax Information System) which can have such a significant impact on the taxation and fiscal obligations of thousands of businesses.
Therefore, we know what we are talking about. Our experience speaks for itself, as do the brands we have worked with and collaborated with. All you have to do is contact us to get to know us and take the next step in the digital transformation of your business.
