Merita and TietoEnator join electronic invoicing project started by Leonia and Elma Oy

Merita and TietoEnator join electronic invoicing project started by Leonia and Elma Oy Merita and TietoEnator are to join a cooperation project started by Elma Oy Electronic Trading and Leonia Bank focusing on B-to-B electronic invoicing. The aim of the project is to create a standard for electronic invoicing and to broaden the Finnish model of operator-based electronic invoicing to the other Nordic countries. The collaboration on electronic invoicing combines the digital banking expertise of MeritaNordbanken and Leonia, two leading European banks in this field, with Finnish know-how in e-business technology and services. As an e-business operator, Elma Oy provides an Internet network connecting invoicing and invoiced companies and banks. TietoEnator brings software knowhow and the role of operator to the joint effort. The electronic invoicing system now under trial differs from conventional web and e-mail invoicing for consumers in being designed specifically for business-to-business invoicing. B-to-B invoices are connected direct to the purchasing and payment software applications used by companies to handle inter-company invoicing. The system is entirely electronic; the absence of paperwork or other manual tasks will offer companies clear financial benefits. The new electronic B-to-B invoicing application will be based on open architecture, i.e. any software company can create the connections linking purchasing or payment systems between companies. The system will also include invoicing of consumers through integration of the digital banking service used by the customer. When formulating the new network invoicing standard special attention has been given to the features of the system that support the accounting and archiving needs of enterprises. The Finnish Accounting Act does not place any obstacles in the way of digital invoicing; it permits electronic archives of both receipts and accounting documents. Some 9 software companies, 12 invoicing companies and 7 invoiced companies and organizations are at present engaged in the pilot stage of the project. After the pilot stage is completed, further companies will be included and the project's participants will be able to develop new products for general European use. Further information: Mr Mika Hällström, President, Elma Oy, tel. +358 9 4785 5610, mika.hallstrom@elma.net, Mr Markku Helminen, Director, Leonia, tel. +358 204 252 201, markku.helminen@leonia.fi, Ms Pia Sarnala-Kallio, Director, Merita, tel. 358 9 1652 5878, pia.sarnala-kallio@merita.fi, Mr Kari Saarto, Manager, TietoEnator Corporation, tel. +358 9 8626 1519, kari.saarto@tietoenator.com www.verkkolasku.com www.leonia.fi www.merita.fi www.tietoenator.com www.elma.net ------------------------------------------------------------ Please visit http://www.bit.se for further information The following files are available for download: http://www.bit.se/bitonline/2000/03/06/20000306BIT00760/bit0001.doc http://www.bit.se/bitonline/2000/03/06/20000306BIT00760/bit0002.pdf