Kenter developed e-invoicing not as a separate IT project, but as part of a broader growth strategy in a rapidly changing energy market. From the first signals from government customers in 2018, the approach grew into an integrated invoice chain with AFAS and eConnect. The organization combined standardization with sector-specific enrichment, including the energy extension with measurement data such as EAN information. The result was visible in practice: in the first months of 2021, the number of customers receiving e-invoices quadrupled compared to 2020, while the invoicing department continued to process approximately 4,000 invoices weekly.
The reason was clear, but the execution was complex. Sales received signals from government customers that e-invoicing was becoming a strict condition for future collaboration, linked to procurement practices. Kenter therefore had to quickly determine which requirements applied, which format was needed, and through which network customers wanted to receive.
At the same time, there was a sector-specific challenge. In the energy sector, a standard UBL invoice is often not enough, because additional information is needed for correct processing, such as EAN-related measurement data. Kenter therefore not only had to invoice digitally, but also ensure that the content of the invoice meets the expectations in the energy chain.
In addition, the organization was in the middle of a system transition from SAP B1 to AFAS. The e-invoicing approach therefore had to fit into a changing ERP landscape, without the operational invoicing process coming to a standstill.
On the incoming side, the challenge was different, but just as relevant. Suppliers also had to be activated to send e-invoices. Even among the 25 largest suppliers, the adoption rate was limited. That made it clear that technology alone is not enough; chain adoption requires continuous communication.
Then there was the market dynamic. Kenter operates in a saturated measurement market and at the same time in a growth market for energy supply and charging solutions. It is precisely in such a context that standardization of invoice flows is important, because different business lines must be able to scale up quickly without extra administrative friction.
Kenter built the approach in steps. In 2018 and 2019, the initial focus was on outgoing e-invoicing and the basis of the energy e-invoice. The team worked with its own development capacity on a UBL/XML structure with energy extensions and tested this with customers. These tests showed that delivery via Peppol was necessary, after which Kenter chose eConnect as a service provider in early 2019. In April 2019, the first outgoing energy e-invoice followed via Peppol.
The next step was strategic: the choice to sustainably anchor e-invoicing in AFAS, the package that would eventually replace SAP B1. In 2020, the setup was optimized with the aim of converting more customers from PDF or post to e-invoicing and at the same time making the different scenarios for energy extension reliable.
An important design principle was that the work process in ERP had to change as little as possible. Kenter sends a regular e-invoice from AFAS according to standard functionality. Then eConnect enriches the invoice within the chain with the necessary energy extension based on additional data from the connector. This creates a valid e-invoice with energy context, without extra manual work in the primary sending process.
This custom setup was implemented in December 2020 after a test phase. This also realized a future-proof advantage: if systems change in the future, the enrichment layer remains available as a separate mechanism.
From 2021, the focus shifted to broadening the chain. Kenter started to approach suppliers more actively for incoming e-invoices and at the same time aimed for further optimization of outgoing invoicing, collection, and follow-up.
The implementation was also linked to daily work practice in the invoicing department. Teams not only received a technical change, but also direct insight into the sending and processing. That gave confidence, especially in the first period after going live, in which looking along in the chain helped to learn and adjust quickly.
The results are visible on multiple axes. The most concrete is the growth curve in customer adoption of e-invoices:
- 2017: 1 customer with e-invoice
- 2018: 45 customers
- 2019: 89 customers
- 2020: 100 customers
- 2021: 473 customers
According to Kenter, this meant that in the first months of 2021, 3% of customers received an e-invoice, a fourfold increase compared to the total in 2020.
In addition, the invoicing organization indicated that approximately 57% of the e-invoices sent in the preceding 6 months reached the end customer via an intermediary, partly due to better routing on GLN.
The operational impact was also large. The Invoicing and Collection department processes approximately 4,000 invoices per week. Thanks to digitization and the technical setup with AFAS and eConnect, this process could be carried out at scale with more control and less friction.
On the quality side, the energy extension provided a consistent advantage. Because invoices are enriched with sector-specific data, the outgoing invoice better matches the receiving processes in the energy chain. This reduces rework and increases the chance of correct processing in one go.
Finally, organizational momentum was created. Kenter was able to expand the approach to other divisions, including international growth, while e-invoicing continued as a core process.
In addition to these measurable outcomes, the project also brought more predictability in decision-making. By working with a clear service provider, an integrated ERP project, and fixed test moments, Kenter could make choices faster about next improvement steps, such as incoming e-invoices, collection optimization, and expansion to new organizational units.
"In practice, it remains a difficult subject, suppliers are not always waiting for it. But we always come to the same conclusion, we continue to invite suppliers to just send an e-invoice." Kelly Vercauteren, Kenter
- Link e-invoicing to your ERP roadmap, then system migration strengthens your invoice chain instead of adding extra complexity.
- Keep the primary sending process in ERP simple and arrange sector-specific enrichment as a separate chain step.
- Measure adoption explicitly per year and per customer group, so that you make progress visible and manageable.
- Start supplier activation with large senders, but accept that even there, adoption often takes time.
- Make e-invoicing part of normal work in finance, which accelerates internal acceptance and external communication.
- Test with customers and suppliers in production-like situations before scaling up on a large scale, so that technical and process details are sharpened in time.
- For organizations in energy and infrastructure that work with sector-specific invoice information.
- For AFAS landscapes and hybrid ERP transitions in which standardization and customization must work together.
- For companies that want to scale up outgoing and incoming e-invoicing simultaneously without extra manual work in the core processes.
Do you want to know how this works in your situation? Schedule a meeting.