Valta Technology Group (Valtatech), has joined the Australian Taxation Office (ATO)’s Peppol Capabilities and Associated Services Panel. This lists a group of Peppol e-invoicing specialist providers, which local, state and federal Government agencies can engage with to help them start transacting digitally via the Peppol e-invoicing network.

Jussi Karjalainen, Founder and Managing Partner of Valtatech, said: “Peppol e-invoicing is already driving real business value through the automation and optimization of both the invoice and order processing operations in Australian businesses. We look forward to helping Australian Government agencies to follow suit, and become Peppol-ready for transacting digitally across the global network.”

As a certified Peppol Access Point, Valtatech is already an accredited service provider for e-invoicing to businesses in Australia and New Zealand.

An ATO spokesperson explained to IDM the difference between Peppol Capabilities and Associated Services Panel and the e-invoicing accredited service providers list.

“While some service providers appear on both lists, each list serves different purposes and there are separate processes for a provider to be included on each list,” the ATO spokesperson said.

“The ATO, in our role as the Australian Peppol Authority (APA), has accredited service providers to provide access point and service metadata publisher (SMP) services in Australia. An entity (such as a business or government agency) cannot send or receive a transaction via the Peppol network without the use of an accredited access point provider.

“An entity can acquire the services of an access point provider either directly or through another commercial service or software solution. The list of accredited e-invoicing service providers does not include all commercial e-invoicing solutions available.

“The Panel, which was established through a competitive open tender process, provides a streamlined way for Commonwealth, state, territory, and local government agencies to procure e-invoicing services. The Panel provides access to a range of service providers to streamline the procurement of e-invoicing capability and associated services to help agencies become e-invoicing enabled.

“The Service Providers selected for inclusion on the Panel have been appointed to supply goods or services for a set period of time under agreed terms and conditions, including agreed pricing.

“Government agencies including Commonwealth, state, territory, and local governments may use the panel to procure e-invoicing services, but this is not compulsory. Agencies that choose not to use the panel can acquire access point services directly from the list of accredited providers, or they may engage other service providers to handle access point service arrangements on their behalf,” the ATO spokesperson said.

Valtatech has also announced a new partnership with accounts payable (AP) automation provider Efficiency Leaders, which will also be available on the ATO panel. That partnership will see Valtatech’s Peppol Access Point integrate directly into Efficiency Leaders’ AP automation technology, RapidAP, providing agencies with an out-of-the-box solution for receiving and processing Peppol eInvoices. 

As part of its Digital Business Plan, the Australian Government has announced that Peppol e-invoicing will be mandated for Government agencies by 1 July 2022 and that all Peppol enabled government agencies will pay their suppliers within 5 days of receiving an invoice via the Peppol network.