Electronic invoicing is the process of replacing paper invoices with digital documents. It offers clear advantages such as reduced costs and increased efficiency. However, the implementation of e-invoicing has recently raised several questions within companies, not least because the reform of e-invoicing has been postponed until 2026. The complexity of IT systems, compliance with evolving standards, and concerns about data security are all challenges. Despite its benefits, the transition to e-invoicing requires careful thought to ensure successful adoption while ensuring security. Thanks to Trajaan, you can notify and analyse the concerns of web searchers on the subject.
Share of search volume about electronic invoicing in the last 48 months in France
Over the past 48 months, interest in e-invoicing has grown significantly, reflected in online search trends. In September 2022, the number of monthly searches on the subject was around 36,000, signalling a significant interest. However, a marked acceleration occurred over the following period, culminating in September 2023 with an impressive peak of about 63,000 monthly searches. This substantial increase in searches suggests that businesses and market actors are paying greater attention to electronic invoicing, underlining the importance of this new reform in order to make it widespread, which was eventually postponed until January 2026.
Electronic Invoicing: a Fundamental Issue for French Business Leaders
Trending topics on internet research about electronic invoicing
Among the internet searches carried out by consumers on electronic invoicing, some notable trends have emerged in recent months, particularly since the announcement of the reform planned for 2026. Two dominant themes stand out among the highly searched-for terms. Firstly, business owners are turning to queries about the obligations and requirements associated with electronic invoicing. They are looking for clear information on the steps they need to take to comply with the new regulations. Another main area of interest concerns the different software and platforms available for e-invoicing, emphasising the ones meeting the required standards. These trends underline the growing importance of e-invoicing in the business landscape, with research increasingly focused on compliance and practical tools. The power of our search listening platform, Trajaan, is evident in its ability to identify and analyse these emerging trends, providing valuable insight for e-invoicing companies keen to understand current business needs and concerns.
Keeping an Eye on the Competition with Trajaan
Share of volume research about billing software over the last 48 months.
According to consumer internet research, the e-invoicing market has been dominated by major players in recent years. Until 2022, Sage has held a dominant position, distinguishing itself as one of the leading providers of e-invoicing solutions. Sage is a group of software publishers founded in 1981 and, thanks to their diversification over the years, has been able to establish itself thanks to its expertise and commitment to the field.
Homepage of Sage, a company specialised in electronic invoicing
However, since 2022, the competitive landscape has undergone notable changes with the emergence of new players, signalling a trend towards diversification. One competitor that has attracted attention is Sy by Cegedim, which has gained market presence thanks to a notable acceleration in 2021. The company has also rebranded from Simplify to Sy by Cegedim, reinforcing its image. These developments suggest a changing competitive dynamic, and the Trajaan search listening platform offers a valuable perspective for monitoring these changes and adjusting marketing strategies accordingly.
Sy has diversified to appeal to as many people as possible, thanks to its comprehensive range of services, including contract management, supplier management, order management and paperless invoicing. And by specialising in the medical sector, Sy has won over a growing number of precious customers, making it a strong competitor in the e-invoicing market.
Overview of the different offers available on the Sy by Cegedim homepage
Finally, since the end of 2023, we can see the return of another piece of software that seems to have wanted to be part of the market for several years: Zeendoc.
Zeendoc is an electronic invoicing software package that has existed since 2014 within the Sages group, not to be confused with Sage invoicing software!
Since the announcement of the reform of the e-invoicing obligation, Zeendoc seems to have won the interest of the company directors and entrepreneurs concerned.
With the advent of mandatory electronic invoicing, this market has opened up to new possibilities, allowing certain players to expand or make way for new solutions. Thanks to Trajaan, we can detect these changes among consumers and help brands understand their market better to develop themselves under the best possible conditions.
Understanding how E-invoicing works
With the announcement of the compulsory electronic invoicing reform, company directors and entrepreneurs are faced with the imperative need tounderstand this new process. It is essential to have a clear grasp of the various roles involved.
Share of volume of the various organisations involved in the electronic invoicing process
Partner dematerialisation platforms (PDPs) play a crucial role in this transition. PDPs are entities that specialise in setting up and managing invoice dematerialisation processes. They act as facilitators, helping businesses to adopt electronic invoicing effectively.
At the same time, dematerialisation operators (DOs) play a vital role in converting paper documents into electronic format. These operators implement the technologies needed to digitise, process and transmit information securely, thereby contributing to the transition to paperless processes.
Since 2021, Internet users have been obliged to become more aware of these acronyms, and searches have increased to over 6,000 per month, compared with barely 1,000 per month at the start of 2021.
There has been an increase in searches for these terms, whereas previously only “Chorus” was searched for. Chorus Pro is an electronic invoicing platform used for invoices’ electronic transmission to public bodies. It aims to simplify and standardize the invoicing process for companies dealing with the public sector.
Given the evolution of web user queries and these new keywords, it is clear that the entrepreneurs concerned are looking for information to understand all these processes and workings. Any software or platform that wants to stand out in today’s market must be user-friendly to make life as easy as possible for its users.
Companies prefer All-in-one Solutions
Invoicing software has seen an increase in requests following this reform, but companies tends to prefer all-in-one solutions.
As a company director or entrepreneur, managing the administrative side of its business takes up a lot of time, which is why these platforms still receive slightly higher search volumes (1-1.5k searches per month) than software specializing solely in invoicing (800-1.2k searches per month).
Share of volume of all-in-one management platforms over the last 48 months in France
Chorus Pro inevitably stands out in the search volumes, as it is the central platform used for electronic invoicing in commercial relations with the public administration. The other notable competitor is Sage, which stands out primarily for its e-invoicing platform, but also offers a range of management software, such as payroll and accounting.
On the other hand, new actors are trying to make their mark on this expanding market, such as Axonaut, which was created in 2017.
Lastly, there was a peak in the number of requests to Chorus Pro in February 2020, as the platform has introduced a new portal to improve accessibility and customer experience for its users.
Official announcement of the evolution of the Chorus Pro platform in February 2022
Don’t hesitate to check out our other trend reports!
