In our recent webinar, Basware’s invoice compliance experts unpacked the findings of one of the most comprehensive global invoice compliance studies conducted to date. Below is your executive‑recap of the key insights, and why this conversation matters now more than ever.
If you want the full depth, examples, and practical guidance, watch the webinar replay, it’s packed with value.
Watch Webinar Here
Why Compliance Matters More Than Ever
Compliant invoicing is now a prerequisite for business survival. There are three identifiable forces dramatically changing the invoice landscape you should be aware:
1. The surge of e‑invoicing and real‑time reporting mandates
Invoice mandates aren’t new, but the frequency and global expansion of them are. What used to be concentrated in Latin America is now spreading quickly across Europe, Asia, and beyond.
2. Technology transitions creating pressure points
Many organizations are simultaneously navigating large ERP migrations (e.g., SAP transformations) while trying to adapt to new compliance rules — creating timing conflicts and resource strain.
3. Macroeconomic instability & AI‑driven fraud risks
While AI brings efficiency, it is also enabling more sophisticated fraud attacks. Companies need stronger protections, tighter controls, and better visibility to stay ahead.
One of the most striking findings from the research:
Only 1 in 10 companies have a cross‑functional team focused on compliance.
This siloed approach creates:
- Fragmented ownership
- Unclear roles and responsibilities
- Slow reactions to market changes
- Gaps in oversight during market expansion or customer onboarding
A powerful story shared during the session illustrated this vividly, a multinational under pressure from both SAP migration and compliance changes realized no one truly “owned” compliance. The result? Confusion, frustration, and increased risk. Compliance must be a coordinated effort across finance, AP/AR, IT, legal, and operations.
Technology Gaps Are a Major Barrier
More than half of respondents worry their current technology can’t keep up with rapidly changing compliance needs. At the same time:
- 95% believe that greater investment in compliance technology would save money long‑term.
- Yet many still rely on manual work, bolt‑ons, or spreadsheets to piece together compliance processes.
This becomes especially problematic as countries move toward real‑time reporting, where invoice data must be submitted within days, sometimes immediately. In this new reality, legacy processes simply won’t be fast enough.
Visibility: The New Competitive Advantage
Visibility came up repeatedly as a foundational enabler of compliance and financial control.
Without unified data, companies struggle to:
- Track transaction flows end‑to‑end
- Anticipate risks
- Make proactive decisions
- Identify areas for efficiency and savings
As compliance moves toward real‑time reporting and tax authorities gain deeper visibility into company data, organizations must match that level of insight internally.
Basware has long focused on solving this through centralized insights, analytics, and embedded compliance tools, because informed decisions and automation go hand‑in‑hand.
The Path Forward: What Leading Companies Are Doing Now
Across the research, several trends emerged among organizations that are managing compliance more effectively:
- Building cross‑functional compliance ownership
- Investing in fully embedded, end‑to‑end invoice and tax compliance solutions
- Mapping internal processes to country‑specific requirements
- Reducing manual interventions and eliminating bolt‑on systems
- Leveraging data and analytics for visibility and proactive risk management
These organizations aren’t waiting for mandates to hit, they’re preparing now. If compliance is part of your world — and for today’s finance leaders, it absolutely is — the session is well worth your time.
Watch the webinar replay
