Integrating SAP Ariba with the National System of e-Invoices

Olga Langowska, SAP Finance Consultant

30th June 2022
Knowledge base
2 min

Update 26 April 2024.

The Ministry of Finance has announced new dates for the introduction of the National e-Invoicing System. According to the latest findings, the system will enter in two stages:

1 February 2026 for entrepreneurs whose sales value exceeds PLN 200 million,
1 April 2026 for all other entrepreneurs.

There are several important reasons why it is advisable to prepare for implementation in advance:

Ensuring stability: By starting the implementation project earlier, the company gains additional time for testing and adapting the system, thus minimizing the risk of errors and problems that can occur in a hurry.
Time for employee training and adaptation: Earlier implementation allows more time for employee training and adaptation to the new system. This, in turn, can increase the efficiency of system use and reduce the risk of errors.
Opportunity for testing and optimisation: Starting the process earlier allows for in-depth system testing and optimization. This provides the opportunity to detect and resolve potential problems before the official implementation date.
Ensuring business continuity: Implementing KSeF earlier enables a smooth transition to the new system without disrupting the continuity of business operations, which is key to maintaining company stability.
Avoiding IT overload: Starting the project earlier avoids overloading the IT department at the last minute.

The introduction of the KSeF, a nationwide ICT system for sending, receiving and reviewing structured invoices, is another step toward digitizing financial administration and tax reporting. A new way of e-invoicing obliges taxpayers to report additional elements that go beyond the standard invoice document. From January 1, 2022, Polish entrepreneurs can voluntarily use the National System of e-Invoices. As announced by the Ministry of Finance, KSeF will become mandatory from January 1, 2024.

How does KSeF affect procurement and invoicing processes?

The widespread of the KSeF will impact both the sales and purchasing processes in Polish enterprises. Currently, companies use various tools for document flow automation, the approval procedure, or automatic invoicing. The capabilities offered by the KSeF may affect each of them. Existing processes need to be analyzed in advance to identify potential gaps and possible improvements.

Marta Kaczmarek, SAP Ariba Consultant

SAP Ariba supports companies in the processing of purchase invoices in many ways. The system offers buyers solutions enabling explicit identification of invoices, automatic processing & payment, and for sellers – the possibility of creating and sending invoices smoothly, as well as integrating current invoice generation systems with SAP Business Network (formerly Ariba Network). Buyers using other ERP systems can also benefit from the SAP Business Network through the SAP Digital Supplier Network (SAP DSN), allowing the submission of purchasing documents, including invoices.

When KSeF comes into force, invoices from domestic sellers will be available in a structured form with the possibility to download them directly from the government platform. The availability of the data minimizes the time needed to enter the invoice. Integration with the KSeF system may significantly streamline and automate the process while reducing administrative costs.

SAP Ariba system integration with KSeF

The potential integration of SAP Ariba with KSeF remains an open question, as such a scenario is currently being analyzed by the software producer. While waiting for the official communication from SAP and guidance on a standardized procedure for integrating both systems, Apollogic started to identify the possibility of making adjustments in response to specific customer requirements. To streamline the invoicing process, we already offer analyzing current procedures and preparing proposals and schemes for a solution using the KSeF databases.