Digital Business Networks Alliance Launches to Oversee eInvoicing Solution

The Digital Business Networks Alliance (DBNAlliance) has been launched as a nonprofit organization to oversee the exchange framework of the Business Payments Coalition’s E-Invoice Exchange Market Pilot. 

The DBNAlliance aims to eliminate the obstacles and inefficiencies associated with traditional invoicing methods, making the exchange of B2B documents smooth and frictionless, the organization said in a Tuesday (Jan. 9) press release. 

“The U.S. eInvoicing exchange framework will enable businesses to reduce costs, drive efficiency, increase accuracy and improve security around their invoicing processes,” Jim Taylor, CEO of MarineNet and interim president of the DBNAlliance, said in the release. “The DBNAlliance is committed to making it as easy as possible for businesses to connect with the exchange framework so that they can realize the benefits of eInvoicing.” 

The DBNAlliance employs a four-corner model for its electronic network, where eDocuments are sent and received through an access point or service provider that connects companies to the network, according to the release. The framework has four types of participants: the supplier, two service providers that act as access points, and the buyer.

The alliance will facilitate access points in connecting to the exchange framework and will be responsible for defining electronic delivery standards, policies, rules and guidelines, the release said. 

The DBNAlliance’s board of directors comprises eInvoice service providers, corporate executives and electronic document exchange experts who possess extensive experience and knowledge of the exchange framework, according to the release. 

With more than 30 members, the DBNAlliance is actively recruiting new members, particularly in the energy, supply chain and life sciences industries, the release said. 

Companies interested in connecting to the exchange framework can do so through a DBNAlliance access point service provider, per the release. 

At a high level, a registry and exchange model increases the speed and security of procure-to-pay cycles, PYMNTS reported in April. 

With an exchange in place, the United States will make strides already seen in Europe, where Italy mandated eInvoicing in 2019 and France has such mandates in place that take root in July. Across the European Union, the European Commission introduced an eInvoicing standard in 2017. 

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