Smarter e-invoicing at scale: How Avalara and Zuora help global finance teams succeed

Invoicing has shifted from routine task to fast-moving target. As regulations tighten and expectations grow, what used to be a back-office task is now a frontline compliance risk.

Governments around the world are rolling out new rules for how businesses bill, report, and stay compliant. More than 60 countries have e-invoicing mandates, with more on the way. Each market brings its own demands, from real-time reporting and standardized invoice formats to secure storage and increasingly strict tax enforcement.

At the same time, how businesses charge for services and products is evolving. Subscription- and usage-based billing are becoming the norm, with finance teams under pressure to support expansion without slowing down.

Too many businesses rely on legacy billing systems that can't keep up. They're slowed by manual fixes, regional workarounds, and fragile integrations. As e-invoicing mandates evolve, the gap between what businesses need and what their systems can handle keeps getting wider.

Automation and AI can support scaling operations, but only when paired with structured data and well-integrated systems, as seen with the new E-invoicing and Live Reporting integration for Avalara and Zuora. To stay compliant and competitive, finance teams need systems that can adapt to ongoing change, manage global complexity, and keep expansion on track.

3 invoicing trends changing the game

Global finance teams are rethinking how they work. Invoicing is becoming a priority amid rising regulatory pressure and increasingly complex systems. The result is a new standard for compliance.

1. Compliance is now a competitive advantage

Mandates across the globe are raising the bar for how companies invoice, report, and stay tax-compliant.

Germany is phasing in mandatory B2B e-invoicing through 2028. Poland moves to full B2B e-invoicing in early 2026, while France starts its rollout in late 2026. Saudi Arabia's program already applies to thousands of businesses and is expanding.

Across the EU, the VAT in the Digital Age (ViDA) initiative is reshaping digital VAT reporting across 27 member states. Real-time reporting, standardized formats, and strict enforcement will become the new normal. Many countries are also adopting Peppol - a common framework for securely exchanging e-invoices between businesses and governments - to support these changes.

These requirements are no longer edge cases or niche concerns, but daily realities for finance teams supporting cross-border growth.

Avalara and Zuora help teams meet these demands without disrupting billing operations. With local rules and real-time reporting baked into the platform, businesses can move faster, incur less risk, and act with confidence.

2. AI is raising the bar for finance automation

Automation is taking on high-value tasks, including invoice validation, exception handling, and audit preparation. These are meaningful wins that cut processing times, reduce manual effort, and help teams catch compliance issues before they become liabilities. But they only work when invoicing systems are built to support them.

Businesses need structured data, consistent formats, and connected platforms if they want to truly capitalize on AI and automation's potential. Many businesses still rely on custom workarounds, manual intervention, or region-specific fixes that slow everything down.

According to Avalara research with Hanover, 90% of organizations believe AI will improve finance and tax efficiency, but most are still in the early stages of adoption. The companies making real progress have already invested in structured, integrated systems.

Avalara and Zuora give teams the infrastructure to apply automation so it drives results. With connected data and shared workflows, businesses can automate with purpose, improve audit readiness, and move faster under pressure.

3. Disconnected systems are holding teams back

Legacy invoicing setups weren't built to handle global complexity. Many still rely on unreliable integrations or region-by-region rework. Every time you add a new market, the system needs another patch. The cracks are showing - and this means delays, inefficiencies, and lost growth opportunities.

When finance and compliance systems aren't in sync, businesses lose agility. They can't scale efficiently. They struggle to respond to new mandates or expand into new markets without rebuilding from scratch.

Avalara and Zuora solve for that gap. With a single integration, businesses get global coverage from day one. There's no need for custom middleware or fragmented tools. The result is a streamlined invoicing process that's fast to deploy, easy to manage, and ready to grow.

Unlocking strategic benefits beyond compliance

E-invoicing is often driven by regulation, but its impact goes beyond compliance. For finance teams under pressure to scale, a modern invoicing system can unlock real operational and commercial advantages, including:

• Faster cash flow: Automation reduces invoice errors and disputes, helping businesses get paid sooner. Shorter processing times improve working capital and support business agility.
• Greater operational efficiency: Eliminating manual workflows frees up finance teams to focus on higher-value tasks like forecasting and strategic decision-making.
• Improved data quality and insight: Structured invoicing data unlocks visibility into revenue and customer behavior. Finance leaders gain the insights needed to make faster, more informed decisions.
• Scalable market expansion: A modern invoicing platform supports global growth. Businesses can enter new markets without custom builds or delayed compliance setup. This speeds up time to revenue and reduces operational drag.
• Better customer experience: Clean and accurate invoicing keeps payments on track and builds trust. Customers are more likely to remain loyal when billing is simple, fast, and aligned to local expectations.

Preparing for the future: 5 key capabilities finance teams should develop

Compliance is a long-term effort. As regulations evolve and operations scale, finance teams must adapt while maintaining control. Consider these priority areas as you build smarter invoicing systems.

1. Mandate monitoring and adaptability

As regulations like the EU's ViDA rollout take effect, finance teams need systems that can adapt in near real time. Built-in mandate tracking, automated updates, and local compliance logic will reduce reliance on manual rule changes or custom code.

2. Full invoice lifecycle management

From issuance to archive, every invoice needs to be traceable, tamper-proof, and compliant. This includes digital signatures, secure storage, and region-specific data retention (such as local hosting requirements in France and Saudi Arabia).

3. Cross-border compatibility

As more countries adopt shared e-invoicing standards, finance systems need to work across borders without added complexity. The EU's EN 16931 defines invoice content, while Peppol provides a secure network for exchange. Platforms should support both by default, keeping your business compliant without needing custom builds in every market.

4. AI-powered risk and performance management

Finance automation can support much more than invoice processing. AI can support fraud detection, compliance forecasting, and real-time risk scoring, giving teams the insight to act early and avoid penalties or revenue loss.

5. User adoption and change management

Technology only delivers value if it's adopted. Employees need intuitive tools, guided workflows, and alignment across finance, tax, and IT teams to turn these new ways of working into lasting results.

The smarter answer: A unified e-invoicing and billing platform

To stay compliant and move fast, finance teams need an invoicing setup that's built for scale and precision.

That's where Avalara and Zuora come in. This integration brings together end-to-end tax compliance from Avalara with a flexible subscription and usage billing engine from Zuora, giving businesses a single, purpose-built platform that can handle complexity without slowing growth.

Global compliance built in

With support for e-invoicing rules in more than 60 countries, Avalara and Zuora help organizations meet compliance today and while constantly tracking future mandates and requirements. This includes ViDA in the EU, Peppol in Australia and New Zealand, and local hosting laws in France and Saudi Arabia.

No middleware, no rework

Avalara's API connects directly with Zuora. There's no need for custom builds or complicated middleware. Invoicing and compliance move in one flow, simplifying everything from onboarding to updates.

Automation-ready by design

With structured data and integrated workflows, the Avalara-Zuora integration supports AI-driven capabilities, including real-time validation, automated exception handling, and audit-ready reporting. It's built to adapt with your organization as automation matures.

Real-time visibility and control

Teams can track invoice status across markets, catch issues early, and resolve errors before they escalate. Built-in tools surface exceptions and keep your compliance process moving.

Ready to grow with you

Whether you're operating in one region or dozens, Avalara and Zuora scale with your business. The platform is flexible, fast to deploy, and built to support long-term expansion.

The future of invoicing is integrated, intelligent, and global

E-invoicing is a core component of how modern finance teams support growth. It influences how quickly businesses can enter new markets, how confidently they manage risk, and how efficiently they scale.

Forward-thinking teams are building systems that connect billing and compliance from the ground up. This approach creates the flexibility to respond to regulatory changes and the clarity to manage complexity and expansion.

Avalara and Zuora support that shift with automation, global coverage, and real-time control, giving businesses the tools to grow without being slowed down by invoicing.

Discover what to look for in an e-invoicing solution, and how to choose the right fit for your business in our guide: Scaling revenue: 10 things to look for in integrated e-invoicing and billing solutions.