The use of electronic invoicing in Spain continues its unstoppable rise, as revealed by the latest annual study published by SERES. The report, which analyzes the data from 2023 and the first half of 2024, shows a significant increase in the adoption of this digital resource, especially among SMEs in the private sector.
Sustained growth and preparation for the Crea y Crece Law
The study highlights a 35.39% increase in the volume of electronic invoices exchanged during 2023 compared to the previous year. This growth is interpreted as a prelude to the implementation of the Crea y Crece Law, which will establish the mandatory use of electronic invoicing among companies and professionals.
The impact of this future legislation is evident in the behavior of medium and large companies, which have accelerated their adoption of electronic invoicing in anticipation of the new legal requirements.
Geographic distribution: Madrid and Catalonia lead
The study reveals a clear dominance of certain autonomous communities in the use of electronic invoicing:
- The Community of Madrid leads in the issuance of electronic invoices, followed closely by Catalonia and Andalusia.
- Regarding reception, Catalonia has surpassed Madrid this year, with 28.41% compared to the capital’s 27.73%.
- Galicia shows notable growth, ranking fourth in issuance with 4.43% and third in reception with 7.85%.
On the other hand, regions like Ceuta, Melilla, La Rioja, and Extremadura are at the bottom in both issuance and reception, suggesting the need for greater awareness efforts in these areas.
Medium-sized companies at the forefront
The analysis by business size reveals that medium-sized companies were the main users of electronic invoicing in 2023, representing 30.48% of the total. They were closely followed by small companies with 28.46% and large companies with 27.52%.
Leading sectors in adoption
The study also sheds light on the sectors that utilize electronic invoicing the most:
- The retail and manufacturing sectors continue to lead in the issuance of electronic invoices, with 25.68% and 17.24% respectively.
- The sector of health and social services has experienced significant growth, positioning itself as the leader in the reception of electronic invoices with 17.50%.
Outlook for 2024
Preliminary data from the first half of 2024 shows a consolidation of the trends observed in 2023:
- The total volume of issued electronic invoices increased by 51.48% compared to the same period in 2023.
- Madrid maintains its leadership in issuance with 38.28%, followed by Catalonia with 30.58%.
- In reception, Catalonia continues to lead with 28.88%, with Madrid very close behind with 28.08%.
Conclusions and tangible benefits
The study concludes that the adoption of electronic invoicing in Spain is growing steadily, driven by the upcoming Crea y Crece Law and the evident benefits it brings. In 2023 alone, Spanish companies saved more than 3.572 billion euros thanks to the digitalization of their invoicing processes.
However, the report also points out areas for improvement, such as the need to accelerate adoption among small businesses and in lagging sectors like real estate and education. The implementation of digitalization support policies in these segments could be key to a more balanced growth in the near future.