Creating an invoice in Excel: why is it a waste of time?
In short: Why choose specialized software over Excel?
- Fitness for purpose: Excel is a spreadsheet program, Bilnex is a software for creating sales invoices. One is universal, the other is specifically designed for invoicing.
- Data inheritance: Bilnex fills in the client's details based on the Commercial Register itself, in Excel it is purely manual.
- Security and control: The system checks amounts and mandatory fields, eliminating human errors.
- Sending an e-invoice: Only a special environment can send machine-readable e-invoices. Regardless of the fact that e-invoices are in XML format, an operator network is required to send them.
Microsoft Excel is undoubtedly one of the most powerful tools in the world of numbers, but creating an invoice in Excel is still like pruning a hedge with a Swiss Army knife. It is multifunctional and always at hand, but in the end the result is ineffective. While special scissors and saws are helpful for hedges, the best tool for creating invoices is Bilnex.
If you don't want to deal with spreadsheets anymore, try Bilnex free invoice generator.
Why use Bilnex instead of creating invoices in Excel?
Excel's greatest strength is its endless flexibility. It's also its greatest weakness when it comes to invoices. All it takes is one wrong click or extra space and your professional invoice can turn into a cryptic puzzle where all the numbers are suddenly dates.
Who among us hasn't seen these Excel errors:
#DIV/0!– You accidentally try to divide by a non-existent quantity and Excel decides that the math is over for today.#VALUE!– You accidentally typed text into a number cell (e.g., value and unit in the same field) and the formula crashes.#REF!– You accidentally deleted a cell that another formula relied on and now the basis of your entire invoice is “broken”.
One simple mistake means you have to become a detective instead of just sending the bill.
Bilnex is built with accounting rules in mind. This means that the math is always correct and entering information into an invoice is intuitive. Your critical data is protected from accidental overwriting and you never have to worry about your customer receiving an invoice with an error message instead of the amount. And you'll always have support Bilnex customer support environment and team.
Automatic speed vs. manual invoice creation
If you create invoices in Excel, you have to manually search and enter the customer's name, registry code, address, etc. every time. This is pure manual labor, with a lot of room for error. Bilnex's settlement environment is interfaced with the Commercial Register – just enter the company name and the system will fill in all the details for you in seconds. This saves time and ensures that the invoice details meet the requirements and are correct.
Sending an e-invoice in Excel is impossible
A static Excel file can only generate a PDF invoice, which is essentially a picture of your invoice. However, many partners today require machine-readable e-invoices. In Estonia, an e-invoice must be submitted if your client (whether a state institution or a private company) has registered itself as an e-invoice recipient in the Commercial Register and requests it from you.
What is an e-invoice and why does Excel have trouble with it?
An e-invoice is not a PDF file. It is a data set in a specific XML format that is not sent in a regular email. An e-invoice travels securely over the operator network directly from one company's environment to another company's accounting software. Using Bilnex invoicing software, the e-invoice is automatically sent in the correct format and through the correct channels. For you, it's just a click of a button, but for the customer, it means that the data arrives without errors and the invoice is paid faster.
Frequently asked questions about Excel and invoicing
Can I send an invoice created in Excel as an e-invoice?
You cannot send an e-invoice directly from Excel. Excel can create a PDF file, which is essentially an image of the invoice. A legal e-invoice is a specific XML file that travels over the operator network directly to another company's accounting system. To do this, you need to use an invoicing environment like Bilnex, which generates the correct file and automatically sends it over a secure operator network.
How to fix Excel error #VALUE! or #REF! on a sales invoice?
These errors usually occur when a formula refers to an empty cell or tries to combine text and numbers (e.g. instead of “10 pcs” it should simply be “10” and the unit in a separate cell). To avoid these errors, it is wise to use special invoicing software where formulas are locked and the math works automatically without you being able to accidentally mess them up.
Does the Excel invoice template meet the requirements of the Accounting Act?
An Excel template is only legal if you have manually added all the mandatory details (invoice number, date, parties, amounts, payment due date, etc.). In Excel, it is very easy to accidentally leave a field blank or make small mistakes. Bilnexi does not allow an invoice to be issued until all legally required fields have been filled in correctly.
Why is invoicing software more secure than Excel?
Unlike an Excel file that sits on your computer's hard drive and can get lost or infected with a virus, Bilnex keeps your data safe. It meets all security requirements and ensures that Your billing history is always available for the legally required 7 years. Sending encrypted e-invoices is also significantly more secure than sending PDFs via e-mail, where fraudsters can take over the conversation at a convenient moment and, for example, change account numbers.