Electronic invoicing: Deadline Nears, but Only 7% of French Businesses Are Fully Compliant

• 90% of companies say they are aware of the reform
• 86% are confident in their ability to meet the implementation timeline
• 82% have started deploying at least one prerequisite
• 64% have selected their Certified Platform (PA), but only 27% have signed a contract
• 89% of companies familiar with Serensia by Quadient are considering using it
• 7% of companies report having completed the prerequisites required to comply with the law

Paris



Quadient (Euronext Paris: QDT), a global automation platform powering secure and sustainable business connections, today announced the results of the third edition of its survey on the readiness of French companies for electronic invoicing, conducted by OpinionWay for Quadient. With only a few months to go before France’s mandatory start of e-invoicing in September, companies show progress in their level of preparedness. The findings, however, also highlight that compliance efforts remain insufficient to meet regulatory requirements.

A regulation now widely known and increasingly well understood

Awareness of the e-invoicing requirement portion of France’s Finance Law is no longer in question: 90% of companies surveyed say they are familiar with the regulation. More importantly, understanding of the regulation is improving significantly. While in 2025 only 27% had a solid grasp of the requirement, 43% now report having studied it closely. This trend reflects an increase in knowledge as the deadline approaches, and the operational implications become clearer.

Deployment is underway, but full compliance is still rare

When asked about their overall progress in complying with the law, 73% of companies have already deployed or are in the process of deploying solutions for accounts payable, and 70% for accounts receivable. Overall, 66% report having initiated or completed both functions.

A closer look at regulatory prerequisites nuances this picture. While 82% of companies have initiated at least one prerequisite (data diagnostics, management of 34 mandatory items, status tracking, ability to issue in structured formats, and e-reporting), only 7% of businesses report having completed all the necessary prerequisites. Conversely, just 1% of companies have not yet begun any consideration of these prerequisites, down 10 points compared with last year.



Companies with 500 or more employees consistently appear more advanced, confirming the structuring effect of size and available resources on how quickly they achieve compliance. However, full compliance remains marginal across the broader business landscape.

Approaches are still largely hybrid and not fully compliant with expected formats

The approaches of financial teams remain largely hybrid. Most companies, or 91%, use at least one digital format to send invoices, and 72% rely exclusively on digital formats. However, strict compliance with the formats required by the Finance Law remains limited. Only 19% of companies use at least one compliant format (UBL, CII, or Factur-X), up from 13% in 2025. Even more striking, only 4% report using exclusively compliant formats.

The transition to a fully compliant environment remains incomplete.

A reform considered useful, despite being seen as a constraint

Despite companies’ limited preparedness, the overall perception of the reform remains largely positive. 77% of companies view the mandatory shift to electronic invoicing as useful (+2 points compared with 2025). Most companies engaged in the transition now report tangible effects, including cost savings or reduced payment and collection times as major benefits (61%), while 52% cite productivity gains. However, 71% also consider compliance to be burdensome. This ambivalence, stable over time, reflects acceptance of the principle without excessive enthusiasm but also without widespread opposition. The main obstacles identified are external: 50% of companies mention clients or suppliers who are still non-compliant, and more than three in 10 also cite cybersecurity risks or the difficulty of gathering all mandatory data.

High confidence levels despite persistent delays

Despite still limited compliance, French companies show significant confidence in their ability to meet the regulatory deadline. In 2025, 83% of companies reported being confident, even though only 1% were fully compliant. In 2026, confidence continues to rise to 86%, and the increase in actual compliance (+6 points) reflects a gradual shift from intention to action. Awareness of the regulation is now very high, with nine out of 10 companies saying they have heard of it, and a growing proportion reporting a solid understanding of its content.

Companies having strong confidence in their compliance but still experiencing delays highlight the importance of structured support to turn preparedness into effective compliance before the September deadline.

Certified platforms: a choice largely made

The survey found 64% of companies report having already selected their certified platform (CP) for electronic invoicing. However, only 27% indicate that the partnership is already under contract, reflecting an approach that remains gradual as the deadline approaches. Technological continuity appears to be the guiding principle, with 86% of companies planning to achieve compliance using their current ERP system.

"With 71% of French companies familiar with Quadient and 89% of them considering using our certified platform Serensia by Quadient, it is clear that our solution is already perceived as a reliable pillar for compliance," said Stéphanie Auchabie, Director of Digital Sales, Partners and Customer Success for Europe at Quadient. "With only a few months to go before the deadline, the strategic challenge is to support the entire ecosystem, anticipate delays, secure processes and turn this regulatory transition into a genuine operational lever."

With six months remaining before the deadline, all indicators point to a mixed picture: awareness and familiarity with the reform and available solutions are increasing, but full compliance remains marginal. The priority for companies in the coming months will be to accelerate their transition, while coordinating the ecosystem to prevent cascading delays.

Methodology

The study was conducted by OpinionWay for Quadient in January and February 2026, among a representative sample of 313 decision-makers involved in invoicing and accounting management within French private companies with 10 or more employees, subject to the electronic invoicing requirement.

About Quadient

Quadient designs and builds human-centered, AI-driven automation solutions for business communications. Our software empowers over 350,000 customers to create, deliver and manage world-class communications with speed and ease. From finance automation to mail and parcel management, Quadient reduces friction and waste so customers can focus on growth and customer connections. Quadient is listed on Euronext Paris (QDT) and part of the CAC® Mid & Small and CAC Technology indices. Make room for the remarkable at .  

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