If you have a business in Lanzarote or any other island in the archipelago, you will have noticed that invoice books are disappearing from our offices. And it's no coincidence: more and more Canary Islands companies are making the leap to create invoices online, and not just because the law pushes us to do so, but because it really works better.
Look at what's happening in our tourism sector, which as you know is the engine of the island's economy. Restaurants, car rental companies, and tourist accommodations were among the first to embrace electronic invoicing, and now they understand it's not just another formality. It's a tool that makes their lives much easier. Imagine being able to generate an invoice from your mobile while serving a customer anywhere on the island.
The numbers are clear: companies that have taken this step are dedicating up to 70% less time to administrative paperwork. For family businesses or small companies like many of those we have here, that means being able to focus on what really matters: your business and your clients. And that is priceless
Economic advantages that transform profitability
Let's talk plainly about money, because in the end, it's what worries you most when managing your company. Saving on paper and ink is the most obvious, but we assure you there's much more. Administrative errors, those that used to make you waste hours looking for what had gone wrong with an invoice, practically disappear with automated systems. You no longer have to worry so much about making mistakes when calculating VAT or copying customer data
When it comes time to file quarterly tax returns, which we know is a headache for many, those with electronic invoicing can generate their reports in minutes. What used to take you entire days of reviewing invoices and receipts is now organized and ready. Plus, you can see your numbers in real-time, which products are working best for you, or if you have cash flow problems before it's too late.
And here comes good news for freelancers and small businesses on the island: starting out is no longer going to cost you a fortune. There are free or very affordable options that give you everything you need if you don't invoice huge amounts. Most entrepreneurs recover the small initial investment in a few months thanks to all the savings they make.
Compliance without headaches
Let's tackle a topic that probably concerns you: legal obligations. Starting in 2025, we need to use electronic invoicing for our business-to-business and business-to-professional operations. But don't see it as just another imposition, because deep down it's helping us modernize once and for all.
The best thing about current systems is that they update themselves when something in the legislation changes. If they modify VAT, if there are new mandatory requirements or formats, your software takes care of everything without you having to lift a finger. For many of us, who have enough to do running our business, this peace of mind is worth its weight in gold.
The connection with the Tax Agency has also been greatly simplified. What previously required complex technical knowledge or hiring someone external, you now manage from the same place where you create your invoices. You save money on consulting fees and get rid of the fear of making mistakes with the Treasury
Corporate Sustainability and Environmental Responsibility
We live on an island, and waste management has always been a sensitive issue here. When you stop printing invoices, the impact is greater than you might imagine. A normal company that invoices about 200 times a month saves more than 2,400 sheets a year, not counting envelopes and everything else. If you multiply this by all the companies in Lanzarote, the change is considerable.
Furthermore, we'll tell you something interesting: our tourists, especially Europeans, increasingly value businesses that are environmentally friendly. Many establishments already highlight this as part of their image, and electronic invoicing, although it may seem like a small detail, scores points in that direction. It helps you build a reputation as a modern and responsible company.
And there's another benefit that nobody talks about much: space. You no longer need to have filing cabinets taking up valuable square meters for years. In tourist areas where rent is sky-high, being able to use that space for something more productive is a considerable relief.
Integration with other enterprise management systems
This is where things get really interesting. Online invoicing shows its full potential when you connect it with your other work tools. You can link it to your inventory control, your customer database, your accounting, and your payment systems. Everything talks to each other, and you stop wasting time entering the same data over and over again.
If you have a service business on the island, such as a surf school, a diving center, or any tourist activity, imagine this: your client books an activity, they receive an automatic confirmation, after the class their invoice is generated automatically, and the system registers it in your accounting. All without you having to lift a finger. This way you can dedicate yourself to what you really like: serving your clients.
The data these systems provide is pure gold for your business. You can see in real-time who your best clients are, which services are most profitable, when you have the most work, or if someone owes you money from a long time ago. This information, presented clearly and visually, helps you make better decisions in a market as competitive as ours.
