Paper invoice is an invoice printed in paper form, which is usually handed over directly to the buyer by the seller after selling goods or providing services. Paper invoices need to be delivered by traditional mail or delivery, which may take some time and cost. Buyers need to keep these paper invoices for future use.
Electronic invoice is an invoice generated and transmitted in electronic form. Electronic invoices can be sent to the buyer by e-mail, electronic data interchange or online platform. This method is more convenient and efficient, and does not need physical paper transmission. The buyer can save the electronic invoice in electronic equipment or cloud storage for future reference when necessary.
To sum up, paper invoices and electronic invoices have their own advantages and disadvantages in use. The advantage of paper invoice is that it is easy to save and consult, and it is suitable for some traditional industries and specific scenarios, such as cash transactions and offline shopping. However, paper invoices need to occupy a lot of physical space, and there is a risk of loss or damage. In contrast, electronic invoice has the advantages of convenience, environmental protection and cost saving, and is suitable for e-commerce and online transactions. Electronic invoices can be sent and received by e-mail or online platform, without paper and mailing costs. However, electronic invoices may have problems of data security and technical dependence. Therefore, when choosing the invoice form, we should weigh and choose according to the actual demand and industry requirements.
Legal basis:
Measures of People's Republic of China (PRC) Municipality on Invoice Management
Article 19
Units and individuals that sell goods, provide services and engage in other business activities collect money from foreign operations, and the payee shall issue invoices to the payer; Under special circumstances, the payer will issue an invoice to the payee.
Article 21
Invoices that do not meet the requirements shall not be used as financial reimbursement vouchers, and any unit or individual has the right to refuse them.