An ASP shortlist is useful only when it reflects the business you need to support. Start with your entities, billing sources, document volumes and transaction scenarios, then ask each provider to respond to the same requirements.
Confirm current accreditation using the official MoF register. The October 2026 accreditation announcement describes a move away from the earlier pre-approval stage. Do not treat an old “pre-approved” statement as proof of current status. MoF accreditation update.
Prepare one requirements sheet
Give providers the same information: legal-entity count, ERP products and versions, sending and receiving needs, typical volume, peak load, currencies, business scenarios, support expectations and target dates.
Keep confidential invoice data out of an initial enquiry. Synthetic representative examples usually provide a useful starting point for capability discussions.
The 15 questions
| # | Ask the provider | Evidence to request |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | What is your current accreditation status? | Current official register entry |
| 2 | Which of our ERP versions and interfaces are supported? | Specific supported route and prerequisites |
| 3 | What do you need from every legal entity? | Onboarding checklist and responsibilities |
| 4 | Can you demonstrate our transaction scenarios? | Results for representative examples |
| 5 | How do you support supplier invoice receipt? | Inbound process and exception demonstration |
| 6 | Who owns final transformation and mapping changes? | Written responsibility boundary |
| 7 | Which checks run, and how are errors explained? | Sample messages and correction route |
| 8 | How do exchange and reporting responses reach us? | Payload/status demonstration |
| 9 | How are retries and duplicate submissions handled? | Failure-and-recovery example |
| 10 | What happens at our expected peak volume? | Capacity evidence and contractual limits |
| 11 | What support operates during our billing window? | Service hours, escalation and response commitments |
| 12 | How are records retained and made accessible? | Retention, export, retrieval and access arrangements |
| 13 | What does the complete first-year price include? | Itemised comparable quote |
| 14 | How are specification or product changes delivered? | Change communication and testing process |
| 15 | How would we leave or migrate later? | Export formats, notice periods and exit support |
Use a demonstration that can fail
Ask for one successful example and one deliberately defective record. For the failed example, have a business user explain the error and identify the correction. Watch how the corrected submission is linked to the original attempt.
A provider may handle routine invoices well while offering limited visibility into exceptions. The exception demonstration helps reveal that difference before the implementation depends on it.
Separate a requirement from a preference
Mark each evaluation item as required, desirable or informational. A required business scenario cannot be compensated for by a polished dashboard or a lower headline subscription.
Use written evidence rather than a single overall score. Where a requirement remains unproven, record the follow-up owner and decision date.
Review commercial and operating boundaries
Clarify whether charges include incoming documents, credit notes, test environments, support, additional entities and data exports. Ask what happens when forecast volume changes.
Review the responsibilities your organisation retains. The project still needs business-data ownership, internal controls, testing and support coordination.
Common questions
Should we choose the lowest subscription? Compare the total delivery and operating cost for the same scope.
Can a general product demo establish ERP compatibility? Request evidence for the actual product version and integration route you intend to use.
Next step: use the cost-comparison guide to evaluate comparable quotes, then review the ERP architecture guide.
Reference diagram
Compare the same scope and request evidence for important claims.
Frequently asked questions
Should we choose the lowest subscription?
Compare the total delivery and operating cost for the same scope.
Can a general product demo establish ERP compatibility?
Request evidence for the actual product version and integration route you intend to use.
Continue your trail
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E-Invoicing
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