Meeting Australia’s eInvoicing mandate with SpendConsole
Facing a government requirement to receive Peppol eInvoices by 1 July 2022, Intellectual Property Australia implemented SpendConsole to deliver compliant, secure invoice intake alongside SAP ERP. The result was a controlled, future-ready AP model aligned with national eInvoicing standards.
Client profile
Intellectual Property Australia (IPA) is an Australian Government agency responsible for administering intellectual property rights. Operating on SAP ERP, IPA works within a highly governed environment with strict requirements around supplier invoicing, data privacy, and regulatory compliance.
As a federal agency, IPA required an Accounts Payable operating model that could meet evolving government mandates while maintaining stability across its existing ERP landscape.
The mandate-driven moment
In 2021, IPA initiated a market process in response to the Australian Government’s push toward Peppol eInvoicing and a broader shift toward structured, secure invoice exchange.
This urgency became concrete when Australian Government agencies were required to be capable of receiving eInvoices by 1 July 2022. Meeting the mandate required more than digitising PDF invoices, it required alignment with Peppol standards and government governance frameworks.
Business challenges
IPA faced several critical challenges:
- Achieving eInvoicing compliance in line with Australian Government requirements
- Moving beyond email and PDF-based invoicing to a structured, Peppol-aligned approach
- Maintaining stability within the existing SAP ERP environment
- Ensuring government-grade data privacy, security, and auditability across supplier invoice processing
The solution needed to address compliance without introducing risk or disruption.
Why SpendConsole was chosen
IPA selected SpendConsole due to its native support for Peppol eInvoicing standards and its ability to act as an invoice management and compliance layer alongside SAP ERP.
SpendConsole aligned directly with the Australian Government’s eInvoicing direction, providing structured invoice intake, governance controls, and automation, without requiring changes to core ERP systems.
The Solution
SpendConsole was implemented as IPA’s supplier invoice management and compliance platform.
The solution enabled:
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Support for Peppol eInvoicing, alongside other approved invoice channels
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Consistent validation, control, and workflow across all supplier invoices
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Secure handling of invoice data in line with government privacy requirements
This approach aligns with Australia’s eInvoicing model, where the ATO acts as the Peppol Authority, setting governance and accreditation requirements for secure eInvoice exchange.
Results
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eInvoicing compliance achieved in line with the Government requirement
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Reduced compliance risk by moving away from email and PDF-based invoicing
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Established a Peppol-aligned AP model consistent with Government direction
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Positioned IPA as an early mover, setting a benchmark for modern Accounts Payable within the public sector
Moving forward
The organisation is now positioned to:
- Expand structured eInvoicing adoption as supplier readiness increases
- Maintain ongoing alignment with Australian Government eInvoicing frameworks
- Continue modernising AP operations without introducing compliance risk