Beyond buzzwords: What an 'open business network' really means

To understand this, consider a familiar metaphor: your mobile phone. When your carrier upgrades to 5G, negotiates new roaming agreements, or adapts to regulatory changes in different countries, do you need to reprogram your device? Of course not. The network handles complexity centrally so millions of users can stay connected without lifting a finger.

This is the principle that separates truly open business networks from those that simply use the name. In the world of e-invoicing, where mandates are expanding rapidly across the world, genuine openness means shielding users from complexity, not passing it on. Let’s dive into what that means.

An open network, in this context, refers to a digital infrastructure that connects business systems, such as ERPs, to trading partners, platforms, and tax authorities, enabling fully electronic document exchange.

Crucially, open networks are built for interoperability: the ability to work seamlessly across different systems, formats, and jurisdictions. This means businesses can exchange documents with partners using different platforms. This allows businesses to scale and adapt without being locked into proprietary formats or isolated ecosystems. The goal isn’t to control the user; it’s to empower them with infrastructure that flexes as their needs evolve.

Compliance used to be a periodic exercise — something businesses prepared for in cycles, with time to reconcile, review, and report. But that world is fading fast. Today, compliance is real-time, always-on, and increasingly complex. Governments are mandating e-invoicing, introducing live reporting requirements, and enforcing country-specific formats that demand instant, accurate data exchange. The shift isn’t just regulatory; it’s structural. And it’s pushing businesses to rethink how they connect, communicate, and comply.
 
This is where open networks come in.
 
An open business network is more than a digital pipeline. It’s a dynamic infrastructure designed to handle the evolving demands of modern compliance. It connects ERPs, trading partners, platforms, and tax authorities into a single, interoperable ecosystem — one that’s built to absorb complexity and deliver clarity. With an open network, businesses can exchange documents across borders, formats, and systems without being trapped in proprietary environments or forced into costly overhauls.
 
What sets open networks apart is their ability to make compliance an inherent part of every transaction — intelligently handled in the background, without disruption or delay. They automatically transform formats, extract required data, validate content, and ensure alignment with local regulations, all in real time. This means businesses can meet regulatory demands without manual intervention, delays, or errors. As compliance becomes a continuous requirement, open networks become the infrastructure that makes it possible.
 
But the value goes beyond compliance. Open networks offer the freedom to onboard new partners, enter new markets, and adapt to new rules without friction. They’re built for interoperability, which means they grow with your business, not against it. In a world where digital trust and agility are non-negotiable, open networks are emerging as a necessity. 

To better understand the value of an open network, it’s important to first look at its opposite: the closed or semi-closed network.

These networks were originally built to serve specific platforms or ecosystems. They often rely on proprietary formats, limited partner access, and rigid integration models. In the past, when e-invoicing was optional or limited to specific industries, this approach was manageable. But today, as mandates expand across borders, these limitations are becoming more apparent.

Challenges include:

Semi-closed networks attempt to bridge these gaps by offering partial connectivity, but they often fall short when faced with the scale and diversity of global e-invoicing mandates. Businesses need infrastructure that connects, yes — but also automates compliance, translates formats, and routes documents across jurisdictions without manual effort.

As e-invoicing mandates continue to evolve, businesses face a growing challenge: how to stay compliant without constantly reengineering their systems. From format changes and validation rules to new reporting requirements, the pace and diversity of regulatory updates are accelerating and not every network is built to keep up.

This is where the concept of complexity absorption becomes critical.

A truly open business network doesn’t just connect systems; it centralizes and manages complexity so individual users don’t have to. The mobile network analogy applies here: you connect once, and the network handles the rest — updates, translations, and routing — without disrupting your operations.

So when evaluating e-invoicing providers, ask yourself: who handles the heavy lifting when things change?

Trading partner connectivity

When you need to connect with a supplier using a different platform, who figures out the technical integration? True open networks handle interoperability seamlessly through existing partnerships and protocols. You connect once, the network manages the rest.

Other providers may offer connectivity but put the technical burden on the user to set up and manage — requiring API implementations, format mappings, or separate configurations for each new trading relationship or government authority connection. 

Formatting

E-invoicing isn’t just about sending data. It’s about sending it in the right format, tailored to the requirements of each country, platform, or tax authority.

From XML and UBL to PEPPOL PINT, formats vary widely across jurisdictions. Each comes with its own structure, validation rules, and mandatory fields.

In a truly open network, formatting is handled centrally. The network automatically converts invoice data into the correct format based on destination. No manual mapping, no custom development. You send your invoice once, and the network ensures it arrives in the right shape, every time.

ERP connectivity

E-invoicing starts with the data inside your ERP. A truly open network connects to your existing ERP system, pulling the right data at the right time without requiring custom development or manual intervention.

And if your business operates across multiple units or regions, each using different ERPs? That shouldn’t be a problem. Open networks are designed to handle multi-ERP environments, ensuring consistent data flow, formatting, and compliance across systems. Whether it’s SAP in one unit and Microsoft Dynamics in another, the network should unify the experience, not fragment it.

In contrast, less flexible networks often require separate integrations, duplicate configurations, or manual reconciliation between systems. The result: more complexity, more risk, and more time spent managing what should be automatic.

Market expansion

Expanding into new markets shouldn’t feel like buying a new SIM card in every country. Technically, you could, but that would mean managing dozens of contracts, configurations, and billing systems. It’s expensive, inefficient, and forces you to maintain a patchwork of local relationships just to stay connected.

That’s the challenge many businesses face when entering new countries with e-invoicing mandates. Each market has its own platforms, formats, and compliance rules — and not all of them interoperate easily. In less flexible networks, this means launching new technical projects, setting up separate platform logins, and maintaining individual configurations for each jurisdiction.
A truly open network works more like international mobile roaming. The network provider has already established the necessary technical connections and negotiated the terms behind the scenes. You connect once, and that connection scales — same interface, same setup, broader coverage.

This kind of infrastructure absorbs the complexity of market expansion. You don’t need to figure out how to interact with local systems or manage new compliance requirements manually. The network does it for you, extending your reach without multiplying your workload.

Regulatory changes

Every market has evolving e-invoicing requirements. New mandates emerge, formats change, and compliance rules shift. In a truly open network, these changes trigger one central update that rolls out automatically to all customers globally.

In networks that claim openness but operate differently, customers find themselves managing ongoing technical projects every time regulations evolve. They become responsible for format changes, compliance updates, and technical adjustments — exactly what they sought to avoid by joining a "network" in the first place.

As mandatory e-invoicing becomes the norm across more jurisdictions, the role of open networks will only grow in importance. Businesses shouldn’t need to become experts in data formats, validation rules, or compliance frameworks just to operate across borders.

The promise of an open network is simple: connect once and operate everywhere. It’s infrastructure that adapts to change, manages complexity centrally, and scales with your business without adding technical overhead.

In a landscape where every business is being nudged toward network-based solutions, the real question isn’t whether you need a network. It’s whether your network is built to support you — not just today, but as regulations, markets, and technologies continue to evolve.

These questions are critical: What does the future look like for you, as you ramp-up your business operations, or need more coverage from your network? What is the total cost of ownership as you add more jurisdictions and functionality over the coming years?

Because in 2025 and beyond, the most valuable thing a network can offer isn’t simply connectivity — it’s continuity, scalability and control.