One of the big barriers to electronic invoicing is persuading suppliers to sign on. E-commerce solution provider Basware has launched a new cloud platform, Alusta, that the company says makes it easier for suppliers to adopt e-invoicing.

Basware, based in Finland, already offered a software-as-a-service version of its e-procurement and e-invoicing products. But John Webster, Basware's vice president of global product marketing, says Alusta "has been built from the bottom up to be a fully multitenant cloud solution, as well as a solution that can be taken by a large corporate and installed behind their firewall."

The multitenant aspect means Basware can give companies more flexibility. "Small organizations can start with a scaled-down version, very simple accounts payable automation," Webster says. "As you grow as a business, you can select a bigger package with more capabilities." Companies are paying only for what they use, he says, and "you can start small, grow fast, even retract if you have to."