How to Connect to the DBNAlliance: A Step-By-Step Guide

The Digital Business Networks Alliance (DBNAlliance) is an open exchange network for businesses in North America, with a special focus on the U.S. It functions similarly to Peppol – businesses can connect once, then easily send and receive documents regardless of what software, platform, or network the target organization uses.

Want to connect to the future of electronic invoicing in the U.S.?

Understanding the DBNAlliance and how it works

E-invoicing adoption in the U.S. has been slow due to a decentralized tax system, lack of document standardization, and adherence to traditional, inefficient paper-based systems. The DBNAlliance aims to solve these challenges by creating a new framework for businesses in the U.S. to transmit e-invoices securely and efficiently.

This framework, which launched in April 2024, is an open exchange network dedicated to the secure transmission of electronic business documents including invoices and remittance advices. It is targeted to businesses in the U.S., differentiating the framework from Peppol, a popular open exchange network primarily used in Europe and Asia.

The network is based on a 4-corner model connecting the supplier, the buyer, and their respective service providers (also known as access points). The 4-corner model is also used by the Peppol network to facilitate business exchanges. Each transaction happens in real time, maximizing transparency. This framework of data transfer is much faster than the traditional system of paper document exchange while also less error-prone.

Using the DBNAlliance to transmit documents increases business efficiency thanks to the direct flow of information between service providers.

The image depicts the DBNAlliance's 4 corner model. with the sender, recipient, and their respective access points making up the 4 corners.

Connecting to the DBNAlliance

Connecting to the DBNAlliance through our API is a simple, straightforward process. Follow these four steps to easily set up the Storecove API and connect your business to the network:

Request a test account

Begin by requesting a test account from our team. The account will be live for 30 days, giving you a chance to test out our API and experience the benefits of using our software.

Create a legal entity

Legal entities are the participants that send and receive e-invoices. By creating one for your business, you will be able to send and receive e-invoices as well. To create a legal entity, navigate to the Senders page within your Storecove account, then add a legal entity. Once approved, your entity will be assigned a unique ID to be used when sending e-invoices. For step-by-step instructions, download our setup guide.

Generate an API key

Generate an API key to create an authentication token for your company, verifying your identity. To create your API key, log into your Storecove account and access the integrator menu. Then, create a key in the API key section. For more guidance, download our setup guide.

Connect to your financial system or ERP

Lastly, connect to your financial system or ERP. Refer to our API documentation to learn how to configure endpoints, authentication, and data formats to fully integrate your system.

If you need assistance with any of these steps or want to ask us a question, contact us at helpdesk@storecove.com. We are here to help.

Once these steps are completed, your business will be able to send and receive e-invoices via the DBNAlliance open exchange network, enabling a safer and more efficient system for exchanging business documents.

Seamlessly connect to the DBNAlliance with Storecove

The DBNAlliance offers a better way to exchange invoices in the U.S. Connecting to the open exchange network unlocks a range of powerful benefits for your business, from quicker payments to improved operational efficiency. Here are a few highlights:

Faster payments. Digitizing your invoicing process by using the DBNAlliance enables near-instant invoice delivery, helping you receive payments more quickly. The network directly connects businesses, eliminating traditional processing delays or bottlenecks. Also, the network provides transparency through real-time status updates, so you always know where your invoices are in the transmission process.

Minimal errors and administrative work. Manual invoicing leaves room for mistakes, lost documents, and process breakdowns that can lead to payment delays or costly corrections. The DBNAlliance transmits digital invoice data securely between access points, reducing the risk of human error while cutting down on time-consuming administrative work like data entry and status tracking.

Interoperability. The DBNAlliance uses standardization and consistent formatting to enable integration between different systems. This allows companies to integrate new and growing technologies without significantly changing existing invoice processes, improving business operations and customer experience with ease. Connecting to the open exchange network helps accelerate business growth.

You will automatically reap these benefits and more when your business begins using the open exchange network for electronic business document transmissions.

Connecting to the U.S. open exchange network doesn’t have to be complicated. Our API allows you to access the network through a single connection.