91% of French small businesses said they were ready for e-invoicing — 80% still cite a major obstacle, lack of time top of the list
The Bpifrance Le Lab — Rexecode barometer for Q3 2026, published 18 September 2026 among more than 1,100 small-business leaders (responses collected 24 August–3 September), devotes a special focus to the new mandatory e-invoice receipt obligation. 91% of companies said they were ready, yet 80% report a major obstacle to implementation.
The obstacles cited are telling: cost of solutions (42%), difficulty choosing the right provider (37%), lack of time (27%), technical complexity (23%) and cybersecurity risks (21%). Direct consequence: 76% of leaders have needed or will need support, mainly technical (46%) or training (31%). And despite near-universal adoption, only 21% of leaders see this transition as an opportunity, versus 38% who see it as a burden.
AppH's Pack Accueil never chooses an e-invoicing platform or configures the technical integration — that decision stays entirely human, usually alongside an accountant. But the most-cited obstacle after cost isn't technical: it's lack of time (27%) and the need for support (76%). That's exactly the kind of repetitive load an assistant can absorb at the edges — reminding a client of a deadline, pointing them to the right technical contact, keeping a record of every follow-up — without ever replacing the platform choice or the accounting decision.
For AppH
- Lack of time (27%) and the need for technical support (46%) are exactly the kind of friction an assistant absorbs at the front desk — reminding of a deadline, pointing to support, without replacing the platform choice.
- The figure comes from an independent institutional survey (Bpifrance Le Lab and Rexecode, over 1,100 responses), not from an invoicing software vendor selling its own solution.
Against / the honest limit
- AppH never chooses an e-invoicing platform or configures a technical integration — that decision stays entirely human, often alongside an accountant.
- The barometer covers French small businesses across all sectors, not specifically agency networks with a physical front desk, AppH's target audience.
What stands out in this barometer is the gap between declared adoption (91% ready) and real comfort (38% see it as a burden, versus 21% as an opportunity). The friction isn't technological, it's logistical: a lack of time. That's precisely the kind of repetitive load an assistant can absorb at the edges, without ever replacing the underlying decision.
Verified by a human at AppH