Suppliers often offer a small discount for paying an invoice early, for example, a 3% discount if paid within 8 days, net 30 days.
In Germany and Austria this discount is referred to as Skonto. Payhawk can read these terms from your supplier invoices automatically and adjust the amount to pay while the discount is still available, so your team captures the saving without any manual calculations.
Both standard invoices and eInvoices are supported.
Understanding how the discount is applied
When an uploaded invoice carries early-payment terms, Payhawk extracts and shows:
Discounts: the discount as an amount. If the invoice states only a percentage, Payhawk calculates the amount from the invoice total.
Total amount: always the full invoice amount. The discount never reduces the invoice total, so your accounting records stay correct.
Due date: the invoice’s regular (net) due date, unchanged.
Discount due date: the last day the early-payment discount can be used. If the invoice doesn't state it explicitly, Payhawk calculates it from the invoice date and the stated terms.
Amount due: while the discount window is open, the amount due is reduced by the discount, for example, a EUR 1,000 invoice with 3% Skonto shows EUR 970 due. Payments made through Payhawk during this period are sent at the reduced amount, the same way the amount due works for invoices with linked credit notes or proforma invoices.
Unpaid invoices after the discount deadline
If the invoice is still unpaid when the discount due date passes:
The amount due returns to the full invoice amount.
The invoice remains due on its regular due date, it is not marked as overdue because of the missed discount.
The discount information stays visible on the expense for reference.
Enabling early payment discounts
Early payment discounts are applied only for companies that have the Discount expense field enabled.
To enable the Discount field for your account:
In the Payhawk Web Portal, go to Settings > Fields library.
Select Discount by clicking on it.
Switch on the Enable field toggle button.
Click Save changes.
Once enabled, Payhawk starts detecting discounts on newly uploaded invoices automatically.
Filtering invoices with available discounts
You can review upcoming discount deadlines and prioritise those payments.
To filter invoices with available discounts:
In the Payhawk Web Portal, go to Expenses.
Click on the + Add filter button and filter by Discount amount.
Click Done. As a result, you get a list with all invoices that have a discount amount.
Exporting to accounting integrations
Payhawk exports the invoice at its gross amount and the payment at the amount actually paid (the discounted figure when the discount was used):
DATEV - the difference between the invoice and the payment remains as an open item on the supplier account. You can clear this open item as Skonto (Erhaltene Skonti) in DATEV, which also applies the related VAT correction.
For other accounting integrations the behaviour is the same - the discount taken is booked in your accounting system as part of clearing the remaining balance on the invoice.