Published on the 03/10/2011 | Written by Convergence
Convergence Limited is partnering with Esker to bring enhanced document process automation solutions to organisations across New Zealand…
Says Mark Presnell, CEO of Convergence Limited:
“Our partnership with Esker brings modern, cloud-computing based document process automation to New Zealand. Esker’s 10 year experience in offering cloud solutions, their three data centres in the USA, Europe and Australia provide a world-class service and the level of risk mitigation New Zealand companies demand.”
Companies today recognize that they must deliver outstanding customer service in order to acquire new customers and retain existing ones. The ability to process business documents efficiently, accurately and on time is at the core of good customer and supplier service.
Manual processing of supplier and customer invoices results in large amounts of time being spent on picking up, collating, delivering, entering and tracking documents almost every day. Companies often have a backlog of several days of documents to enter into their ERP systems for further validation and processing.
Human error is also a significant concern, as bulk manual processing can lead to data being entered incorrectly, which then requires further time and effort for this to be corrected. It may even lead to negative customer experiences or unpaid suppliers, both of which do not help to create positive business relationships.
As business volume increases, so does the number of corresponding supplier and customer invoices, purchase orders and other business documents supporting an organisation’s processes. In a manual world, this typically goes hand-in-hand with a need to increase costly human resources along with a compounding effect of the issues mentioned above.
Esker’s fully integrated document automation platform makes it easy and efficient to manage both inbound and outbound documents to and from your ERP or accounting software, freeing up valuable human resources for more meaningful tasks.
With SAP-certified integration, fully automated supplier invoice processing, 100 percent electronic customer invoice delivery as well as automated processing and delivery of other business documents becomes an affordable reality and a milestone towards paper-free office administration.
“Many of our customers are using SAP and other ERP systems to manage their business operations. More often than not, such sophisticated systems and the enhanced business process management they provide are being slowed down by error-prone manual handling of inbound and outbound documents such as supplier invoices and customer sales invoices. While many companies have or may be planning to move towards emailing customer invoices as PDF files instead of posting paper in envelopes, many are still receiving supplier invoices in hard-copy form. Even if they do receive such supplier invoices as PDF files, they typically still print them and then manually enter the data into their accounts payables systems,” says Presnell.
Over 1,000 companies running SAP are running the Esker DeliveryWare platform and solutions to automate the processing of their business documents.
Christophe DuMonet, Managing Director of Esker Australia & New Zealand says “Finally, with Esker’s cloud-based solutions, many NZ companies will have access to the same solutions to reduce operational cost, drive business process excellence and increase customer care as larger companies do. With no CAPEX required and a ‘pay-as-you-go’ model, companies pay only for the functionality they use. This is a great opportunity for New Zealand companies to catch up with larger companies.”
Big savings in accounts payables
According to Esker, AP automation can save organisations 40 to 60 percent of operational and administrative costs.
Organisations processing 2,000 or more invoices a month can realise significant efficiency gains and big savings through the deployment of an Esker document automation solution.
Presnell says: “Other benefits include shortened reconciliation and payment cycles, increased visibility of invoice processing and approval status as well as improved reporting and audit trails. The elimination of duplicate payments and fraud and strengthened credit ratings are positive flow-on effects, which can lead to improved compliance status and supplier relationships.”
“Other benefits include shortened reconciliation and payment cycles, increased visibility of invoice processing and approval status as well as improved reporting and audit trails.”
Mark Presnell, CEO, Convergence Ltd
With the Esker solution, supplier invoices go to one central location for imaging and electronic approval by the appropriate people. Invoice data is sent into the SAP system automatically and invoice images are immediately available from the SAP interface.
The latest version of Esker’s AP automation solution features additional functionality for the automation of vendor invoices, including the recognition of document formats and layouts the system has not processed before. As such, there is no need to create templates or to “teach” the system what supplier invoices look like. It automatically recognizes all relevant data and workflow capabilities notify relevant staff should incorrect, missing or duplicate data be detected. Two-way or three-way matching of supplier invoices against purchase orders and/or goods received documentation can even lead to “touch-less” processing of supplier invoices and ready-for-payment posting of such in SAP or other ERP systems.
Improved efficiencies in accounts receivables
Esker DeliveryWare can also automate and streamline the otherwise labour-intensive process of sending out customer invoices. Sales invoices can be delivered directly to customers via fax, email, EDI and even on paper in traditional postal envelopes, if required. Such envelopes are posted from within New Zealand to ensure that ‘local’ touch.
The secure online customer portal also allows customers to update their preferences and change from, say, paper-based invoices to email invoice delivery with no further intervention required. The portal can also keep accounts receivable documents online for defined periods of time allowing customers to log in and access invoices and statements that may have gone lost without tying-up costly human resources to re-send these.
On-premise or in the Cloud
The Esker document process automation offerings are available both as on-premise and cloud-based solutions. In fact, approximately 50 percent of Esker’s clients worldwide are now using its cloud-based solutions. Both options integrate seamlessly with SAP as well as a number of other ERP platforms.
These options make the Esker solutions attractive to companies ranging from enterprise level down to small and medium sized businesses. Transaction based pricing means companies pay for what they use tying their investment in Esker solutions directly to business processes and outcomes.
Implementations are painless and often able to be completed in relatively short periods of time, particularly when compared to the lengthy timeframes some ERP implementations can require.
The partnership between Convergence and Esker brings to the market the strengths of a local IT solutions provider with 15 years of history and experience in serving New Zealand organisations of all sizes and across all industries and the internationally successful business document automation offerings of Esker.
| At a Glance |
| The Esker document process automation offerings are available both as on-premise and cloud-based solutions. In fact, approximately 50 percent of Esker’s clients worldwide are now using its cloud-based solutions. Both options integrate seamlessly with SAP as well as a number of other ERP platforms.
BUSINESS OBJECTIVE
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BUSINESS BENEFITS
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FOR MORE INFORMATION//
CONVERGENCE LIMITED
www.convergence.co.nz
Mark Presnell
mark@convergence.co.nz
Auckland: +64 9 525 2611
Wellington: +64 4 974 8658
