SUCCESS STORY
A world leader in the field of specialty chemicals, Rhodia Group is an international industrial group with 65 production sites and eight research centers and labs worldwide. With more than 700,000 invoices processed annually, Rhodia’s decision to use a ReadSoft from Lexmark invoice automation solution has brought huge benefits to the company—nearly doubling it invoice input rate.
A world leader in specialty chemicals, Rhodia partners with the biggest players in a variety of industrial and consumer markets: automotive, electronics, perfumery, health care and beauty, and detergents.
Manufacturing
Workflow & Process Management
Eleven global business units, grouped into 5 clusters
Facilities in 30 countries; more than 14,000 employees
There were numerous objectives for the project: improve the sharing of information within the company, allow users an overview of each invoice, acquire a tool for precise, real-time monitoring of the status of each invoice (received, paid, posted in the accounts, etc), improve the management and resolution of disputes, and implement a solution that integrates seamlessly with the SAP environment.
Yves Bosne Accounts Manager, WW Group Rhodia Business ServicesThe number of invoices entered into the accounts each day has almost doubled.
Three companies applied to Rhodia’s invitation to tender, and the choice was made to implement the ReadSoft from Lexmark solution.
Among the reasons for the selection: the performance and maturity of ReadSoft’s solutions compared to those of its competitors, the perfect adaptation of the SAP “core model” solutions already in use at Rhodia, and the dynamism of ReadSoft’s research and development (R&D) team, which allows Rhodia to anticipate and absorb expansion into emerging economies.
The implemented system facilitates the management of invoices from the moment they are received until they are paid. Once scanned, the invoices are processed in the supplier invoice automation software in SAP. The solution automatically reconciles the invoices with the purchase orders and the SAP data, which allows the SIREN number, bank information, the name of the company, and even the item lines to be checked.
If an invoice is free of errors, or if there is a matching purchase order (as is the case with 5% of invoices), the invoice is automatically routed to an electronic workflow for approval. This enables the integration of every invoice in SAP, regardless of invoice format.
Rhodia also uses Reporter, ReadSoft’s software for the real-time monitoring of document processing, and a web portal through which suppliers can check the processing status of their invoices.
Yves Bosne Accounts Manager, WW Group Rhodia Business ServicesReadSoft was chosen from three companies in a tender process.
To facilitate collaboration between Rhodia teams, ReadSoft organized a series of training sessions, held on site or remotely via web conferences. Each global zone has a ”key user”—a dedicated consultant in charge of support, which ensures rapid resolution of any problems and guarantees optimal use of the solution.
Productivity has increased, as invoice processing times have been reduced. The average number of invoices entered into the accounts each day per employee has almost doubled—it can now reach 100 per day, compared with 55 per day previously. Finally, the web portal helps improve relationships with suppliers, Bosne says, because it provides them with a real-time overview of the processing status of invoices.
Yves Bosne Accounts Manager, WW Group Rhodia Business ServicesOne of the principle sources of satisfaction has been the development of a simple and unique web interface that can be used by anyone, thus facilitating integration of the solution.
In 2014, Lexmark International, a global technology leader, acquired ReadSoft, a leading provider of applications for automating business processes. Together, they become an unmatched solution for financial process automation. Lexmark enterprise software, hardware and services remove the inefficiencies of information silos and disconnected processes, connecting people to the information they need at the moment they need it. This case study reflects ReadSoft products and positioning at the time of acquisition and has been approved for use.
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