Automating AP in lockdown

Tom Howard
Written by

How Endeavour is enabling a manufacturing client to achieve efficiencies during the pandemic crisis

We are living in unprecedented times. The current Covid-19 pandemic has caused immense uncertainties and havoc to the business world. Every business sector is impacted, some more than others. To ensure survival and continuity in this current turbulent time, manufacturing businesses, in particular, must rapidly switch gears as their business continuity is impacted by:

  • Partial or full shut down of production facilities
  • Staff relocating to home offices and developing work-from-home policies
  • Managing extreme swings in demand (especially if categorised as an essential service)
  • Uncertainty of supply chains

A versatile and easily adaptable ERP system is very important to ensure that business continuity is not threatened due to these impacts.

Because ERP systems are playing such a vital role in keeping organisations running, what we do at Endeavour goes to the very heart of business continuity. The close relationship we have with our clients means that we've been able to respond, adapt and expand their ERP solutions deployment to ensure business continuity - maybe not 'as usual' - but certainly to ensure they remain operational.

One of our clients specialises in designing and manufacturing products for the electrical industry. The ERP solution we had implemented for them was MYOB Greentree, a solution for established businesses designed to streamline, automate and adapt to operational changes at every level.

Pre Covid-19, the client had been using Autoscan, a module within MYOB Greentree designed for document management. A printer and scanner are required to capture and attach the relevant documents to the appropriate record within MYOB Greentree.

The client was looking to upgrade to eDocs, a relatively new addition to MYOB Greentree, which automatically receives, code, route and approve documents such as Accounts Payable invoices in a paperless environment.

Although our client implemented eDocs before NZ went into lockdown, it was a happy coincidence for them as they didn't want to have to outfit each person with printers and scanners. Invoicing processes needed to be online so that even though the workforce was remote, they wouldn't be impacted by an outdated system that relied on physical paper processes.

The transition from Autoscan to eDocs was seamless; this meant zero interruption to the business as staff worked from their home offices. Our client, like many others, was facing enough in terms of upheaval; the last thing they needed was for their accounts payable process to cause further problems. Once in their home environments, eDocs was operational and able to streamline the entire invoice processing and approvals process.

Another advantage for our client is that by going paperless, it further enhanced the sustainability initiatives they’ve been keen to achieve. Eliminating the paper trail is not only environmentally friendly, but it's a huge time saver compared to manual handling and filing.

MYOB Greentree eDocs is paperless; it's a 100% digital process, dramatically reducing human error because documents are electronically routed through the system for coding and approval. It is a much better fit for our client; not just for 'business as usual' but to ensure they could remain operational through the lockdown and beyond, future-proofing their investment in the system.

 

Like our clients the Endeavour team is now working remotely but available as usual to advise how to make the most of your ERP system to ensure your business remains operational through this unprecedented time. Get in touch.

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