Automating financial tasks effectively
Exact can be used as an ERP system within different departments of an organisation, but in the end, everything has a financial consequence. Because many financial entries take place automatically in the background, their set-up needs to be optimal. It's Us knows better than anyone how that game is played with Exact and helps companies automate financial tasks effectively.
‘We see in average hourly writing organisations that those hours are often still tracked manually in, for example, Excel. That data is then re-entered into the ERP system by someone else. In other words, double work with the risk of errors, unwritten hours (leakage) or hours that are not processed in the system on time.’ Speaking is Erik Terwijn, Exact Business Consultant at It's Us, with a background in Business Economics and more than 20 years of experience in Exact. ‘With the Professional Services solution in Exact Synergy, possibly supplemented with add-ons, we automatically connect the time registration with the approvers and we also make sure that the hours are immediately processed correctly financially.’ In short, fewer errors, instant insight into the figures and no more double entry, i.e. more efficient. Terwijn: ‘The various types of hours can also be set up so that the correct prices and general ledger accounts are maintained, so that the correct financial information is immediately available to make any decisions.’
Interplay between master data and financial booking
It's Us can effectively automate a wide range of financial tasks. ‘Apart from at/to timekeeping, you can also think of importing bank transactions through automatic exchange with Dutch banks, payroll processing, write-offs on logistics transactions and stock revaluation,’ Erik gives some examples. ‘It is then important that Exact is configured correctly. This requires knowledge of the master data and associated set-up that are important for certain financial entries or registrations. Because often this interplay is underestimated. In addition, within Exact, work is done according to a certain standard functionality, so that the finance department, for example, is triggered to perform a certain operation. This is all fine as long as users are trained in it. After that, recording and support are very important for good financial registration and final figures,’ Erik says.
Grip and insight
At a good client of It's Us, we saw a great example of automating financial tasks. This is a service and manufacturing company in Zaandam. They have been working with Exact for years and asked It's Us to dramatically automate their financial tasks. ‘An important reason for this was that they felt turnover was being missed because of the lack of grip and insight,’ Erik knows. ‘We set up the system in such a way that planning can schedule hours in advance. The mechanics get to see these hours on their tablet, know in advance where they need to go, can realise these hours and supplement them with extra work if necessary. The service note is digitally signed on site after which this activity returns in the Exact application to be invoiced to the customer. The customer also had requirements that were not present in the standard functionality. For these, we provided customisation, giving them better control over what needs to be charged in relation to goodwill, contract and warranty.’
‘The pleasant cooperation and thinking along with the customer during this implementation have ensured to this day that they have more control over the hours spent and can therefore also invoice the end customer more efficiently,’ concludes Erik. ‘In addition, hours are no longer lost and the automation leads to fewer complaints, resulting in fewer credit invoices going out the door. Finally, the client has a much faster and better insight into its financial position for long-term assignments. So the investment pays for itself quickly.’
