automation in finance shared services · shared services journey >decentralized >90 people...

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Automation in Finance Shared Services

Beth Cartlidge James BonaVP, Shared Services Manager, Business Analysis

Aecon Construction Group Inc.

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Introduction – Beth Cartlidge

Shared Services Journey

Introduction – James Bona

Challenges

Solution

Future Plans

Q&A

Agenda

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About Aecon

• History spans back to 1877

• $3.2 Billion Revenue – 2016

• 4 Key Sectors: Energy - Mining - Infrastructure - Concessions

• Notable Projects: CN Tower, Cross Israel Highway, and Quito Airport

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About Aecon

• SAP Implementation spanned April 2013 – October 2015

Phase 1Oct/2014

Phase 2May/2015

Phase 3Oct/2015

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About me

• Beth Cartlidge

• Home Location: Toronto, ON Canada

• VP, Shared Services - Finance

• Previously worked at and implemented SAP for PepsiCo

• 7 Years SAP Experience

• 4 Years at Aecon

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Shared Services Journey

>Decentralized>90 People across Canada>6 Systems>Fragmented Reporting>Team Administrative vs. Analytical>No Technical Support on the Team>Backlog of 15,000 AP Invoices>Billing delayed 30 days

>Centralized Shared Services>One System of Record (SAP)>Training / Upgrading Team Skillset>Added Business Analytical Support to the Team>Automation in all areas of Shared Services>Partnered with Winshuttle for areas of opportunity

Pre-SAP

Post-SAP

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ResultsPost-

Winshuttle

Reduced 18 Headcount

AP Backlog of 15,000 Invoices

Reduced to Standard Daily

Backlog

Cost Savings vs. Custom

Development

Aligned Post Implementation

Vision

Key Talent Moved into

Strategic Roles

Refined Processes

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About me

• James Bona

• Home Location: Toronto, ON Canada

• Manager, Business Analysis - Finance

• 3 Years SAP Experience

• 5 Years at Aecon

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Use Case Challenges

• Over-Staffed

• Segmented Processes• No Customization

• Unbalanced Resource Utilization• Segregation of Duties

Departments

• Accounts Payable• Leverage automation to sustain volume processing through natural attrition

• Enhance SAP with focus on low volume vendor entry obstacles

• Billing• Lower Billing to Cash lifecycle by improving billing backup preparation

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What We Realized

• The processes were:

• Repetitive

• Replicable

• Redundant

• Custom enhancements in SAP would be expensive and resource intensive to maintain

WinShuttle would meet our needs

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The Solution

Strategic implementation into key areas of Shared Services to improve processes and show immediate ROI

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The Solution - AP

• Accounts Payable – Invoice Entry

• WinShuttle Studio V.11

• Excel VBA Macros

• Supplier Commitment

• Pilot

• Key Vendors > 6,000 Invoices /yr

• Already Receiving Soft Copy Invoices

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The Solution - AP

1) PO – Must be 10 digits in length PO Example: 45######## or 47########

2) Invoice Number – Please ensure format is consistent

3) Invoice Date – Please ensure format is DD/MM/YY

6) Item Quantity – Per line item not total invoice quantity

5) Item Description – Please match invoice identically

4) Aecon Legal Entity – Billed to which division

7) Unit Price – Price per item

8) Total Line Item Price-Total for that specific line only

9) Total Invoice Tax –Tax on entire invoice, same amount for multiple lines

on same invoice

1) PO 2) Invoice 3) Invoice Date 4) Payer Name 5) Item Desc. 6) Item Qty. 7) Unit Price 8) Total Line Item Price 9) Invoice Tax

4500116968111Sample 03/13/2017ACGI Bolt 1/3 10 0.21 2.10 6.18

4500116968111Sample 03/13/2017ACGI Bolt 1/5 1 0.18 0.18 6.18

4500116968111Sample 03/13/2017ACGI Nut 1/4 100 0.35 35.00 6.18

4500116968111Sample 03/13/2017ACGI Edging 1 10.25 10.25 6.18

4912345678222Sample 04/13/2017AUE Stop Sign 10 75.5 750.50 186.94

4912345678222Sample 04/13/2017AUE Yield Sign 10 68.75 687.50 186.94

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The Solution - AP

SUPPLIE

R • Excel template is completed along with PDF attachments of invoices and sent to AP Supplier mailbox with all fields completed

AP

SPEC

IALIS

T • Validates data and reviews for missing fields and or errors

WIN

SHU

TT

LE • Data processed

using WINSHUTTLE – if any errors occur they will be sent back to the supplier

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The Solution – AP Results

• WinShuttle Load of Key Vendors

• Reduction of 2 Headcount

• Instant Access to Invoice Copies

• Items Paid in Terms

• No Missing Invoices

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The Solution - Billing

• Billing – Invoice Extract

• WinShuttle Studio V.11

• Additional Runner Licenses

• Pilot

• Mining Group – Cost + Jobs

• 2 Billing Administrators

• 3,000 Invoices /month

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The Solution – Demo – Billing Extract

Unconventional Use of Winshuttle

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The Solution – Billing Results

• Pilot Group

• Reduced Billing Preparation Time from 4 days to 1

• Improved Billing to Cash Cycle for Pilot Group by 3 Days!

• Negated the need to hire additional resources

• Expansion

• Rolled process out to 4 additional offices across Canada

• Total 10 users using the billing extract process

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What’s next

Winshuttle is now embedded in our Shared Services teams and is growing in use across the organization

• Payroll: Hire Forms, Master Data Changes, Terminations

• AR: Customer Master Data Changes, Cash Application

• Taxation: Reporting

• Finance: Mass Clearing

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Questions?

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