ABBYY helps Röchling implement uniform invoice processing for SAP
The automotive supplier captures paper and e-mail invoices via distributed capture in regional offices and processes of all locations on a common platform for transfer to SAP®
ABBYY Europe, a leading provider of document recognition, data capture and linguistic technologies, has improved and standardised automated invoice processing for Röchling Automotive AG & Co. KG. The business now uses ABBYY’s FlexiCapture for Invoices at branch offices in four countries to process invoices received via e-mail and paper format. The software captures the documents, extracts the invoice data and sends it to the SAP systems. Röchling has now optimised previously complicated and time-consuming workflows, enhancing networking between locations and restructuring invoice processing to become more uniform.
Röchling is a supplier of plastic parts for the automotive industry. The company's subsidiaries in Germany, the Czech Republic, Belgium and the United States receive invoices from around 2,000 suppliers in different languages and formats, totalling up to 50,000 invoices annually. Previously, invoice data was automatically captured at respective locations and imported into SAP workflows and archiving systems. The incumbent solution did not support either distributed capture, which enables the capture at remote locations via web scanning stations and multi-channel input of documents from various devices or electronic invoice processing. Data access was also slow.
"In the US, 90 per cent of invoices are received as e-mail attachments. Invoices in Europe are still very much in paper format, although digital invoices are slowly catching on," explained Andreas Lupfer, team leader PLM / SAP application support for Röchling Automotive SE & Co. KG. "The previous solution was unable to process e-mail invoices – only documents received from connected scanners. In order to process all invoices via a single system we had to first print out electronically received invoices, then scan these into PDF format along with incoming paper invoices. It was a highly labour intensive procedure that is now obsolete."
Now, paper invoices are scanned locally and e-mail invoices are exported directly into the ABBYY solution. ABBYY capture software extracts header and footer data automatically. Documents requiring manual review or correction of capture results are assigned to the responsible administrative personnel at verification stations. Validated data is then forwarded to the specialist departments for invoice review and approval and imported into the corresponding workflows in the SAP system. In contrast to the prior solution, ABBYY FlexiCapture for Invoices offers automatic system training. Typical invoices are manually selected from the system as models for future invoices from a given supplier (to determine the location of additional invoice fields, for example). This enables continuous optimisation of the quality of extracted data and improves the capture of invoices of new suppliers. With the document router of the ABBYY partner, KGS Software, can extract invoice data from PDFs that are directly entered into the appropriate SAP processes for further processing.
"We needed a solution that was able to process invoices in all formats and languages that enabled uniform processing across multiple locations," said Vivien Rebsdat, IT director at Röchling Automotive SE & Co. KG. "ABBYY FlexiCapture for Invoices met all our requirements, delivering exceptional invoice capture results and eliminating a huge amount of administrative work for our employees. We are very satisfied with ABBYY support. The next step will be for us to implement processing of invoices compliant with the 'ZUGFeRD' electronic invoicing standards using ABBYY."
ABBYY FlexiCapture for Invoices is a turnkey solution for automated invoice capturing for the accounts payable process. Based on the enterprise capture platform, ABBYY FlexiCapture, the solution provides key functionalities while remaining flexible and agile to customer-specific needs, company-internal processes and IT infrastructures. The solution is essential for efficient streamlining of invoice processes, affording complete transparency across the entire invoice cycle and helping minimise business (e.g. thanks to compliance with legal regulations for invoice validation and processing). The solution is also adaptable to enable capture and processing of other document types used by businesses, such as forms for customer communications, personnel documents, orders and incoming post, therefore maximising security of investment.
Additional information on invoice processing for SAP can be found at www.abbyy.com/en/sap-input-management.
About ABBYY
ABBYY is a leading global provider of technologies and solutions that help businesses to action information. The company sets the standard in content capture and innovative language-based technologies that integrate across the information lifecycle. ABBYY solutions are relied on to optimise business processes, mitigate risk, accelerate decision making and drive revenue. ABBYY technologies are used and licensed by some of the largest international enterprises and government organisations, as well as small and medium businesses and individuals. ABBYY Europe GmbH is a member of the ABBYY Group supporting sales and marketing activities in Western Europe. The ABBYY Group maintains offices in Germany, the UK, France, Spain, Ukraine, Cyprus, the United States, Canada, Australia, UAE, Japan and Taiwan. For more information, visit www.ABBYY.com.
ABBYY, the ABBYY Logo and FlexiCapture are either registered trademarks or trademarks of ABBYY Software Ltd. td. SAP is a trademark or registered trademark of SAP SE in Germany and in several other countries. Other product names mentioned herein may be trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective owners and are hereby recognised.
About Röchling Automotive AG & Co
Röchling Group is headquartered in Mannheim and consists of 77 companies. They employ around 8,400 employees in 22 countries around the world. The globally operating network of medium company has with its broad technology base in all areas of plastics processing to the world's leading companies. With our three business fields of industry, automotive and medicine, we generated in the European, the American and Asian continent an annual turnover of around 1.6 billion euros.Röchling Automotive has more than 4,200 employees worldwide and is the partner of the automotive manufacturers and system suppliers. 22 manufacturing facilities spread over 4 continents, ensure customer proximity, 4 development sites create lasting benefits for the end customer. For more information, please visit: www.roechling.com.
For more information, please contact:
ABBYY Europe GmbH
Agata Zech-Fronc
Elsenheimerstraße 49
80687 Munich, Germany
Tel.: +49 89 69 33 33 0
Fax: +49 89 69 33 33 300
E-Mail: press_eu@abbyy.com
Web: www.abbyy.com