Industry:
Manufacturing
Mauser
Enhancing Financial Efficiency: Mauser's Journey with Basware's AP Automation.
Mauser Moves from Manual Invoices to Smart Automation
Mauser, a global leader in industrial packaging, embarked on a transformative journey with Basware to enhance their accounts payable (AP) processes. With approximately 11,000 employees and operations spanning multiple continents, Mauser aimed to streamline their invoice processing and improve overall financial management.
We’re now much better at invoice intake. There’s no more manual printing, scanning, and sending to the system, which is an insane process in today’s age. Thanks to Basware, invoices just come in automatically.”
Key takeaways
44%
Reduction in Non-PO Invoice Approval Time
90%
Reduction in Manual Spend Plan Matching
71%
Reduction in Manual Matching
Mauser's Challenges
Manual Processes and Inefficiencies
Before implementing Basware, Mauser’s AP processes were highly manual and inefficient. Bill Martin, IT Director and Business Partner for the North America Small Packaging division, explained, “Before Basware, we were using an old SAP product called Dolphin. It was very manual. Every invoice was manually scanned into the system, manually directed for approvals, and there were lots of challenges getting to the right approvers.” This manual approach led to delays, errors, and a lack of visibility into the AP process.
Mauser’s financial management team was particularly concerned about the speed of invoice approvals and the visibility into upcoming cash commitments. The manual processes not only slowed down operations but also made it difficult to manage cash flow effectively. The need for a more efficient and transparent system was clear.
We might be able to take on twice the volume of invoices without increasing the number of people in the department.”
Bill Martin, IT Director and Business Partner for the North America Small Packaging division, Mauser Packaging Solution
The solution
Embracing Automation with Basware
Mauser selected Basware to automate their AP processes and integrate with their existing ERP system, SAP. Bill Martin highlighted the decision, “While we could configure SAP to do what some of Basware does, we’d never get it to be as good as Basware. That’s why Basware was selected to feed the ERP system instead of us building our own solution.”
The implementation of Basware brought significant improvements to Mauser’s AP processes. Key characteristics of invoices now drive routing, reducing the need for manual intervention and minimizing errors. Bill Martin noted, “Basware has really solved a problem for us and provides a modern interface. The information is easily available whether an AP person, approver, director, or CFO. When they get an invoice to approve, it’s very clear what they’re being asked to approve.”
Smooth Sailing: the Implementation Journey
The implementation process was smooth and collaborative, with Mauser working closely with Basware and their partner, Extropy. Bill Martin appreciated the partnership, “The thing I really appreciate with Extropy is that we’re all trying to solve the same problems. When we get in a room, we’re a team and we settle into what needs to be done. They have been a wonderful partner.”
Since going live with Basware, Mauser has seen remarkable results. The automation of invoice processing has significantly reduced manual work. Bill Martin shared, “We’re now much better at invoice intake. There’s no more manual printing, scanning, and sending to the system, which is an insane process in today’s age. Thanks to Basware, invoices just come in automatically.”
Results
Since going live with Basware, Mauser has experienced transformative improvements:
Optimized Accuracy and Productivity
The automation of invoice processing has drastically reduced the need for manual intervention, allowing the AP team to focus on more strategic tasks. The new system has streamlined operations, making the entire process more efficient and less prone to errors.
Improved Approval Times
The approval time for non-PO invoices has been reduced by 44%, from 3.6 days to 1.6 days.
Enhanced Visibility
Mauser now has better visibility into their AP processes, allowing for proactive management and improved decisionmaking. Bill Martin emphasized, “With Basware, we can now see what’s in the queues and update suppliers in a more consolidated way.”
Increased Efficiency
The number of invoices processed per AP processor has increased, and the wait time in the AP processing queue has decreased. Mauser tracks metrics such as the time taken to complete goods receipt and the number of invoices processed per AP processor.
Additionally, Mauser has undertaken a project to help their customers get paid more effectively using ACH (Automated Clearing House) credit, eliminating the need for manual checks. Data has played a crucial role in Mauser’s Basware journey, guiding decision-making and improving efficiency.
A Successful Transformation
The partnership with Basware has enabled Mauser to transform their AP processes, achieving greater efficiency, visibility, and control. Bill Martin concluded, “We’ve been so successful with the intake of invoices, and this is really what Basware brought to us automatically since we went live. We might be able to take on twice the volume of invoices without increasing the number of people in the department.”