Company information
About RET
Rotterdam Electric Tram, abbreviated RET, has been the public transport company of the Rotterdam region since 1887. A dynamic company with clear goals. The slogan "Nice on the way" shows the ambition of continuous innovation and innovation in every area they influence: service, quality, professionalism, social safety, and customer satisfaction. Social and technological developments are, therefore, closely followed by the RET. Not surprisingly, the software environment is also automated. The accounts payable system runs entirely on ReadSoft Process Director for SAP: all relevant information in a compact, real-time overview.
Every day, RET transports 600,000 travelers to all Rotterdam corners in a safe, carefree, and reliable manner. Together with 3,500 employees, we strive for perfectly organized and executed public transport with the highest quality for the traveler. Including a positive contribution to the environment and society. This because RET is also making progress in the field of sustainability. All trams and metros run on green energy, and RET is purchasing electric buses.
Digitization
Registering receipts and declarations of performance from suppliers and end-users became a standard process within the organization. In close collaboration with the accountant, a solution is needed to digitize "a performance for every euro," with a seamless connection to the current SAP software package. Silvia Vogelzang, Team Leader Creditors at RET, endorses this request for help: "At that time, an unnecessary amount of work was manually entered into the system in our department. With a simple application for quotation or Request for Proposal, we had already lost a lot of time. Time you prefer to spend on other things. It was also desirable to have a proof or timesheet next to each invoice that could be read in by scanning & recognizing. So we went looking for a self-learning system that met these needs. "
Future proof
The next step was to automate the Purchase-to-Pay process fully. Integration with SAP was a prerequisite for the automatic transfer of OCR data to the current system. Vogelzang: "The accounts payable department runs on five people. But anyone who has to record a declaration of performance has access to the system, from management to employee. We needed a user-friendly and accessible workflow. The process of beating, approval, and feedback had to be simplified and digitized. This allows us to see precisely where the invoice is located in the system and where any bottlenecks are. "Software solution ReadSoft Process Director for SAP met all requirements and was entirely in line with the current software package.
In September 2014, the implementation of the SAP-certified solution started at RET by Dynatos. Testing, adjusting, training, all parts were successfully completed in a few months. In January 2015, the implementation was complete, and RET was able to get started with the fully integrated and automated software. The public transport company now has a central portal in which all relevant financial processes within SAP are managed, in which Dynatos has a continuing role in advice and maintenance. This insight and overview enable better control of processes related to creditors, purchase orders, and financial postings, including the desired scan & recognition and the three-way matching principle. It is a method for Accounts Payable to verify incoming invoices and avoid incorrect payments. Thanks to the new software, the organization is ahead of its time, and the mission and vision are maintained.
Silvia Vogelzang
Team leader Accounts Payable - RET
Going for results
Guiding employees and questions about the automated processes do not stop after implementation. RET has its intranet for employees where reference work can be found, and the accounts payable department is available by telephone for questions. Vogelzang: "After three and a half years of working in this way, the results within and outside the department are visible. Our accountant is exceptionally positive about the developments; Each invoice now has an approved performance. The automatic scanning and recognition of the invoices work well. The invoices are self-learning, so that the amount, supplier, purchase number, and invoice date automatically appear on the screen. We are learning to manage the system better and better through trial & error. Human insight and action remain necessary in some phases of the process. Our goal is to organize 80% of all financial operations digitally, ultimately. "
Measuring results is another part that will be fully digitized in the future. This information is necessary for any adjustments and providing financial scenarios in advance. The e-delivery platform Routty, for example for the automatic sending of invoices, is another solution that RET focuses on in collaboration with Dynatos.
Silvia Vogelzang
Team leader Accounts Payable - RET