Cegedim Business Services supports IFP Énergies Nouvelles (IFPEN) in its supplier invoice dematerialization project

Already 38% of the invoice volume processed automatically with the SY business solution

Boulogne-Billancourt, France, September 12, 2024 – A major player in the digital transformation and performance of finance, purchasing and HR functions, Cegedim Business Services has been supporting IFPEN – a public research, innovation and training organization in the fields of energy, transport and the environment – for 3 years in setting up a system for dematerializing incoming invoices.
At the initiative of this project, the accounting, treasury & financing department wanted an effective solution to enable it to automate the processing of its invoices and control the different flows while increasing its productivity. The teams of Cegedim Business Services have therefore worked in concert with the IPFEN business unit so that invoices received from Chorus Pro can be processed automatically like any other invoices.

La solution AND business met these objectives.

The genesis of the project dates back to 2017, before the obligation for French companies to use Chorus Pro. While supplier invoices were increasingly systematically submitted to this platform, IFPEN teams continued to process them manually in their ERP. Of the 30,000 annual invoices, around 24,000 were processed manually.
The desire to equip themselves with a digital solution, -compatible with Chorus Pro and their ERP- which could automatically process invoices and standardize controls, was quickly felt.

Before opting for AND business of Cegedim Business Servicesthe solution most likely to meet its needs, IFPEN, supported by a specialized consulting firm, carried out a lot of preparatory work. IFPEN notably undertook to review its processes, reflect on its needs, business specificities and the desired functionalities to be implemented.

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Since 2021, the teams of Cegedim Business Services and those of IFPEN are working together on the implementation of this large-scale project to respond as closely as possible to the needs of the finance and accounting department, as well as to their constraints. The solution AND business allows the dematerialization of different types of invoices by ensuring rigorous, specific and systematic control regardless of the source of receipt of the invoice (Chorus Pro at 92%, the rest by email and paper).

“We are particularly proud of this collaborative work that allowed us to shape a tailor-made tool entirely dedicated to the service’s requirements. The challenge was significant, because applying the usual control standard, as practiced by our customers, was not feasible for IFPEN. We therefore designed a specific system, based on the company’s internal references. Every day, we receive an update of the company’s orders and receipts, thus guaranteeing constantly updated data for controls. Numerous controls and enhancements have been implemented, demonstrating our commitment to operational excellence,” emphasizes Christophe Queau, Project Manager at Cegedim Business Services.

This framing phase was developed with great care. Today, custom controls allow a large proportion of invoices to be processed without any action by employees. Interfacing work was also carried out so that all invoices are correctly integrated into the ERP. Once they arrive in the ERP, they are ready for payment.

La solution AND business was put into production in November 2023. The teams are delighted with the results: 38% of the annual invoice volume was able to be fully processed automatically, a rate that should reach between 50% and 60% by 2026.

“This project gave rise to a lot of discussions between the IFPEN IT and business project teams and the Project Manager Cegedim Business Services in order to define how to adapt business processes to the functionalities available as standard in the tool SY or conversely how to adapt certain functionalities of the tool SY to meet our specific needs. Similarly, adaptations to our ERP were necessary to interface with the tool SY and also conversely, the tool SY had to adapt on certain aspects to exchange with our ERP. All these adaptations were made in good coordination with all the project stakeholders, whether on the IFPEN side or on the Cegedim Business Services “, says Anne Pinchinat, IT Project Manager at IFPEN.

“This project, from a business perspective, has several advantages, the main ones being:
1. Reducing invoice processing time for higher value-added activities
2. Traceability of invoices
3. Securing data entry, regulatory monitoring and tax archiving
4. An overall, real-time view of achievements and what remains to be done, thus facilitating management.
The expected result once this stabilization period has passed is the reduction of our payment deadlines and better control of the volume of supplier reminders with the implementation of invoice status management between SY and Chorus declared Najiba Bounatirou, Head of the supplier accounting division at IFPEN.

A propos de Cegedim Business Services :
For over 30 years, Cegedim Business Services has been supporting all companies, including players in the healthcare ecosystem, in their challenges through digital solutions for optimizing billing, purchasing, payroll and HR performance processes. On a daily basis, more than 2,000 employees are committed to their customers to enable them to refocus on their core business, and to be the key player in France and internationally in the digital transformation and performance of finance, purchasing and HR functions.
For more information: www.cegedim-business-services.com
And follow Cegedim Business Services on X: @CegedimBS and LinkedIn

About Cegedim :
Founded in 1969, Cegedim is an innovative technology and services group specializing in the management of digital flows in the healthcare and BtoB ecosystem, as well as in the design of business software for healthcare and insurance professionals. Cegedim has more than 6,500 employees in more than 10 countries and generated revenues of €616 million in 2023.
Cegedim SA is listed on the Paris stock exchange (EURONEXT: CGM).
For more information: www.cegedim.fr
And follow Cegedim on X: @CegedimGroup, LinkedIn and Facebook

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