Coast & Country has automated the authorisation and payment of supplier invoices by implementing NDL-Metascybe’s AWI integration technology. The solution will also now be used to streamline the lettings process as C&C moves to choice-based lettings.
C&C previously had a slow and cumbersome paper-based process for approving and paying for materials from external supplier Travis Perkins. C&C’s staff used PDAs to order materials, with Travis Perkins then issuing electronic invoices for approval and payment. However, there was no interface with C&C’s existing ArcHouse application. Using separate APIs was ruled out due to cost and time limitations, so C&C looked for a universal approach to application integration.
C&C selected AWI from NDL-Metascybe so that invoices could be imported automatically into ArcHouse and the finance system; AWI integrates with systems regardless of vendor or age, taking the place of proprietary APIs. C&C can now process the 100-150 invoices it receives each day immediately and with very little manual intervention. There is no longer any keying of materials invoices nor any duplication of effort to process invoices in the finance department.
John Dunn, head of ICT, Coast & Country, said, “AWI is very versatile and can be used across a wide range of applications, so we are now moving on to use it for other activities, including our move to choice-based lettings. This will work in the same way as our invoicing system; the basic process will be the same, but just with different screens and buttons.”
