Autodoc optimises invoice verification with TecAlliance
Autodoc checks incoming invoices automatically with the Order Manager module e-Invoicing. This reveals discrepancies and Autodoc makes sure that they only pay for parts that have actually been delivered. That saves time and costs.
Autodoc, one of Europe’s leading online car parts retailers, offers a wide range of products: brake system components, body parts, shock absorbers, springs, exhaust parts, interior accessories, clutch parts, steering and air conditioning system components, heaters, repair kits and engine oil. In recent years, the online retailer has experienced above-average growth. Accordingly, the logistical demands have risen and business processes have become increasingly complex. In order to meet demand throughout Europe, Autodoc has not only rented additional storage space but also initiated projects to optimise processes. One of these includes the automation of goods receiving, in which TecAlliance solutions and standards play a major role.
Industry solution offers advantages to invoice senders and recipients
“With our 600,000 pages of supplier invoices per year, manual checking is simply no longer possible,” reports Thomas Hirte, team leader and product owner at Autodoc, who is managing the project. “We were only able to check on a random basis and had to accept that we were foregoing a lot of potential savings. The effort required for subsequent processing and billing changes was also too high. For us, the automation of invoice verification − with a comparison between the order and the delivery note − had a high priority.”
The module e-Invoicing is one of the key modules of Order Manager, the leading B2B platform for order processing in Europe, which is used by 280 parts manufacturers and over 35,000 wholesalers worldwide. It enables users to create and receive electronic invoices quickly and easily – in a common standard and legally compliant.
“Order Manager allows us to reach many suppliers via one interface. Every supplier that is connected to the platform and uses the e-Invoicing module makes our work easier,” explains Hirte. “But it is also easier and more cost-effective for parts manufacturers to use the established industry standard than to develop their own systems to create and send electronic invoices.”
All information at one click
Autodoc receives an electronic delivery note via the Order Manager even before the goods arrive. When the goods arrive, the delivery note or packing list is scanned and compared with the electronic shipping notification and the electronic invoice.
Immediately, the picker in the warehouse has all important information on the screen: He can see which items are packed on the pallet and to which orders they belong. The information from the goods forms the basis for the invoice comparison. If there is a difference between delivery and invoice, either a credit note or a new invoice is requested.
Faster and easier processes through standardisation
The e-Invoicing module is certified according to the international ISAE 3402 standard and enables tax-compliant and paperless invoice processing. For electronic processing, the invoice is transmitted via the Order Manager as a structured message in the TXML 2.5 data format. This reduces checking and processing times. In addition, the invoice is provided as a signed PDF, which can be used for legally compliant filing and archiving.
"We have been TecAlliance customers for a long time because we are convinced of the advantages of uniform solutions and data standards for the entire industry. e-Invoicing provides us with high-quality data that helps us to optimise our auditing processes," says Hirte.
Automated processing saves time and costs
Around 70 percent of Autodoc's suppliers are connected to the Order Manager platform. With the TXML standard, e-Invoicing offers numerous advantages and makes it easy for Autodoc to connect new suppliers. “For invoices we receive in TXML format, the processing effort is minimal. Invoices with 1,000 items are like nothing. And each additional supplier can be integrated into the system with practically no effort,” explains Hirte. “We have been using e-Invoicing for almost a year now and are very satisfied. We highly recommend that our suppliers also use the solution to benefit from the advantages of automated invoicing.”
