Implementing Procure-To-Pay Software

Challenge

A well-known, international media company needed to simplify the procure-to-pay (P2P) process due to the accumulation of exception processes and complex international payment regulations.

However, key project resources were already deployed on competing strategic initiatives, creating conflict around priorities and constraints within the project team.

Prior to implementation, rigorous planning and analysis were necessary to ensure the new P2P system integrated with the client’s existing ERP solution, and to complete the financial cycle with minimum risk and impact to the organization.

Additionally, the new P2P processing method had to be tested to confirm compliance with internal control requirements, to ensure that it was collecting the necessary information to enable purchases, and to deliver the data securely back to the ERP system to execute timely payments.

Approach: Think + Do

Acquis began by documenting the layout of existing financial systems and payment processes to identify key data flow requirements. We then developed options for the future state to determine the optimal technical integration approach. With clearly defined risks and benefits for each option, management could make a well-informed decision before moving ahead with the design and implementation.

Acquis collaborated with the project team to design and execute effective testing, training, and deployment strategies for the new system. We supported overall project management and business analysis activities when the client team experienced resource constraints.

Results

Acquis provided support across all project work streams, delivering outcomes including:

• Designing a more streamlined and scalable approach to assign access to vendors;
• Instituting PO-to-invoice matching rules to comply with the procurement policy;
• Identifying key data fields and mapping requirements for successful system integration.