3.5 FTE reduction in invoice processing effort
60% reduction in invoice rework
28 days per month saved in processing time
Simplified invoicing and improved supplier experience
It has been an absolute pleasure working with CI Projects. Thank you.
Anonymous
Define it
As part of its wider finance transformation programme, Audley Travel identified significant inefficiencies within its supplier invoice process that were creating unnecessary manual effort, payment delays and rework across the Accounts Payable function. The existing process relied heavily on supplier statements, inconsistent invoice formats and varying supplier practices, limiting opportunities for automation and preventing the business from fully utilising Dynamics 365. CI Projects worked with Audley to understand the root causes and define a clear path towards a more efficient, standardised and scalable invoice process.
Key challenges identified included:
- Bulk statement processing requiring significant manual reconciliation and administration.
- Poor invoice data quality, with missing or inconsistent information causing payment delays and rework.
- Lack of standardised supplier invoicing practices across the supplier network.
- Confusion between booking confirmations and invoices, creating queries and processing delays.
- Multiple bookings included on single invoices, increasing manual intervention for the Accounts Payable team.
- Limited straight-through processing and automation within Dynamics 365 and ExFlow due to data and process issues.
- Time-consuming monthly supplier statement reconciliations, reducing team capacity for higher-value activities.
Improve it
CI Projects applied a Lean Six Sigma approach to redesign Audley’s supplier invoice process, improve invoice data quality and reduce manual effort across the Accounts Payable function. Working closely with Finance, Product, IT and supplier stakeholders, we analysed the end-to-end process, identified the root causes of delays and rework, and developed a practical roadmap to improve efficiency, increase automation and support long-term sustainable change.
Key activities included:
- Mapped the end-to-end supplier invoice processes using BPMN to identify waste, bottlenecks and improvement opportunities.
- Measured baseline performance to understand processing times, invoice volumes and rework levels.
- Completed root cause analysis workshops to identify issues impacting invoice automation and processing efficiency.
- Facilitated cross-functional improvement workshops with Finance, Product, Sales and IT teams to develop and prioritise solutions.
- Created a ‘How to Invoice with Audley’ guide to standardise supplier invoice requirements and improve data quality.
- Developed revised supplier invoicing standards and terms & conditions to support a consistent approach across the supplier base.
- Designed a phased implementation and proof-of-concept approach to validate changes before wider rollout.
Produced a detailed delivery plan, change roadmap and KPI framework to support implementation and ongoing performance management.
Sustain it
Sustainability was built into the project through business readiness, change management and clear ownership of the new ways of working.
- Audley staff produced an Invoice Procedure Guide to give suppliers clear guidance on the data required for invoice processing. This helped set expectations up front and supported improvements in invoice quality before invoices entered the process.
- The Audley project team also received Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt training, helping them identify, track and implement ongoing improvement opportunities after the project.
- A KPI dashboard was created to monitor invoice data quality, track the impact of the changes and provide ongoing visibility of performance over time.
- Suppliers were also communicated with directly, giving them clear guidance on the required changes and helping ensure the improvements were embedded consistently.
By combining process redesign, supplier communication, KPI reporting and capability building, Audley was equipped with a more sustainable approach to supplier invoice processing and a stronger foundation for continuous improvement.
Key benefits
- Reduced time spent processing customer statement invoices by 28 days per month across a team of five.
- Reduced effort required to process statement invoices and invoices from 6.5 FTE to 3 FTE over an 18-month period.
- Reduced invoice rework caused by missing data from approximately 80% of invoices to 20%, representing an estimated 60% reduction over 18 months.
- Delivered an estimated 20-hour monthly reduction in invoice processing time through improved invoice data quality.
- Improved supplier clarity by defining the data required to support smoother invoice processing through ExFlow and Dynamics 365.
- Gave Audley better visibility of invoice data quality and project progress through KPI reporting.
