Lafarge Streamlines Accounts Payable Processes                 

Lafarge creates efficiencies with their front end invoice process and eliminates manual sort processes.

Case Summary
Lafarge streamlined the front end invoice capture process by reducing the key labor metrics identified during the document sorting processes. This operational process is done in the mail room where Accounts Payable invoices are separated from other types of mail.

The Challenge
Lafarge North America is the largest diversified construction material company and supplier of cement, aggregates and concrete, and other materials for residential, commercial, institutional and public works construction in the United States and Canada. Lafarge North America is part of the Lafarge Group, a world leader in building materials that is active in 75 countries and employs more than 75,000 people. Lafarge North America wanted to reduce their labor costs for scanning and processing their accounts payable invoices and eliminate the requirement for voucher expertise in the mail room. They wanted to increase processing efficiency and provide a seamless integration between the core business application and the image repository.

The ImageSource Solution
The solution was designed and integrated by ImageSource, utilizing Oracle|Stellent Image and Process Management software for content storage and retrieval. Kofax® Ascent Capture was implemented for image scanning and data validation. To automate the invoice capture process pre-printed barcodes were applied to the first page of each invoice during the mail burst process. The application provided logic to utilize barcodes for separation and index capture. Images were released to a newly created Oracle|Stellent Imaging and Process Management application with a URL that was used to access perquisite Accounts Payable images from the Lafarge E1 application. A cross application query was defined to extract images from the existing database table and the new Oracle|Stellent IPM to provide a single result set.

The Bottom Line
Lafarge North America was able to reduce their labor costs for scanning and processing accounts payable invoices by streamlining the front end invoice capture process and reducing the number of manual sort processes. The Ascent capture software enabled them to use barcodes for document separation and indexing which increased processing efficiency.