Actief Interim NV has been the HR partner for temporary work, construction, and service vouchers since 1988. With over 80 offices in Belgium and now also in the Netherlands, Germany, and Austria, Actief Interim NV has grown into a true international recruitment group. Being as close as possible to candidates and clients. That's Actief Interim NV. A personal approach with top service in everything they do. However, the accounting system lagged behind the growth spurt and was therefore urgently in need of replacement.
For over 20 years, accounting at Actief Interim NV was handled in a simple way with several limitations. Correctly performing repetitive tasks, streamlining the approval process, and gathering information from different branches – in short, many opportunities for human error. (Fortunately, they could always rely on good employees.) Despite strong internal cooperation, the accounting system was in need of renewal. Growth meant more work, but with the same team. It was therefore urgent to find a solution. Did someone say digital transformation? Scapta to the rescue!
THE CHALLENGE
Actief Interim NV had a clear goal: more digital efficiency in one solution. That's why it was time to say goodbye to the old accounting system. Fewer manual processes, getting different tools to communicate with each other, and processing invoices faster. Hello automation!
“Year after year, we saw our current accounting system lag behind the company's growth. This resulted in more work for the same team. The need for digital accounting processes grew enormously.
We needed more insights, automated bookings, an accelerated closing process, digital reconciliations, and approval workflows. So after 20 years, it was time for an optimized digital solution.” – Kenneth Claeyssens, CFO Actief Interim NV
Changing and digitizing an entire accounting system, however, is not that simple. You can't just hit pause; payments and purchases keep coming in. Furthermore, this project had a very tight deadline. With only four months before the new fiscal year, Scapta was challenged to find a suitable solution. Challenge accepted!
THE SOLUTION
For a project that normally takes 6 months, we only had 4 months this time, so Scapta and Actief Interim NV immediately sprang into action. With 3 key users who would manage the project internally and a quick scan beforehand, the project got underway.
Workshops were held twice a week with the key users to set up and master the system. All data in one central system; that sounded more and more like music to their ears each week.
“Due to time constraints, we didn't waste a moment to start. scapta, who already has experience with similar projects, showed us the possibilities with Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central and we were off!”, according to Heidi Vaesen, Senior Accountant at Actief Interim NV.
AUTOMATED Online Banking
The implementation of CODA means that coded bank statements will be processed faster from now on. Continia Document Capture also makes it possible to import, register, approve, and post purchase invoices and credit memos directly into Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central.
Two additional applications, XPR365 Financials and XPR365 Master Data, offer further improvements. One app provides optimizations specifically for Belgian accounting, while the other app reduces repetitive work by enabling data synchronization between companies.
“Since the implementation of Dynamics 365 Business Central and Coda, we can largely match bank transactions automatically, whereas previously we had to manually enter bank statements in full. The flow of information to iController is going well, allowing us to immediately consult the correct balance at the customer level.” – Elvira Czifrik, Accounts Receivable Manager at Actief Interim NV.
However, that was not all. Another challenge during this project was to create different interfaces between Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central and other programs that Actief uses. For example, connections were made with EasyPay, which is used by the offices to prepare invoices, with Rydoo, where employees submit their expense reports, and with iController, which is used for accounts receivable management and reminders.
A ROSE-COLORED FUTURE IN MICROSOFT DYNAMICS 365 BUSINESS CENTRAL
In just four months, and through learning by doing, Scapta transformed Actief Interim NV's accounting department into a fully digital and automated entity. Since the all-inclusive solution in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, the company is better prepared than ever for further growth. Thanks to the implementation of one central system, finance colleagues have a better and deeper insight into the figures. Other employees are also enthusiastic about this digital transformation. With the motto ‘You never stop learning,’ Actief Interim NV looks forward to what Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central has to offer.