Why the right invoicing system makes growth effortless

  • Architectural consultancy’s rapid growth was threatened by convoluted manual processes
  • New invoicing system delivers major time savings and efficiencies
  • Accounts and management workload dramatically reduced
  • Greater visibility and control over costs and project progress 

100%

Replacement of manual printouts and signoffs

216

Man hours saved every year

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Our partner’s problem

Our partner is a large, multi-disciplinary architectural practice which designs and engineers a range of significant buildings, from health centres to international business headquarters to mosques. They work on many projects at any one time, across many different sectors, using a wide range of subcontractors, and rely heavily on a FileMaker system for managing timesheets, customer and supplier records, purchasing, HR and so on. Everyone and every department across the business uses the system in one way or another. 

The FileMaker system hadn’t been invested in and was ageing. The person who originally built it had left the company and the system hadn’t evolved, even while the business was changing and growing. Every department used the system in different ways and every department had their own problems with it. 

One of the biggest challenges was a sprawling, time-consuming invoicing process. Each month a member of the accounts team would manage this, working with directors and project leads to ensure every detail was correct. It was a laborious, manual process involving dozens of conversations and meetings. It was not only time-consuming but risked introducing errors and losing sight of details of projects. Ultimately the complexity of the process directly threatened the business’s future growth. 

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What we did

Our relationship began with some infrastructure support: by delivering a server upgrade for the existing FileMaker system. The management team were impressed with our expertise and the way we set about the work, and arranged a meeting. We were able to identify areas that their FileMaker system could help them with but was currently failing to do. They identified the invoicing issue as their biggest challenge, touching every part of the business. 

Our solution was to build an invoicing system that pulls together all the relevant information, including purchase orders and milestones relating to each project. The system provides the accounts team with an overview that makes it quick and easy to see where invoices need to be raised and who needs to sign them off. Beyond the accounts team, managers receive notifications about invoices they need to sign off. They can then easily digitally sign off each invoice or indicate that it isn’t ready to be signed off, and if necessary add notes detailing any changes needed. 

The new FileMaker system not only makes the invoicing process far more efficient but makes the entire business more robust and scalable. It gives the management team a clear overview of the range of projects and how they are progressing. And as the business grows, it makes the admin tasks involved in managing new clients simple, visible and easy to handle.

The transformation journey

Business process analysis

We initially did a deep dive into their business processes to understand how they work, where difficulties and problems occurred across the business, and how the existing FileMaker system was involved. We also took a close look at the FileMaker system to understand how it was built and its functions.


Solution design

We created a set of potential solutions to a number of key problems identified in our analysis. From these the business chose to start by tackling the invoicing process, which it viewed as the biggest problem and the biggest impediment to future growth.


Bespoke invoicing process build

The next step was to create a detailed plan of a system for managing the invoicing process, adjusting this with input from key stakeholders, and then building and launching the system. 


Phased development

This is the first in a planned series of system improvements that will support growth and drive efficiencies throughout the business.


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The results so far

The new invoicing system has delivered important time-savings and efficiencies and reduced the opportunity for error, with a knock-on impact across the accounting and management teams. It is quick and simple to use, reducing stress and aiding decision-making. It makes project status more visible and cashflow more secure. It has also reduced business risk – processing invoices is no longer reliant on key individuals holding information in their heads. Above all, the new system means that the business can achieve rapid growth without worrying that its internal systems could fail.

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Services used

Business process analysis

Discover exactly where and how your business can be improved, with a rigorous and impartial analysis of your business processes.

FileMaker upgrade

Upgrade your Claris FileMaker system to make it more robust, secure and reliable – and you’ll be able to take advantage of new capabilities you didn’t have before.

FileMaker improve

Do more with your existing FileMaker system and become a more efficient organisation.

Training and mentoring

Specialist training and support on the systems we implement to ensure to optimise your in-house efficiency.

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