Esker has unveiled a SaaS (Software as a Service) solution for Australian organisations looking to automate the processing and delivery of customer and supplier invoices.

Esker has also announced a complete AP automation Software as a Service (SaaS) solution developed specifically for use with SAP applications.

The SaaS offerings provide a hosted alternative to current Esker on Demand solutions for accounts payable (AP) and accounts receivable (AR), used by clients in Australia such as Visy Industries and LaFarge Plasterboard.

Steve James, Information Systems Manager at Lafarge Plasterboard, said Esker DeliveryWare has improved the internal efficiencies of the company's internal process and has led to considerable cost savings.

The company has manufacturing facilities in Matraville (Sydney) and Altona (Melbourne) producing both residential and commercial building solutions. Since its implementation, DeliveryWare has enabled all Lafarge customer confirmation communications to be issued directly from SAP, the legacy ERP application, to customers via Fax on Demand.

"The ability to automate these processes has allowed us to save up to $3000 on operational costs per month," said Mr James.

The new SaaS Accounts Receivable (AR) solution allows for invoices to be delivered by mail, fax or electronically (An online demonstration is available at www.arondemand.net).

Esker's SaaS AR approach integrates directly with invoicing applications such as SAP, Oracle, Microsoft and other ERP suites, also providing the ability to access fax from mobile devices, providing access to a portal where invoices can be accessed, downloaded and archived.

Electronic invoices are automatically signed with the appropriate certificate and time-stamped before being archived and delivered to the customer by email with attachment, or web portal.

Delivering invoices by mail is fully automated from the company invoicing application. Invoices are sent to the Australian Esker production centre where they are printed, inserted into envelopes, stamped, and handed over to the postal service. Invoices can also be sent by fax through Esker infrastructure. A secure archiving option is also available.

"Given the difficulties that companies face in implementing electronic invoicing, today we are introducing a simple and straightforward solution to gradually move invoicing processes from paper to electronic invoices while continuing to respect the preferred delivery format of customers. This new offer allows companies to eliminate paper, mail processing, and any concerns about compliance with electronic invoicing regulations," said Jean-Michel Bérard, CEO of Esker.

Esker has selected TrustWeaver to provide certified guarantees of the integrity and authenticity of electronic invoices delivered by its invoicing solution. TrustWeaver signatures and time stamps are available in over 37 countries, and comply with regulations set forth by the country of origin and the country of destination.

Companies often struggle to get prompt remittance on invoices because their customers want proof of delivery or other supporting documentation before they will pay. Electronic AR invoicing can provide a means to help speed up payment, or at least remove the common barriers that customers present before payment. Documents generated throughout a transaction can be stored and then collected to send a complete package of billing documents along with the invoice.

Developed specifically for use with SAP applications, Esker's new AP automation SaaS solution includes full three-way matching of Materials Management (MM) invoices in a single interface, and straight-through processing directly to SAP applications without any human intervention when invoice data matches related purchase orders & goods receipts.

According to recent Aberdeen Group research, processing a single invoice costs the average organisation $16.91 and takes 14.6 days. Esker has found that companies who automate AP processing are able to lower operational and administrative AP costs by 40 to 60 percent and receive and enter vendor invoices up to 65 percent faster. There is a bottom-line payoff in being able to take advantage of fast-payment discounts from vendors, as well as preventing duplicate payments and fraud.

“Having served the SAP community for over 10 years, and being a SAP customer ourselves, we are tremendously excited to be the first to bring it the benefits of the SaaS model for accounts payable automation,” said Emmanuel Olivier, Worldwide Chief Operating Officer at Esker.

“We see this new service as a major milestone in the Esker history of providing innovative, powerful, fast-ROI solutions designed to improve profitability, speed and accuracy in doing business.”