Eliminating Manual Invoicing

Eliminating Manual Invoicing

Eliminating Manual Invoicing

As a custom service buyer for the IT Business, Schneider Electric, I find that a majority of the work I do involves the manual management of service orders which control invoicing. This issue affects my efficiency and creates delays in my companies order management process. Creative thinking can aide in providing a streamlined process which is automated, accurate, and minimizes the need for manual processing. The 6 techniques for searching for challenges assisted in determining a problem area within the business which could benefit from a restructure.

The first technique is to be observant (Ruggiero, pp. 116, 2009). Instead of simply performing the tasks my position required, I actively notated the rate at which my workload was increasing. I also kept an average of how many orders I could close in a day. This helped my build my case so I could present management with facts supporting my claims. The second technique is to look for the imperfection in things (Ruggiero, pp. 118, 2009). I notated how reactive I was to invoicing requests. I noticed that more than not, I was only able to invoice orders after it was requested of me. The manual process had created such a large backlog, that it was difficult for me to be proactive. Keeping a record of the reactive requests I received also involved the third step in searching for challenges; noting your own and other's dissatisfactions (Ruggiero, pp. 118, 2009). Many of the requests I had received were stemming from upset customer's who were looking to billing. Sales Representatives who sold the orders were unable to receive commission because revenue was not being recognized; Order Administrations employees who entered the orders were being harassed by customers looking to pay their bills. Accounting was being affected because expenses and revenues were being recognized in different periods. This issue did not belong to one department. The fourth technique is to search for causes (Ruggiero, pp. 119, 2009). Many times upper management will suggest new process models and expect unattainable goals. It is mostly because they do not understand what is driving the numbers they desire. Searching for causes helps to definitively determine a resolution toward S.M.A.R.T. goals. The cause for the delay in invoicing is bandwidth and the manual process itself/ Determined a solution outside of the increases overhead in salary should be the primary goal. Being sensitive to implications is the fifth technique to use when searching for challenges (Ruggiero, pp. 120, 2009). Understanding how a change to the process would effect all departments involved is important. Any changes must also be approved by andy department involved. Understand GAAP accounting rules, bandwidth, and system restrictions allow for decisions to come to formalization. The last technique is to recognize the opportunity in controversy (Ruggiero, pp. 120, 2009). Revising a preexisting process has the potential to increase the workload for other departments. Increased responsibility can sometimes be met with discontent. These techniques provide a foundation throughout the four stages of creative process: Searching for Challenges, Expressing the Problem or Issue, Investigating