"Invoices are rolling in like never before"

The car parts specialist, BDS, has shops and workshops all over the country. A significant proportion of them are FDT users. Several also have their invoice solution via InExchange. Peter Thorell, who runs the family business Thorell Motor in Töreboda in northern Västergötland, performs his invoice management with exactly these two tools.
- "Both are good on their own, but it's the combination that's great," says Peter.

He became aware of the tandem effect thanks to conversations with Karl Mann, salesman at InExchange, and with BDS colleague Skara Motor. What was described was a potential that he had not previously been sufficiently aware of. "The advice I got was that 'of course you should jump on this'. And we have never regretted it. We went ahead and tested and got help to file some templates. That was all that was needed. So now things are moving quickly," says Peter with a smile.

When looked at in detail, there are a couple of primary characteristics that Peter appreciates very much. He systematically grazes the benefits like rest areas along the E4 highway:

Practicality:
- Before, we basically invoiced once a week. And then we used the old manual method. Out with all the papers, envelope, into the franking machine and then go to the post office. All this takes time. Even for a small business. Now we don't have to deal with that.

Flexibly:
- We invoice our workshop customers, whose invoices run to five or six A4 pages, once a week. They don't want more often. But for bulk customers, I can easily send out invoices at any time. It's no longer that machine that it used to be. If I know they won't be buying any more that week, I can send them straight away - and shorten the payment time just like that.

It's simple:
- There are a number of steps to click through, but it's soon done. And once the installation is complete, there's no need to worry about it. I can't see how it could be any simpler. I also prefer the steps to be taken in stages. By confirming each click made, "now it's loaded", "now it's an e-invoice" and so on, you are always in control. Just pressing a button and letting it go, and only then getting an okay, would feel fuzzy.

Time-saving:
- To say that invoicing time has been halved might be a stretch, but it's not far off. Then I'm a bit old-fashioned. Our system is set up so that we only need to press one button, but I do a quick visual check of each order to make sure it looks right. Then I press the button per customer.
- So the procedure could actually be even faster, but the time saved is still great and very worthwhile. I am extremely satisfied. I wonder why I did not start doing this earlier.

Peter Thorell also highlights the opportunities offered by collective invoicing. It cuts out a lot of administration - which is a relief for everyone.
- I can be bothered by the fact that when you buy with a company card at some larger chains, which have invoicing outsourced, you can get invoices two days in a row and there is only some poor little screw on each invoice. Why is it not merged into one? What's the problem? he asks rhetorically, adding:
- 'It's a lot of administration for everyone. Both supplier and customer get annoyed.

Coordination always has its advantages. Peter Thorell hopes that more BDS members will choose to combine FDT ERP and InExchange. This would open the door to further refinements. Existing solutions can usually be made even better if they are tailored to an industry with the same conditions and needs.
Peter gives a concrete example of this kind of benefit.
- FDT has other business chains where all affiliates use their program. Thanks to this, FDT manages the chain's central price file loading. I wish we had that too. It would be great to turn on the computer every Monday and have this done, but it's not. Now we all have to do it in our own room.