Yaskawa America Customer Story

CHALLENGES

As the world’s largest manufacturer of AC inverter drives, servo and motion control, and robotics automation systems, Yaskawa America, Inc. has a reputation for outstanding quality and reliability. Naturally, with success comes growth, and for Yaskawa’s accounts payable (AP) team, this meant looking for ways to increase efficiencies in its AP process as invoice volumes grew and headcount remained stable.

Processing up to 8,500 invoices every month, Yaskawa had several manual elements in its AP operation prior to automating with Esker – an all-too-common pain point for its team of analysts.

“We were seeing close to 800-900 invoices every day that were past-due,” said Angelina Wappel, Senior Treasury Analyst. “This led to constant emails from our vendors, which means our team was wasting time giving status updates on invoices instead of processing them. Everything became a fire drill.”

SOLUTION

Yaskawa selected Esker Accounts Payable as its automation solution thanks to its robust functionality (e.g., AI-driven data capture, touchless processing, electronic workflow) and integration with the company’s existing SAP® system.

“There’s a very seamless communication between Esker and SAP,” said Wappel. “The fact that you can see the perfect invoice right next to the data you’re pulling from SAP is like looking at both systems simultaneously.”

Advanced capabilities such as first-time recognition, machine learning and teaching help Yaskawa’s team achieve the highest possible invoice recognition rates as fast as possible, while customizable dashboards allow users to easily prioritize their tasks and access critical AP metrics in just a few clicks.

Another standout feature was that Esker’s solution links to the cloud versus Yaskawa’s network – something its previous provider couldn’t offer. This proved particularly invaluable in the months following implementation, as the pandemic forced Yaskawa’s team to work from home. “Esker made it very seamless going from the office to home, being that it’s a web-based program and how it links so well to the ERP,” added Wappel.

One big advantage Yaskawa found post-implementation was in Esker’s CX team. In choosing Esker’s “Gold Level” of CX service, Yaskawa is afforded several advantages in optimizing its solution, including regular engagement calls, on-the-spot training and even on-site visits.

“The benefits of meeting with Esker’s team a couple times a month is huge,” said Wappel. “Not only do they provide several different solutions for any time there’s a hiccup, we’re also able to see, ‘Oh my gosh, the solution does this, this and this.’ We’ve seen a lot of benefits there.”

There’s a seamless communication between Esker and SAP. The fact that you can see the perfect invoice right next to the data you’re pulling from SAP is like looking at both systems simultaneously.
Angelina Wappel | Senior Treasury Analyst, Yaskawa

RESULTS

With growth anticipated over the next several years, Yaskawa now has a strong digital foundation that allows its AP team more time for value-added tasks by reducing the number of “touches” in its process. This has not only facilitated happier, more productive analysts, it hasn’t required additional headcount to manage rising invoice volumes.

“Because of all the efficiencies, we’ve been able to make ourselves a better payables group,” said Wappel. “The only way for analysts to set priorities for the day is by getting that visibility. I can’t emphasize enough how you can really go into Esker and see the whole picture – discounts, past-dues, pending payments – it’s really nice.”

Supplier statement matching is one element of Esker Accounts Payable that Yaskawa plans to explore in the future, which not only ensures that invoices are properly recorded, but helps improve on-time payment, reduce supplier queries and achieve high accuracy of ledgers.

Yaskawa also intends on utilizing Esker’s online supplier portal, which provides suppliers with self-service access to payment information. “I think that will be huge for us so we can communicate a bit more seamlessly with some of our vendors,” added Wappel.

“I can’t emphasize enough how you can really go into Esker and see the whole picture – discounts, past-dues, pending payments – it’s really nice.”
Angelina Wappel | Senior Treasury Analyst, Yaskawa