Perpetual Trustees Australia Limited

Posted: 18.02.09  |  Created by: Do Something

At a glance

• Perpetual Trustees Australia Limited is an investment services group, one of the top 100 companies on the ASX
• they manage investment funds exceeding $24 billion, administers over $246 billion of client funds, and advises clients on over $6 billion worth of investments
• Perpetual's paper-based accounts payable system was time-consuming, tedious and inefficient
• Perpetual engaged Indigo Pacific to design a new accounts payable system using Adobe Workflow Server and Adobe Form Server software.
• the Adobe Workflow Server allows Perpetual to systematise forms, administer the approval process and the movement of documents, and assign deadlines and actions. The Adobe Form Server is used to deploy secure electronic forms over the web while instantly validating data
• results include major improvements in efficiency and productivity such as reduced manual archiving costs and improved business continuity planning, improved relationships with vendors and minimisation of paper use and costs.

Company Profile

Perpetual Trustees Australia Limited is one of Australia's most experienced investment services groups. They are one of the top 100 companies listed on the Australian Securities Exchange, managing investment funds exceeding $24 billion, administering over $246 billion of client funds, and advising clients on over $6 billion worth of investments.

Perpetual offers a range of investment products, financial advice and corporate services to individuals, families, financial advisers and organisations.

The challenge

Perpetual's paper-based accounts payable system involved a time-consuming and tedious approval process. Valuable staff time was being wasted that could have been far more effectively used elsewhere. Perpetual was conscious of the need to move to a more efficient system. Challenges included the need to:

• reduce time and money spent on locating and photocopying paper invoices
• maintain strong relationships with suppliers by fulfilling the responsibility of paying on time.

'Paper-Less' Strategy

Perpetual sought the assistance of Indigo Pacific to design an accounts payable form and workflow system to paper based processing into the electronic space, and improve efficiencies in the management of invoices.

'Paper-Less' Solution

In order to execute the new system, Indigo Pacific used the Adobe Workflow Server and Adobe Form Server software. The Adobe Workflow Server allowed Perpetual staff to:

• design and systematise forms
• administer the approval process and the movement of documents around the organisation
• assign deadlines and actions.

The Adobe Form Server is used to:

• deploy secure electronic forms over the web
• instantly validate data to improve the accuracy of the information.

Validation of invoices through the accounts payable department is now simple, speedy and efficient.

When a paper invoice is received it is immediately scanned into the computer system using the NSI Autostore. This performs Optical Character Recognition (OCR) and stores the invoice as a text-searchable PDF file. The NSI technology also creates an Adobe Workflow item, which is then routed throughout the organisation for validation, approval and payment.

Any problems are easily detected by the system and appropriate action can be taken. The accounts payable department is also able to track the invoice throughout the process.

Paper invoices now go no further than the first step of the process and are stored within the accounts payable department.

'Paper-Less' Results

• reduced manual archiving costs and improved business continuity planning
• electronic copy of all materials stored on back-up servers to protect against disasters
• enhanced levels of customer service and improved relationships with vendors through a decrease in late payments
• internal staff procedures greatly improved, eliminating errors
• minimisation of paper use and costs.

Back to Financial and Insurance Services.

Back to By Sector.

Back to home page