Date: 07.10.2025 (2025-10-07)
Rory Ribeiro (07.10.2025) • Briefing: • It would be great to go through the following with two or three very concrete processes: Automate Working student work -> maybe you could choose one rather simple process and one complex one - both should not be automated yet • You also mentioned Accounts receivables and Datev as a big challenge last time -> would be great to look at that as well if not anyways part of 2. • Maybe walk us through one of the processes he already automated • Notes: • Monthly Closing Schedule • ToDo list for the end of the month • He manages it via GSheets • Process 1: Match transactions from Datev with Agicap • Bank account pushes every transaction into Datev • then they have to manually match the invoice to the transaction -> once per month 4+ hours • Process 2: incoming invoice - once per week • There is an external accounting company that checks the ledger accounts -> assign transactions to a certain expense category • All invoices go to one email -> there is a agicap email -> automatic forwarding from GMail to Agicap • Working student opens invoice and checks data (invoice number, amounts, VAT, cost center, due date, payment method etc.) -> Send to verification by a click (Rory) • OCR of Agicap is quite good - errors only in <5% of the cases • What he wishes there would be: Netsuite, SAP -> you can define rule of automatic approval (e.g. if invoice matches with Purchase Order) • Agicap: does not compare transactions with invoices and automatically marks them as complete • Process 3: Pre-accounting: • VAT can be demanded back if someone pays too much • People have to service performance date, supplier account, • Usually done by more experienced people - but good working students should be able to do it • Then has to review and then “Mark ready to export” -> then batch export via another button • Then invoice is in Datev -> there information can be still changed until accountant confirms it • Old company: 500 to 1000 invoices per month • Often PO does not match with invoice • What would he automate: • A lot of companies work with virtual card and expenses -> a lot of solutions for accounts payable • Missing: what is creating the issues for the finance team once the invoices are received. Accounts payables are not combined with budgeting / forecasting. • Root cause: increase trust of CFO and accountants more -> more visualisation to controllers, CFOs, accountants etc. • Invoice processing: • Incorporate financial planning tools -> make process faster -> people can focus on problems • Perfect solution: • He has accounts payables, accounts receivables and liquidity - forecast is missing • Automate to replace the working student • Notifications • Financial planning and budgets: FX rate changes • Context is important: real time P&L • Books need to be closed before creating the P&L • Quickbooks does it - but usually it does not have the actuals vs. budget • -> AI diagnosis why there is a gap -> e.g. supplier is late in sending an invoice • Main tasks with working student: • Accounts payables process • Accounts receivables process (8h / month) • Automatic invoice creation (built by a developer) • Then downloads it manually and sends it to customer via Gmail • Then import PDF in Agicap and populate it in Agicap (invoice number, client name, VAT) • Then export to Datev: review and confirm • -> scalability issue • There is a followup process that you can send - but automatically is not super straight forward • Cool idea: Accounts receivables: include factoring opportunities • Fintech case -> also low margin • Taxes are complicated issues between countries • What is reconciliation: • Invoice is paid partially • Getting data out of data: • Real time P&L and follow up to -> faster investor reporting process (8h / months saved) -> 10k per year • he needs Datev because there are the expense category data • Other keywords: • Everyone virtual finance manager system: • Bigger companies: actuals vs. forecast comparison -> early warning • Expense claims: make sure people are uploading a correct invoice • Task: check if the upload is correct - sometimes no company information, no VAT, values do not match • There are a lot of company rules that have to be considered • Some things can be done with a general solution - but to be really precise a lot of context is required -> then a vertical solution is important • Invoices always have to match with purchase; taxes; document invoice to own structure; make payments • Corporate and inventory teams do not talk to each other -> a lot of potential to enhance communication between teams • Most finance tools have 2FA - some even three steps • In UK and USA there are a lot of competitors in the field of finance -> All data is managed by accountants on datev only • New platforms: Rillet, etc. • Newest: virtual cards are offered as well
Via WhatsApp: • Agicap: • Rory Robeiro: Yes and no at the same time. Its getting complex nowadays with new features. We paid roughly 5k net per year for liquidity planning for 2 bank accounts and 2 legal entities if I am not wrong • Rory Robeiro: We are paying now around 9k for virtual cards, A/P and A/R processing and pre accounting + liquidity planning