Date: 12.01.2025 (2025-01-12)
Benjamin Sauter (12.01.2025) Context: • https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjamin-sauter-3a2a74b0/ • CFO at Sill Optics (200-500ppl) • Nuremberg • My message: • Ich bin auf dein Profil gestossen, da du auch an der HSG und der USC warst und einen super relevanten Background für uns hast (CFO & KPMG). • • Wir entwickeln proprietäre KI-Modelle für Controlling & Accounting. Aktuell automatisieren wir vor allem das Verbuchen von Rechnungen. • • Der nächste Schritt ist die Automatisierung des Monthly Closing & Controlling, mit dem Ziel, den Aufwand um etwa 50% zu reduzieren. • • Aufgrund Ihrer Erfahrung würde ich gerne Ihr Feedback zu unserem Ansatz einholen (kein Verkaufsgespräch) - gerne einfach 15min per Telefon. Würde mich sehr freuen! • Reply: • Hallo Maximilian, • • Hört sich spannend an - können gerne dazu sprechen. Ich kann dir z.B. morgen Nachmittag ab 13.00 Uhr anbieten. Tel. 0151/21241504 • • Gruß • Benjamin
Notes: • Notes: • Inventur end of year • Biggest challenges: • Finance: • Schnelle Verfügbarkeit von Daten on line item bases -> drill down -> profitability based on countries, product, etc. • Data is in realtime there in PowerBI (updated every 20 minutes) • They are missing data based on products • detect if Marge is gone: Personalanstieg, Material -> has to be done manually • ERP stösst an Grenzen; SAP is too big and expensive • They lack a clean controlling tool • Invoices on line item base does not solve the issue -> they have high Wertschöpfungstiefe -> Arbeitszeiten are booked on products -> one Auftrag can go to many Fertigungsprodukten -> invoices do not have that information • But it would help a bit • More transparency and real time • Fachkräftemangel • Systems: • ERP: MSFT Dynamics Biz Central • PowerBI -> data model in the background where they get data from different systems (Dynamics CRM, ERP, smaller tools) • Inventory / working capital: Easystock • Predictive inventory management based on Sales Forecast and historic data • Produzierende Unternehmen: auf Kostenseite tut sich da (Energiekosten etc.) • Accounting: • Automatisierung: digitale Belegerfassung is a big topic • Mostly manual - invoice comes via email - then Buchhalter (eInvoice not very common yet) • A lot of PDF abtippen • They looked for solutions - the solution they were presented had to learn for a long time -> should work out of the box (Continua -> only indexing - they call coding “Dimensionen”: CC, Intercompany Zuordnungen) • Referenzen said they had to invest a lot of resources on this • Plug and Play • Anlagenbuchhaltung • Monatliche Afa Läufe • Anlagenzugänge (neue Maschine zb) -> CC Responsible fills out Formular -> Buchhalter legt Maschine an und verbucht die (Aktivierung, CC, Afa, then monatliche Afa-Run) • Lagerbuchhaltung: they work with Reichweitenabschlägen • They calculate wie haben sich Produkte gedreht -> manuell verbuchen • Buchungsperioden öffnen und schliessen (Dynamics can automate) • Intercompany-Konsolidierung • -> complete monthly closing • Betriebsabrechnungsbogen -> Kostenstellen, Umlagen, Verteilungs, Kostensätze neu verrechnen • Volume: • 2 Buchhalter • One is also part time Controller -> 1.5 Buchhalter • Also du USt-Voranmeldung and some other admin stuff • 120 bis 150 invoices per week • Accounts Receivable: • Smaller topic -> limited number of large customer • Mahnläufe is created automatically - but has to be manually triggered -> Accountant zieht PDFs and writes every customer an email • Debitoren-Onboarding, Bonitätsprüfung • Procurement / Einkauf: • Biggest opportunity: BANF • Especially for indirect material (neue Ordner, Stifte etc.) • Bedarfsanforderungmeldung in Excel -> Freigabe via Email -> Einkauf überführt in Bestellung -> exportiert in PDF -> sendet an Supplier • There are providers but would be good to have everything from one provider for the full processes BANF -> ERP -> Versand • Smaller topic: Artikel-bezogen: system works: Kundenauftrag -> MRP wird geöffnet -> Bestellvorschläge werden erstellt und die werden ausgesendet -> Email generation could be done • Negotiation: yes • Is price good or bad? • They make Kundenspezifische Produkte -> amount of purchase volume differs with amount that is bought -> not always standard price -> they have Rahmenverträge (both AP and AR) but also a lot of project business -> depends on the amount that is bought -> does it make sense what price is offered -> they tried to fix it with PowerBI but does not work well -> check history what range is good or not • How does it compare • Rahmenverträge: • 12 to 24 months or based on customer project • Wrong prices: in their ERP -> when AP is booked -> they book it vs. PO -> manual (two clicks in the ERP -> ERP flags stuff: price, amount, etc.) • Send scope to benjamin.sauter@silloptics.de • Automation: • • Biggest objections / challenges in his daily life? • • Most valuable flows for him? • • Context: team setup? internal and external? • • Which tasks are the biggest pain? With magic wand -> what would he solve? • • Which tasks would he focus on? • • Do they already have automations? Which ones? How well do they work? • • Which companies would he target? • • General feedback to pitch? •