How AB Mauri Achieved Touchless AP in a High-Volume Manufacturing Environment
Key Results:
- Approximately 30,000 invoices processed annually with minimal manual touchpoints
- About $350 million in invoice value processed each year
- Solid AutoVouch™ performance with strong user adoption and satisfaction
- Seamless integration with Infor LX ERP and tailored workflows for PO and Non-PO invoices
- Enhanced accuracy and consistency through Invoice Price Variance and Initial Routing Matrix automation
Key Stats:
- ~7,000 employees
- ~$350 million in invoices annually
- Industry: Manufacturing (baking ingredients and food technology)
- ERP: Infor LX
- Client since 2020
- Website: abmna.com
Executive Summary
AB Mauri, a global leader in baking ingredients and yeast production, faced the challenge of managing a high-volume, mixed-invoice environment. With 30,000 invoices annually, manual routing slowed approvals and hindered visibility.
Partnering with DataServ in 2020, AB Mauri implemented a tailored automation framework that transformed their AP process into a streamlined, touchless operation. AutoVouch™ and the Initial Routing Matrix now ensure high reliability and minimal manual intervention, even amidst fluctuating raw-material prices.
Outcomes
- Reliable Automation Across PO and Non-PO Invoices
DataServ’s Invoice Processing Machine (IPM) captures and validates each invoice before routing, eliminating manual keying and ensuring data accuracy. About 67 percent of AB Mauri’s invoices are PO-based and 33 percent Non-PO, all processed through a centralized workflow that standardizes timing and approvals. System uptime and turnaround times consistently meet DataServ’s 48-hour SLA, maintaining business continuity and payment accuracy - Touchless Processing with AutoVouch™
AB Mauri’s AutoVouch™ success rate has steadily improved, allowing invoices to move quickly from receipt to payment without human intervention. This efficiency enables staff to focus on analysis and vendor management, supported by DataServ’s analytics and reporting. - Invoice Price Variance Workflow (IPV)
The IPV workflow provides a specialized path for price exceptions on PO invoices. Instead of halting payment when raw material prices fluctuate, AutoVouch™ routes the invoice for approval at the updated price. This flexible workflow keeps supply chains moving and prevents vendors from being placed on credit hold while maintaining strong financial controls. - Initial Routing Matrix for Smarter Approvals
One of AB Mauri’s most-used features, the Initial Routing Matrix, automatically assigns invoices to the right approver based on data fields such as vendor, location, or cost center. This automation eliminates manual routing based on tribal knowledge and staff memory. As DataServ CEO Jeff Haller notes, this feature “replaces a manual, people-driven process with a dynamic routing table that assigns invoices to the appropriate person every time.” - Continuous Improvement and Strong Partnership
AB Mauri’s IT team reported that the DataServ implementation was simple and required little IT support. The project kicked off quickly in 2020 and efficiencies were gained from the start. DataServ and AB Mauri have maintained a collaborative relationship centered on data accuracy and process excellence. Regular Executive Business Reviews focus on key metrics such as uptime, OCR accuracy, and AutoVouch™ performance, ensuring both teams continue to optimize efficiency and value.
Business Impact
- Efficiency: Automation has significantly reduced manual touchpoints, improving cycle times and reducing administrative effort.
- Visibility: Real-time dashboards provide clear insight into invoice status, helping teams spot delays and resolve issues quickly.
- Consistency: Automated routing and IPV approval paths create repeatable processes that support compliance and internal controls.
- Scalability: The system handles tens of thousands of invoices annually without adding staff, easily scaling with future growth or ERP changes.
- Partnership: DataServ’s responsive support and continuous engagement help AB Mauri refine performance and leverage new features.
Thoughts from InterMetro
“Our old system was tedious compared to DataServ. It made a big difference to be able to match up the addresses with what’s on file and send that through to the approver. We put in the invoice number and it comes right up!”