THE CLIENT
Our client is a leading provider of pipeline services in North America. Their focus is on providing safe and efficient oil and gas transport, from pipeline construction and maintenance to hydrostatic testing.
THE PROBLEM
Our client tracked work performed in the field with paper tickets. Employees printed a summary of every work ticket and sent the summarized statement of work to the customer for approval. Afterwards, an invoice was created in Excel and sent to the customer for payment, along with dozens of pages of supporting evidence.
While the company was small this work intensive process was sufficient, but rapid growth presented a scalability problem. The client hired an outside vendor to create an electronic solution that would streamline field ticketing and save employees time. A year later, the project was incomplete, and what was complete was not functioning properly.
THE SOLUTION
Entrance was engaged to bring a fresh outlook to the project. We decided to use the existing .NET code base rather than start from scratch or customize an off-the-shelf solution because it got our client a faster final product.
Workers in the field now create an electronic ticket when each crew completes a day’s work. The work is automatically priced by the system based on rates assigned to the client and job, which improves invoice accuracy.
The field ticket goes to the corporate office, where it is turned into an invoice. The system is integrated with the client’s accounting system so invoices and payroll are directly inserted into our client’s general ledger and A/R software.The customer logs into a portal where up to date invoices and corresponding electronic supporting documentation can be found. Customers can then approve and pay these invoices on-line.
Both our client and their customers have benefited from the real-time visibility this electronic system brings to their business. The client also appreciates the faster time from work to payment as a result of this electronic system.
For more on electronic field ticketing here…