How B&G Food Uses Ottimate to Revolutionize Invoice Management

Streamlining Invoice Management in the Restaurant Industry

B&G Food Enterprises, the largest Taco Bell franchisee in Louisiana, has taken a massive leap in efficiency by transforming its accounts payable (AP) department. Managing invoices for over 150 locations is no small feat; however, with the right tools and strategies, B&G has significantly reduced repetitive tasks while improving accuracy.

The Challenge of Manual Processes

For a business handling around 700 invoices a week, reliance on manual entries and Excel-sheets posed a daunting challenge. Danielle Sauce, a seasoned member of the AP team, described the intense effort required to process these invoices accurately and efficiently. This required many hours spent navigating the complexities of local tax variations and different invoice formats ranging from PDFs to printed slips.

How Ottimate Transformed Invoice Processing

To tackle these challenges head-on, B&G's CFO Ellen Pennison opted for the automation solution, Ottimate. This transformative tool was specifically chosen for its ability to capture detailed line-item coding and replicate B&G’s intricate approval workflows, making it well-suited to the dynamic needs of a large franchise operation.
Thanks to Ottimate, invoice processing time has been slashed dramatically—from 60 seconds down to just 5 seconds per invoice, leading to substantial monthly time savings.

Realizing Efficiency through Automation

One of the most significant improvements has been in handling invoices that span multiple locations, with automated transcription relieving the stress of manual data entry. The operational shift enabled B&G to manage these intricacies seamlessly, reducing manpower needs from three employees to just two for the same workload.

Beyond Numbers: The Human Element

This evolution in processes hasn't just saved time—it also frees up the AP team to focus on more strategic roles, fostering a healthier work environment where employees can thrive. With such advancements, B&G Food Enterprises is not just managing invoices; they are setting a benchmark for efficiency within the hospitality industry.

Call to Action: For restaurant owners looking to streamline their operations, exploring automation tools like Ottimate could bring significant time and cost savings to your accounts payable processes.