CallisonRTKL

Global A&E Giant Achieves Accounting Trifecta With 3 EleVia Software Products

Products Used:

Electronic Invoicing
Payables Approval & Tracking
A/R Management & Collections

Company Overview

CallisonRTKL is a global architecture, planning and design practice. Over the last 70 years, we have created some of the world’s most memorable and successful environments for developers, retailers, investors, institutions and public entities. Our work has set us apart as the number one retail design firm in the world and a top-five architecture practice across multiple disciplines and sectors. Under the Arcadis umbrella, we continue to expand our sphere of influence and the depth and breadth of our resources. Our team of nearly 1,700 professionals around the world is committed to advancing our clients’ businesses and enhancing quality of life. callisonrtkl.com

After gaining powerful financial results using two EleVia Software products, top-ranking architecture firm CallisonRTKL recently purchased a third product.

“We had already reduced the invoice review process by three days using EleVia Electronic Invoicing”, said Keasha Cooper, CallisonRTKL Associate Vice President of Accounting, “and we reduced aged receivables over 60 days by 14 percentage points using EleVia A/R Management & Collections. We expect similar improvements to our payables review process when we implement the EleVia Payables Approval & Tracking product,” she said.

The three financial products integrate seamlessly with Deltek Vision® ERP system.

Why EleVia Software

Streamlined invoicing improves sustainability and speed

CallisonRTKL’s motivation for implementing EleVia Electronic Invoicing, back in 2012, was to reduce paper usage and reinforce the firm’s philosophy of sustainability.

“We reduced aged receivables over 60 days by 14 percentage points using EleVia A/R Management & Collections.”

“Our consideration of the environment goes beyond the places we create for clients; it’s an intrinsic part of our entire operation,” explained Cooper. “When we looked at the volume of paper we were using to review and approve 500 client invoices a month, we knew we needed to make a change.”

CallisonRTKL’s old process required printing each draft invoice along with several backup documents for project managers to review. EleVia Electronic Invoicing creates electronic draft invoices with supporting documentation, then notifies approvers, who can quickly review and mark up the invoices electronically.

Another key reason CallisonRTKL chose EleVia Electronic Invoicing was to speed the billing cycle. “Our old review process was time consuming. We shortened it by three days and now we get invoices out the door sooner,” Cooper said.

An unexpected benefit was that project managers gained greater insight into the status of their projects. “PMs can look in EleVia Electronic Invoicing and quickly see metrics like Job-to-Date Billed and Job-to-Date Spent — without running separate reports,” she said.

Automated collections strategy yields faster cash

A year after implementing the invoicing product, CallisonRTKL added EleVia A/R Management & Collections. “We had just changed our collections strategy to be more effective,” Cooper noted. “Rather than send out the same notices for all aged receivables, we developed an escalation process based on the number of days past due. We were looking for software that could help automate the process and EleVia’s product rose to the top of our list.”

EleVia A/R Management & Collections makes it easy to create email message templates customized by category and merged with customer data.

“If we need Vision to do something more, they figure out a solution based on our processes. I can’t say enough good things about EleVia Software.”

The product also includes a dashboard so users can quickly see how the new strategy is working. “At a glance, we can see how we’re improving over time,” Cooper said. “For example, it’s helped us reduce our receivables over 60 days by some 15% and that represents an incredible boost to cash flow.”

Responsive partner delivers every time

CallisonRTKL relies on EleVia Software to get more of out its Deltek Vision investment. “It’s not just their effective products that make EleVia a great partner,” Cooper noted. “If we have a question about Vision, they’re always supportive. If we need the system to do something more, they figure out a solution based on our processes. I can’t say enough good things about EleVia Software.”

“We reduced aged receivables over 60 days by 14 percentage points using EleVia A/R Management & Collections.”
Keasha Cooper, CallisonRTKL Associate Vice President of Accounting