Lloyd Fraser Implements COA Solutions’ eBIS System to Replace Paper-based Procurement

10th June 2008 - The Lloyd Fraser Group, a leading logistics services company, is implementing an electronic procurement system from COA Solutions (formerly CedarOpenAccounts) to increase business efficiency and replace time-consuming paper-based procurement in line with its environmental agenda. The new system will go-live in late Summer 2008.

Lloyd Fraser was keen to make use of electronic procurement to automate purchase order processing at its 32 sites across the UK. The company also required a flexible and user-friendly web-based system that could support its future development plans. COA Solutions’ eBIS system was selected because of its advanced functionality and scalability. Having previously implemented COA Solutions’ OpenAccounts finance system, Lloyd Fraser had direct experience of working with COA Solutions and was also keen to further this relationship. Furthermore, with offices throughout the UK, Lloyd Fraser was impressed by COA Solutions’ strong local presence.

Graeme Johns, Financial Controller at the Lloyd Fraser Group comments, “Since implementing COA Solutions’ OpenAccounts finance system, we have seen dramatic improvements in decision making and financial control and have also enjoyed further productivity and advanced reporting capabilities since upgrading to OpenAccounts v6. Therefore, we are confident that COA Solutions fully understands our business needs and we look forward to eBIS providing us with additional benefits across the organisation.”

By using COA Solutions’ eBIS system, Lloyd Fraser’s 1400 staff will be able to raise purchase orders in minutes rather than days and weeks. Users can also identify the cost codes they require by using a look up facility on the system rather than having to manually search for the right codes, freeing-up staff time.

Johns adds, “As we operate from a number of remote sites, eBIS will streamline our business processes and dramatically improve our efficiency as staff will be able to remotely raise purchase orders and have instant online access to key financial details relating to their specific areas of responsibility. eBIS will also help to eliminate paper pushing, supporting our green policy whilst reducing administration time through less re-keying of data. In the future, we plan to use eBIS to replace a range of paper-based processes such as holiday requests and expense claims.”