From paper to digital: CTL Europe saves time and resources

"Less paper chaos" is certainly one of the most common reasons why companies opt for software. In the case of CTL Europe GmbH, the typical piles of files were not just a symbol of manual work, but were to be understood literally: The offices and shelves were full of them. "We really wanted to get rid of all that paper and stop printing so much. Our day-to-day work was completely manual and we wanted more efficient, digital processes in a short space of time," says Andreas Schonert, Chief Sales Officer at CTL Europe GmbH, summarizing the initial situation. Challenging? Yes. And just right for a project with Yaveon.

CTL Europe GmbH is both part of and a sales partner of the American biotechnology company CTL, Cellular Technology Limited. The company's focus is on products for immunology. They drive medical progress by strengthening cell-based immune monitoring. In practice, the company provides numerous scientists with the technology they need to advance research and help more and more people.

In order to set up its own processes digitally and with long-term benefits, CTL Europe GmbH set out in search of an ERP solution. The requirement: it had to be simple and quick to implement, future-proof and easy to use. "We looked at various Microsoft partners on the Internet and came across Yaveon. The combination of the ERP solution and the proximity made us curious. We contacted them straight away," recalls Andreas Schonert.

Shortly after CTL Europe made contact, the first phone call took place. "In the first meeting, we first explored together whether our requirements and Yaveon's offer matched. I found that very pleasant, as it was immediately clear that we were a good match and that we wouldn't be investing unnecessary time in a project that wouldn't suit us in the end," says Andreas Schonert. The CSO generally looks back fondly on the sales contact - the entire "on-boarding process" up to the start of the project impressed him.

The decision in favor of Yaveon was quickly made: CTL Europe liked both the functions and integration options of the industry-specific ERP solution, the friendly and honest contact and the experience that Yaveon draws on. "Our contacts explained everything to us in detail and in understandable terms and found a solution that was made for us. We were also impressed by the references." Another argument for Mr. Schonert: The Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central basis is a long-established solution and the predominant system on the market.

In order to realize the customer's desire to have the solution up and running quickly, the implementation of Yaveon's industry-specific ERP solution began as a package in the cloud.

The ERP package is:

• Close to standard and particularly suitable for growing companies
• Inexpensive and easy to implement
• In use in a short time
• Available in the cloud

The implementation started - and was the ideal basis for going one step further. "Everything went really well. We wanted to use the flow and decided to also introduce the document management system offered by Yaveon." In a compact meeting, CTL Europe got to know the functions and possibilities of the DMS solution Yaveon ProDocs as well as the DMS project team - and the implementation could be incorporated directly into the project schedule.
"We also had great consultants in the DMS area, who managed to combine the requirements of both parts of the project." Thanks to the combination of ERP and DMS, documents can be processed smoothly and completely digitally. Duplicate data storage and time-consuming manual work steps are eliminated, the error rate due to incorrect entries is reduced and the overview of existing documents increases.

The DMS solution from Yaveon:

• Enables a basic DMS system in just three days
• Creates the basis for a paperless office
• Enables audit-proof filing
• Is scalable and modular

If the Yaveon logo could jump for joy, it would have happened at the latest when Mr. Schonert summarized the project: "As far as the ERP implementation, consulting and support are concerned, there is nothing but praise. There was absolutely nothing to complain about. And the same went for the DMS, the implementation went brilliantly." CTL Europe GmbH was also impressed with the timeframe: both the ERP and the DMS were implemented after just four months. "Zack, boom, bang, we had ERP and DMS up and running."

Mr. Schonert particularly remembers the response times of his contacts. This was helpful, as he was solely responsible for the implementation on behalf of CTL Europe. "There's no question about it, you have to concentrate fully on the project. However, it is easier if you can fall back on a few other people who are each responsible for their specialist area." Mr. Schonert's main task was to prepare the company's own data, such as articles and suppliers, for migration to Business Central. He was also responsible for integrating the new processes and providing the necessary information.

What is still missing to be able to use software successfully? Exactly, training. The necessary knowledge was imparted to CTL Europe in compact workshops. "It was very little work to familiarize myself with the software, it was easy. I quickly realized that if a problem or question arose, we could solve it ourselves in the vast majority of cases. Otherwise, the Yaveon team is of course always on hand to help us."

Today, Mr. Schonert sees the benefits of the solutions as very positive in all respects. "All processes were running smoothly after just a short time. Of course, it takes some time at first to get into the routine, that's normal. But in my experience, you can easily get used to it in a week and reap the benefits. We now work digitally and without file chaos and are already seeing time savings of up to 50%." He sees a further benefit in the transparency: processes are clearly traceable, the current status is visible and tasks are easier to complete.

Mr. Schonert, we are very pleased that you look back so positively on the course of the project, and even more so on further projects!