When VINCI Construction began its invoicing transformation, digitization was still limited across the organization. The introduction of new regulatory requirements added urgency, requiring swift action in an already complex environment shaped by decentralization, varied systems, inconsistent processes, and natural resistance to change.
Rather than treating decentralization as a barrier, the team used it as a design principle, ensuring the solution would be flexible enough to work across different business contexts while still delivering consistency and control.
Three Strategic Priorities
From the outset, the project was anchored by three strategic priorities that shaped every decision and milestone.
- Digitizing all invoicing flows: The first step focused on supplier invoicing, in line with regulatory requirements mandating the receipt of electronic invoices. But the scope quickly expanded to include customer invoicing, ensuring that both inbound and outbound flows were digitized in parallel to create a unified, end-to-end invoicing ecosystem.
- Standardizing and automating processes: With so many entities operating independently, VINCI Construction needed to map and align its diverse business processes. This standardization was essential to enable automation at scale and to ensure that efficiency gains could be realized across the entire organization.
- Building a scalable, integrated architecture: The solution had to work with existing ERP systems while remaining flexible enough to support future growth and international deployment. Scalability was not just a technical requirement; it was a strategic driver of future expansion.
Partnership with Fluxym and Basware
To deliver on these priorities, VINCI Construction selected Basware to manage both customer and supplier invoicing. Recognizing the complexity of the project, the company also brought in Fluxym as its business analysis and integration partner.
This partnership model allowed VINCI Construction to combine internal knowledge with external expertise, accelerating delivery while maintaining control.
Careful Preparation for a Complex Project
Before implementation began, the team invested heavily in preparation. This groundwork was critical to ensure the solution would be robust, scalable, and fit for purpose.
Key activities included:
- Mapping business processes across all entities to identify variations and commonalities
- Assessing the application ecosystem to understand potential impacts and integration points
- Reviewing and improving the quality of core reference data, including legal entities and third-party records
- Anticipating regulatory requirements such as invoice lifecycle management, directories, and e-reporting
The goal was to build a scalable core model, integrated with VINCI Construction’s two ERP systems, that could meet the needs of French entities while remaining adaptable for international use.
Structured and Phased Deployment
Deployment followed a structured, phased approach that emphasized collaboration and learning. Business experts from each site were involved from the beginning, ensuring that local knowledge was informed at every stage of the rollout.
After piloting the solution at selected locations to validate the methodology, the team moved into full deployment in two stages:
- Customer invoicing was rolled out across all 300 entities in a single coordinated launch, ensuring consistency and alignment from day one.
- Supplier invoicing was deployed in six waves, each covering 30 to 50 entities. Lessons learned from each wave were applied to the next, allowing the team to continuously refine the process and improve outcomes.
- This approach balanced speed with control, enabling rapid progress without compromising quality.
