How automation of administrative tasks Savess Sans time

Fashion company Sans has been an essential part of the Rijssen shopping street for 32 years, it's a landmark and a genuine attraction. In addition to the store, the Sans webshop is also popular: the largest online clothing store in Twente with both women's and men's clothing from brands like Only, PME Legend, and Vero Moda.

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How automation of administrative tasks saves Sans time

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How automation of administrative tasks saves Sans time

Financiële administratie Online boekhouden Rijssen-Nijverdal Accountancy Personeel

In 2006, sons Tom and Nick Sans took over from their father, Herman Sans. Tom focuses mainly on purchasing and the webshop, while Nick is the HR expert and spends a lot of time in the store. Tom quickly realized that expanding online would be a niche in the market. And he was right, as they started the webshop 11 years ago.

Bold choice

Sans made headlines frequently when they were among the first webshops in the Netherlands to decide to charge € 2.95 for returns. Free returns were no longer feasible, and they tackled the issue. A bold choice that suits the company well, according to accountant Erik ter Haar. “Sans was really ahead of the curve with this, followed by other large companies. I've been involved with Sans for 14 years, and I know the company as a straightforward and sincere business." Erik is proud of his client: “We have good and regular contact with Tom, and the collaboration is going very well.”

Erik ter Haar Vestigingsmanager

Taking matters off your hands

With the growth of Sans, de Jong & Laan is gradually taking more matters off our hands. Tom: “I am a kind of 'monitor' for the company. I check for errors, discover things, see opportunities, and that's what keeps me busy all day. We have 80 employees, and I find it important that they develop themselves and learn from mistakes. And on busy days? I’m just out there in the hall packing with everyone else.” At a certain point, it was time for Tom to hand over the bookkeeping and ask Erik for more support than just compiling the annual accounts. Automation was necessary.

Close collaboration

Cheryl (de Jong & Laan): “Every week, I review the purchase invoices provided by Tom in the Smartbooqing program. After my checks, the invoices are automatically forwarded to the accounting program. This package has a linkage with the bank, allowing bank statements to be automatically imported. Tom can ultimately pay the invoices with just one press of a button. He is closely involved with the bookkeeping and is always aware of what’s going on.”

In addition to the weekly reviews, a monthly closing is also conducted. Cheryl: “I ensure everything from that month is recorded and reconciled. This includes the cash balance, outstanding items, and control at the general ledger level regarding costs.”

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Everyone is always up-to-date

At the end of the month, there's always a meeting with Tom to review these numbers. “Sitting together with the data on the table encourages us to think. We both see different things that we can cross-check with each other,” Tom explains. Ideal. This way, everyone is always up-to-date, adjustments can be made where necessary, and Sans isn't caught off guard by surprises.

Mutual trust is very important. “The financial administration is as automated as possible, and if there are issues with payments, I personally contact Sans's suppliers,” Cheryl explains. "This is efficient for Tom and saves him a lot of time."

What's next?

Now that the administrative work has been automated, it’s important to apply this automation in other areas as well. That's why de Jong & Laan also partly handles the payroll processing for Sans. A connection is being established between the systems, which leads to insights in both HR matters and administration. A great challenge and investment that will soon save costs and provide lots of convenience.