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STOPA Anlagenbau GmbH & Co KG

Enterprise planning with a systematic approach

True to its motto, "We keep things in order – systematically", STOPA Anlagenbau GmbH & Co KG also has a systematic approach to its management accounting. Just as the STOPA storage and supply systems make sure that everything is in its rightful place, Corporate Planner ensures transparency and sound planning within the company.

"It all began when we were looking to implement an integrated solution for financial, cost and management accounting", recalls Edgar Börsig, Chief Financial Officer at STOPA Anlagenbau GmbH & Co KG in Achern-Gamshurst, Germany. The company's existing ERP system, abas-Business-Software, supplied data from financial and cost accounting. These figures were now to be imported to an enterprise planning tool as the basis for analyses and for balance sheet and liquidity planning. STOPA and Mr. Börsig came upon the solution of introducing Corporate Planner with an integration to the abas pre-system so that it could be used for depicting the entire planning process right down to voucher level.

Alongside the handy interface to the pre-system making data connection simple, there were other points in favour of implementing Corporate Planner. "Its straightforward handling and its data consistency, clear tree structure and flexibility were equally convincing factors" is how Börsig sums up the tool's advantages. He was also hoping for time-savings and greater transparency in the company.

Price calculation
Meanwhile, the software is used by financial/management accounting and the sales department for very specific queries. For instance, cost rates are calculated for drawing up proposals. On the basis of the figures in the cost allocation sheet, the indirect and direct costs are recorded by cost centre and the mark-up rates are determined. Corporate Planner also delivers the necessary information for working out the machine-hour rates. The simple model for the Actual values means that the task of calculating and displaying the composition and projection of the machine-hour rates for the following year is quick and easy to complete.

A display showing the sales statistics
for each project

Cost management
Corporate Planner supports the decision-making process in cost management, particularly when standard costing is on the agenda. Those involved refer to the system together in the course of their meetings in order to clarify questions relating to specific values and cost centres. Analyses of target/actual variances are run with drill-downs to cost centre, voucher or account level, and the causes and problem areas are identified in an instant.

Sales management
STOPA offers many different products and systems. In order to stay informed at all times of how the sales figures are distributed across individual sectors and items, and to be able to counter extreme discrepancies with appropriate measures in good time, sales managers regularly carry out 80/20 Pareto analyses. These graphics make it clear to those responsible which products contribute what percentage of the total sales. In addition, STOPA uses the Integrated Financial Planning model in Corporate Planner for its cash budget, financial forecast and budgeted balance sheet.

A significant time-saving (more than 30%) has since been achieved in comparison with using Microsoft Excel. Edgar Börsig is particularly pleased that "financial statements and reports are quicker to produce and, above all, more reliable". Thanks to the convenient integration between Corporate Planner for management accounting and the abas-Business-Software for financial accounting and costing, Edgar Börsig has all the company figures well under control, from individual account balances to the financial plan and budgeted balance sheet. He puts this knowledge and security to use for the complete enterprise plan – an enterprise plan with a systematic approach.

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STOPA Anlagenbau GmbH & Co KG, founded in 1963 by Paul Stolzer in Achern-Gamshurst, Germany, and with about 170 employees, is a leading company in the field of sheet metal and machine tool storage and one of the market leaders worldwide.

The STOPA Anlagenbau GmbH & Co KG shop floor space now covers over 12,660 square metres in area. The focus of its product range is on the design and construction of storage systems for non-perishable goods of all types, plus the fabrication of machine components, housing and subassemblies, including mechanical processing, paintwork and installation.

With over 1,200 automated storage and supply systems in operation around the world, STOPA is a leading storage and supply system vendor. Customers can obtain a clear stock overview by implementing the additional STOPA stock management software.