In 2018, Auchan was facing several challenges as part of its digital transformation.

The accounting department, using various management tools, needed to automate some of its activities, including the management of non-standard events. In addition, the team responsible for the group's key data identified the need to modernise processes by adopting innovative solutions. With between 30,000 and 35,000 supplier-related documents received each month, it was becoming crucial to respond effectively to the many requests from suppliers regarding the status of their documents.

This situation was causing frequent friction between the central services and the shops, making it essential to set up a single, fluid communication channel between the accounts department and the shops.

Today, the Auchan Retail France group uses two technologies to support the development of new processes: Business Process Management (BPM) and Robotic Process Automation (RPA).

All accounting entries have been transferred to the BPM solution via a standardised form accessible to the accountants. The added value lies in the availability of data from the various accounting tools in a form that is easy for the business to understand. The BPM solution also covers the company's other business needs: HR, Purchasing, Marketing, Sales, etc.

In just a few clicks, the accounting department can carry out an audit of the accounts. The BPM solution enables the necessary information to be standardised, traced and consolidated rapidly.

There are currently 1,600 users across 5 sites, including 800 in finance alone. Auchan's Automation Factory has 120 processes in production, with an average of 100,000 processes launched per month.

The implementation of the Automation Factory at Auchan has brought many significant benefits. The simplified accounting management scheme has provided greater transparency and a global view of the organisation through process mapping, helping employees to better understand their role. This initiative has not only improved stakeholder satisfaction thanks to clear and organised operations, but has also optimised time by eliminating unnecessary tasks and making activities more secure by identifying those responsible.

The dematerialisation of processes has facilitated and accelerated exchanges between accounting and shops via personalised forms, reducing errors and promoting structured, cross-functional communication. In addition, the precise management of activities using centralised performance indicators has made it possible to measure the achievement of objectives, identify malfunctions and improve the responsiveness of decision-making and validation cycles.