AvantGard BPM offers corporations a comprehensive BPM solution with standard workflows that can be configured to meet the complex requirements of corporations managing a high volume of deductions and chargebacks. Leveraging BPM in this area can help suppliers create a more efficient and responsive supply chain operation that adheres to vendor compliance requirements and expedites resolution of problem invoices.

The solution was developed using SunGard's standard BPM technology, Infinity Process Platform, and offers corporations pre-packaged yet configurable workflows around the management of highly complex routing scenarios such as return merchandise authorizations (RMAs), vendor compliance, errors in price or discount, quantity, tax disputes, freight charges, early or late shipments and missing or unexpected returns of goods. The solution interfaces with the AvantGard Receivables order-to-cash solution to help companies with complex processes around deduction management to introduce BPM.

Many corporations, particularly manufacturers of consumer product goods, medical devices and transportation companies struggle with adhering to process workflows for managing these transactions. Much of this difficulty stems from the numerous points of contact involved in routing deductions and chargebacks across the supply chain, which include interaction and approval requirements across manufacturing, shipping, sales and customer service. The process is further complicated by a requirement to establish many different workflow streams based on an array of variables that include items such as product line, sales area, type of deduction, amount, timeframe and more. AvantGard BPM can help identify process failures in the supply chain which helps corporations increase profitability and reduce operating costs.

"Organizations that elect to incorporate sound business management processes into handling deductions and chargebacks can reduce their operating costs.ts. Having visibility and control around these transactions will guide corporations in establishing valuable process changes that can help improve productivity and reduce revenue leakage," said Jessica Butler, founder of Attain Consulting Group, a deduction and chargeback management advisory firm.

Jim Mangano, senior vice president of receivables solutions, SunGard's AvantGard said, "Corporations in industries such as consumer goods, medical devices and transportation experience a large number of complex deductions. SunGard's AvantGard BPM can help them reduce the time and allocation of resources required to manage these deductions."