Toyota Tsusho introduces integrated platform solution, SPAIS, and electronic form platform, invoiceAgent, to revamp and integrate its form infrastructure and digitize its billing operations

WingArc1st Inc. is pleased to announce that Toyota Tsusho Corporation, a general trading company in the Toyota Group, has implemented SPAIS, an integrated infrastructure solution, and invoiceAgent, an electronic forms platform, to renew and integrate its form infrastructure and to digitize its billing operations.

■ Background
With the aging of its existing large center printers and the replacement of its electronic forms system and integrated forms management system, Toyota Tsusho was considering a renewal of its forms infrastructure to promote a paperless work environment. Key drivers for the renewal included cost reductions, the rise of remote work following the Coronavirus pandemic, and an urgent need to digitize operations such as the creation, approval, and mailing of invoices.

As part of its efforts to strengthen its IT infrastructure and actively utilize digital technology, the company considered restructuring its forms infrastructure and digitizing paper forms to minimize the scope of modifications to its existing core systems and to improve operational efficiency through IT transformation, and introduced SPAIS and invoiceAgent electronic transactions as a solution to meet these requirements.

The main reasons for the adoption are as follows：
・SPAIS integrates the interface for printing forms and minimizes modifications to existing systems
・Flexibility to choose the processing of forms, such as printing, archiving, and data storage, for each department.
・Electronic Billing with invoiceAgent Transact

■ Effects of introduction
The project to build a new business form platform utilizing SPAIS started in January 2021, and the system was put into operation in September. Currently, this system is in operation at five affiliated companies in addition to Toyota Tsusho. Various form data output from the core system is imported into SPAIS, journalized, output to general-purpose printers, converted to PDF, and stored electronically.

In addition, as part of business reforms, the company has begun the digitization of billing operations and web-based distribution. The project to introduce invoiceAgent electronic transactions, which started in November 2022, went into operation in May 2023.
The effects of introduction are as follows:
・By shifting from large-size to general-purpose printers, maintenance costs of 30 million yen per year have been cut in half. Furthermore, maintenance costs will be reduced to zero by April 2024 through the complete elimination of large printers.
・SPAIS's form approval option enables users to approve or reject stored electronic forms. By simplifying the task of approving forms from request to approval as if it were a workflow system, the efficiency of on-site personnel's checking operations has been improved.
 ・The digitization of forms has led to a paperless environment, reducing the cost and workload of printing, storing and mailing paper forms.
・It contributes to remote work by allowing users to view and approve documents on their PCs from anywhere.

Toyota Tsusho is promoting the development of a workplace in which a diverse workforce can play an active role. In the renewal and integration of the form infrastructure, employees transferred from non-IT departments were paired with experienced senior IT professionals to carry out the project.

In the future, the company is considering digitizing invoices to several thousand business partners and archiving operational efficiency with a target of a 60% ratio of web delivery. It is also considering a phased start of compliance with the Electronic Books Preservation Act for forms received from January 2024, and plans to promote linkage between SPAIS, mission-critical systems and other business systems to expand the use of electronic forms.

■ Use case
https://www.wingarc.com/product/usecase/989.html　(Japanese)

■ About Toyota Tsusho Corporation
Established: July 1948
Location: Nagoya (HQ)
Business overview: Domestic transactions involving various goods, import/export transactions, foreign transactions, construction contracting, various insurance agency services, etc.
https://www.toyota-tsusho.com/english/