Success stories | Golden Bay Fruit | Integration: Ocerra + MYOB Acumatica
Golden Bay Fruit Cuts Costs and Boosts Efficiency with Ocerra's AP Automation
Background
Golden Bay Fruit, based in Motueka at the top of New Zealand’s South Island, is a well-known apple and kiwifruit grower with over 750 hectares of apple orchards and 100 hectares of kiwifruit. Dedicated to supplying premium-quality fruit for over 25 years, they prioritise sustainability and innovation to support their growing operations.
Before implementing Ocerra, their AP workflow was entirely paper-driven, involving printing, sorting, manual approvals, and hand-typed entries into their accounting system.
“Every now and then, I get a call from a competitor, but none of them come close on price or personal service. It’s not just the cost; it’s knowing I can directly reach out to Ocerra’s CEO with feedback. With larger companies, you don’t get that kind of connection.”
Steve Hayden, Finance Manager at Golden Bay Fruit
Challenges Before Ocerra
We had a chat with Steve Hayden, Finance Manager at Golden Bay Fruit, who shared insights into their journey to transform accounts payable (AP) processes. Before implementing Ocerra, the AP workflow at Golden Bay Fruit was, in Steve’s words, “very manual, very paper-driven, nothing automated whatsoever. We would spend an inordinate amount of time printing invoices, putting them in folders, and physically routing them to various managers and supervisors for approval.” This process led to delays, misplaced invoices, and an ongoing risk of duplicates.
As their business grew, the workload became unsustainable. “With the number of invoices doubling over the years, I would have had to hire another person just to keep up,” Steve explained.
Solution: Ocerra’s AP Automation
Implementing Ocerra transformed their AP process, eliminating paper invoices and moving approvals online. “Now, AP duties are managed by just one person, who also covers reception. It’s a huge change from needing both a full-time AP clerk and a part-time receptionist,” Steve shared. This shift has brought Golden Bay Fruit an estimated savings of up to NZD $100,000 annually.
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Key Results and Benefits
✔ Time and Cost Savings:
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Labour Savings: “We’re saving around NZD $100,000 annually, as the AP duties now require only part of an FTE,” said Steve. This has freed up resources, reduced staffing needs, and created more time for other tasks.
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Improved Efficiency: The digital approval system has reduced the average approval time from several weeks to just a few days. Steve noted, “Now, invoices don’t sit on desks for days waiting for someone to get to them. Approvals happen online, and the process flows smoothly.”
✔ Enhanced Control and Accuracy:
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Reduced Errors and Duplicates: Ocerra has centralised invoice handling and removed the risk of duplicates. “With everything going to one place, we’re no longer losing invoices or dealing with duplicates. It’s a huge relief,” Steve said.
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Better Supplier Communication: With improved accuracy and timeliness, supplier inquiries have decreased. Steve remarked, “We used to get frequent emails from suppliers asking why we hadn’t paid them or why a payment was incorrect. Now, those are few and far between.”
✔ Improved Transparency and Confidence in Data:
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Data Visibility: Steve values the visibility and transparency Ocerra offers. “Having digital access to all invoice details instead of shuffling paper has been a game-changer,” he shared. “I have more confidence in the data’s accuracy and the controls in place.”
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Enhanced Security Controls: Bank and tax detail checks add reassurance, particularly in avoiding AP fraud. “Knowing that the bank accounts are verified and we’re paying the right person provides peace of mind,” Steve explained.
✔ Streamlined Workflow and Reduced Approval Bottlenecks:
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Seamless Approvals: Managers now review and approve invoices online, at their convenience. “My team loves the ease of online approvals,” said Steve. “They don’t have to sort through piles of paper and can pick up where they left off if they get interrupted. It’s much faster.”
Client Feedback
Reflecting on his experience with Ocerra, Steve remarked, “The onboarding was seamless, especially considering we’d just transitioned to MYOB. The system is intuitive, and the team picked it up quickly.”
Drawing from experience with other AP solutions, he shared his initial scepticism about data extraction accuracy: “I was initially cautious about how well it would recognise invoices, but the process went smoothly, and it has been consistently accurate without losing any data."
Looking Ahead
Steve emphasises the importance of Ocerra’s client-focused approach. “Every now and again, I get a call from a competitor, but none of them come close on price or personal service,” he said. “It’s not just the cost; it’s knowing I can directly reach out to Ocerra’s CEO with feedback. With larger companies, you don’t get that kind of connection.”
Conclusion
For Golden Bay Fruit, Ocerra has transformed their AP operations from a paper-heavy, manual process to a streamlined digital workflow. This shift has led to significant time and cost savings while enhancing accuracy, transparency, and control. “For a small company like ours, Ocerra’s support and flexibility make a world of difference,” said Steve.
With fewer manual tasks and greater data transparency, Ocerra has empowered Golden Bay Fruit to scale their AP processes sustainably, meeting the demands of their growing business.