“The time recording tool simply reached its limits”
This is how Michael Löckelt describes the initial situation and the reason to look for another solution. As Head of Customer Solutions at sovanta, he is responsible for the successful implementation of projects for sovanta customers. He adds:
“Our goal was to find a solution with functions that go beyond pure time recording. ”
Michael Loeckelt
Head of Customer Solutions, sonvanta AG
During the evaluation phase of possible alternative solutions, a new employee joined sovanta, who brought another option into play: the cloud-based solution ZEP from provantis IT Solutions. The “new guy” had very good experiences with the software application at his predecessor job, and so, after a corresponding test phase, he was commissioned to introduce ZEP at sovanta as well.
ZEP stands for time recording for projects. The web-based solution has been on the market since 2000 and offers project-oriented companies a complete solution for time recording and reporting, travel expenses, project management and controlling, and invoicing.
The switch to ZEP took place in summer 2017. Today, all time recording is handled by the solution. Michael Löckelt confirms:
“We not only record all project times in connection with customer projects in ZEP, but also all time spent on internal projects. We also use ZEP for comprehensive project controlling. ”
Michael Loeckelt
Head of Customer Solutions, sonvanta AG
Mobile use: document entry via smartphone camera
In addition to the web interface, sovanta employees also access the solution via ZEP mobile, ZEP's mobile apps. These are available for all common operating systems (iOS, Android) and make it possible to access ZEP at any time, even on the go, and record working and travel times. Michael Löckelt explains:
“Our project work is generally carried out more 'remotely' in our offices, but recording project times via mobile phone is of course convenient. Our employees in customer engagement and project management in particular appreciate the opportunity to have mobile access to ZEP. ”
Michael Loeckelt
Head of Customer Solutions, sonvanta AG
For travel expense accounting, sovanta employees use the additional ZEP Business Travel & Travel Expense Report module.
“Receipt recording via smartphone camera is a very useful function that is often used”
Michael Loeckelt
Head of Customer Solutions, sonvanta AG
Other additional ZEP modules and functions used by sovanta include vacation and absenteeism management and the SOAP interface. The latter is used to transfer the project times recorded in ZEP to applications developed by sovanta itself for visualization.
ZEP: Enterprise software instead of time recording tool
According to Mr. Löckelt, they are “very satisfied” with the use of ZEP so far at sovanta AG. The modular approach of the software solution meets the software company's requirements to have an enterprise software solution available for time recording and project controlling instead of a pure time recording tool. In the future, it is planned to extend this use to other areas, such as invoicing, and to integrate further ZEP modules.
