Decentralized budget planning
Energie Wasser Bern is an independent public enterprise owned by the city of Bern and one of the five largest municipal energy suppliers in Switzerland. Serving approximately 70,000 households, 8,000 small and medium-sized enterprises, and 100 large customers, the company is committed to sustainability and a corporate management strategy that balances economic, ecological, and social concerns. Their mission is to provide economically viable, customer-driven, and secure energy over the long term, with the smallest possible ecological footprint. With over 600 employees, Energie Wasser Bern generates annual sales of more than CHF 400 million and is a partner of Swisspower.
Since 2007, ewb has utilized Allevo to plan between 500 and 1,000 objects per year from over 110 financial managers in the budget process, used for planning ewb’s operating costs.
Decentralized Budget Planning Directly in the Individual Departments
Prior to the introduction of Allevo in 2007, cost center managers in individual departments at ewb, such as Energy Management, lacked the means to independently input their planning data. Stephan Mücher, Head of Controlling at Energie Wasser Bern, explains, "You can’t expect anyone who doesn’t work with SAP daily to understand the SAP planning transactions." Consequently, only the Controlling department entered planning data, resulting in a single process where important departmental information was often overlooked. Allevo has since transformed this scenario. Cost center managers can now independently input planning data, utilize Allevo’s comment functions to provide crucial information, and ensure transparency for all stakeholders.
110 Cost Center Managers, One Allevo Training Session per Year
The Allevo planning tool offers an intuitive user interface to the 110 cost center managers at ewb, enabling them to work independently. A single internal training session per year ensures all managers remain updated. "Once a year, we hold a training session for the budget process, demonstrating how the tool works," says Stephan Mücher. "Over the years, we’ve observed that planning managers adapt well to Allevo. Some attended training once and retain the knowledge annually, while others attend every year, briefly checking for changes or specific updates."
Versatile, Transparent, and Up-to-Date Excel Interface with SAP Integration
Given the diverse applications at ewb, a versatile and transparent data entry interface for planning was crucial. Allevo’s satellite function addresses this need, allowing planning managers to create detailed plans and integrate them, along with comments, into a unified front end. "Satellites for IT and consultant costs, among others, enable us to store corresponding daily rates, consultant days, and service providers. This enhances information density and reduces the need for inquiries," explains Stephan Mücher. Since all data from the Excel front end integrates directly into SAP, the SAP system remains up to date. "The Allevo integration in SAP allows us to utilize current master and transaction data without media switching, simplifying planning data storage in SAP."
Customizable Excel Front End: the Allevo Master
Thorough training during Allevo’s introduction enables the Controlling department at ewb to work independently with the Excel user interface, known as the Allevo Master. "Initially, setting up the Master required some time, but we now have a good understanding and anticipate potential pitfalls," notes Stephan Mücher. "We can usually handle annual updates or minor interface improvements ourselves due to our familiarity with the Master." The Controlling department can adjust the Allevo user interface as needed, creating a tailored Excel front end for users. "For error messages in Allevo beyond our expertise, Kern AG’s consultants provide prompt assistance, ensuring smooth operations." Overall, most users find the software intuitive, remarks Stephan Mücher.