Bavaria Film: Cloud Solution Takes the Reins of Financial Management
To modernize, harmonize, and integrate systems, the perfect choice was SAP S/4HANA Cloud. With the migration to the cloud system, Bavaria Film is making its finance department future-ready. It serves as the centerpiece of consolidating the entire application landscape. Dokument herunterladen
To modernize, harmonize, and integrate systems, the perfect choice was SAP S/4HANA Cloud. With the migration to the cloud system, Bavaria Film is making its finance department future-ready. It serves as the centerpiece of consolidating the entire application landscape. Bavaria Film: Cloud Solution Takes
the Reins of Financial Management
The heart of German film and TV industry beats in Geiselgasteig, near Munich, where
Bavaria Film GmbH is headquartered. This versatile company operates across four
business units: Content, focusing on the development and production of content; Rights
& Distribution, dealing with the exploitation and distribution of rights; Studios & Services,
providing technical production services; and Real Estate, which involves the operation
and management of studio and office properties.
With around 1,500 full-time and freelance employees spread across the group and its ten
operating companies, Bavaria Film boasts a diverse and closely interconnected business
landscape. This complexity presents a particular challenge in intercompany
reconciliation. To streamline its financial processes, the management decided to
transition to the cloud.
Picture Credit | SAP SE, Walldorf, Germany. Used with permission.
the Reins of Financial Management
The heart of German film and TV industry beats in Geiselgasteig, near Munich, where
Bavaria Film GmbH is headquartered. This versatile company operates across four
business units: Content, focusing on the development and production of content; Rights
& Distribution, dealing with the exploitation and distribution of rights; Studios & Services,
providing technical production services; and Real Estate, which involves the operation
and management of studio and office properties.
With around 1,500 full-time and freelance employees spread across the group and its ten
operating companies, Bavaria Film boasts a diverse and closely interconnected business
landscape. This complexity presents a particular challenge in intercompany
reconciliation. To streamline its financial processes, the management decided to
transition to the cloud.
Picture Credit | SAP SE, Walldorf, Germany. Used with permission.
Simplify Business-to-Business Transactions with SAP S/4HANA®
Cloud
“Our group-wide financial processes have become
significantly more efficient, faster, and more secure.
SAP S/4HANA Cloud represents a quantum leap forward
for us.”
Tino Lenza, Head of Finance and Authorized Signatory, Bavaria Film GmbH
Bavaria Film GmbH
Geiselgasteig, Germany
www.bavaria-film.de
Industry
Media and Entertainment
Employees
Approximately 1,500
across the group
Revenue
€305.9 million
(fiscal year 2022/23)
Products and Services
Moving image production,
rights exploitation and
distribution, studio and
office rental
Featured Solutions
SAP S/4HANA Cloud
2x
faster business closure
compared to the old
system
Secure
and error-free billing
across all companies
within the group
Before: Challenges and Opportunities
• Bavaria Film wanted to consolidate the financial processes of the entire group.
• Differences in master data and ID numbers between the holding company and its ten subsidiaries complicated
the assignment, invoicing, and evaluation of projects.
Why SAP and SAP Services
• SAP received the highest overall score in the vendor evaluation.
• Operational security, disaster recovery, and data protection are standard in the SAP Cloud.
• Continuous innovation, modern features, and scalability complete the picture.
• The SAP® Activate methodology helps achieve ambitious goals.
• An “Extended Prepare and Discovery Phase” instilled confidence in the team and the solution.
After: Value-Driven Results
• Intercompany settlements, target/actual analyses, and reporting have become much simpler.
• Liabilities are easier to track and reconcile.
• All business units work on a common platform, using a lean cost plan.
• Auditors can pull data directly from the system, which saves a lot of time.
• Achieving fast closure within six working days is the next goal.
91575enEN(03/24) © 2024 SAP SE or an SAP affiliate company. sap.com/terms-of-use
Executive overview Objectives Solution Results Future plans
Cloud
“Our group-wide financial processes have become
significantly more efficient, faster, and more secure.
SAP S/4HANA Cloud represents a quantum leap forward
for us.”
Tino Lenza, Head of Finance and Authorized Signatory, Bavaria Film GmbH
Bavaria Film GmbH
Geiselgasteig, Germany
www.bavaria-film.de
Industry
Media and Entertainment
Employees
Approximately 1,500
across the group
Revenue
€305.9 million
(fiscal year 2022/23)
Products and Services
Moving image production,
rights exploitation and
distribution, studio and
office rental
Featured Solutions
SAP S/4HANA Cloud
2x
faster business closure
compared to the old
system
Secure
and error-free billing
across all companies
within the group
Before: Challenges and Opportunities
• Bavaria Film wanted to consolidate the financial processes of the entire group.
• Differences in master data and ID numbers between the holding company and its ten subsidiaries complicated
the assignment, invoicing, and evaluation of projects.
Why SAP and SAP Services
• SAP received the highest overall score in the vendor evaluation.
• Operational security, disaster recovery, and data protection are standard in the SAP Cloud.
• Continuous innovation, modern features, and scalability complete the picture.
• The SAP® Activate methodology helps achieve ambitious goals.
• An “Extended Prepare and Discovery Phase” instilled confidence in the team and the solution.
After: Value-Driven Results
• Intercompany settlements, target/actual analyses, and reporting have become much simpler.
• Liabilities are easier to track and reconcile.
• All business units work on a common platform, using a lean cost plan.
• Auditors can pull data directly from the system, which saves a lot of time.
• Achieving fast closure within six working days is the next goal.
91575enEN(03/24) © 2024 SAP SE or an SAP affiliate company. sap.com/terms-of-use
Executive overview Objectives Solution Results Future plans
Standardized Financial Processes Across All Subsidiaries
This process was not only time-consuming but also prone
to errors.
Furthermore, the Content, Rights & Distribution, Studios &
Services, and Real Estate divisions operated on different
systems. This made it nearly impossible to collect key
figures, posing a disadvantage for controlling and planning
purposes. Additionally, when an audit was due, employees
had to painstakingly prepare the data themselves.
Moreover, innovative applications and functions could not
be integrated into the old system.
A new solution was necessary. “We wanted to modernize,
harmonize, and integrate our systems,” said Tino Lenza,
Head of Finance and Authorized Signatory at Bavaria Film.
“SAP S/4HANA® Cloud was the perfect choice for us.” By
migrating to the cloud system, Bavaria Film is making its
financial system fit for the future. It is the centerpiece of the
consolidation of the entire application landscape.
The media industry is facing significant challenges, with
process optimization and cost reduction being paramount.
This is also true for Bavaria Film, one of the largest
production and service companies in the German-speaking
film, TV, and streaming sector. The group was looking for a
financial platform to make its cost structures more
transparent, streamline its processes, and ensure scalability
for future business models.
The company’s IT landscape was heterogeneous and
outdated. Although a financial system was in place,
intercompany billing proved to be difficult. Projects could
not be clearly assigned because subsidiaries used different
ID numbers for license rights, among other discrepancies.
Employees were required to manually consolidate all
accounting transactions for a project from separate general
ledger accounts.
Picture Credit | SAP SE, Walldorf, Germany. Used with permission.
Executive overview Objectives Solution Results Future plans
This process was not only time-consuming but also prone
to errors.
Furthermore, the Content, Rights & Distribution, Studios &
Services, and Real Estate divisions operated on different
systems. This made it nearly impossible to collect key
figures, posing a disadvantage for controlling and planning
purposes. Additionally, when an audit was due, employees
had to painstakingly prepare the data themselves.
Moreover, innovative applications and functions could not
be integrated into the old system.
A new solution was necessary. “We wanted to modernize,
harmonize, and integrate our systems,” said Tino Lenza,
Head of Finance and Authorized Signatory at Bavaria Film.
“SAP S/4HANA® Cloud was the perfect choice for us.” By
migrating to the cloud system, Bavaria Film is making its
financial system fit for the future. It is the centerpiece of the
consolidation of the entire application landscape.
The media industry is facing significant challenges, with
process optimization and cost reduction being paramount.
This is also true for Bavaria Film, one of the largest
production and service companies in the German-speaking
film, TV, and streaming sector. The group was looking for a
financial platform to make its cost structures more
transparent, streamline its processes, and ensure scalability
for future business models.
The company’s IT landscape was heterogeneous and
outdated. Although a financial system was in place,
intercompany billing proved to be difficult. Projects could
not be clearly assigned because subsidiaries used different
ID numbers for license rights, among other discrepancies.
Employees were required to manually consolidate all
accounting transactions for a project from separate general
ledger accounts.
Picture Credit | SAP SE, Walldorf, Germany. Used with permission.
Executive overview Objectives Solution Results Future plans
Cloud System at the Heart of Consolidated IT
Bavaria Film’s ERP system and application landscape were
becoming outdated. Therefore, the company developed a
holistic IT strategy in 2020. The goal was to renew,
standardize, and integrate the system landscape. A key
component of this strategy was the implementation of SAP
S/4HANA® Cloud as an innovative financial platform.
The selection process was intensive and detailed. “We
looked at several vendors, inquired with some of them, and
ultimately chose SAP,” said Wilhelm Rath, SAP Finance
Analyst at Bavaria Film. “It was a team decision. We weighed
the costs and benefits and tested the systems in
workshops.”
The project team is gradually implementing SAP S/4HANA®
Cloud across the operating companies. Thirteen have
already been connected, and now the last two companies,
with a total of 15 operating units, will follow.
The financial accounting of the entire group will then be
harmonized.
Management already has a dashboard, which is ideal for
forecasting, planning, controlling, and reporting. Detailed
target/actual figures are readily accessible with just a click,
and transactions can be viewed for individual invoices.
Excel documents can also be imported and exported
seamlessly.
Integrated financing is crucial for Bavaria Film, as its
subsidiaries are closely connected. For instance, in a series
production, rights sales, studios, and merchandising all
work together. In other words, these activities involve highly
complex processes with correspondingly challenging cost
and profit accounting. Thanks to SAP S/4HANA Cloud, it is
now possible for the first time to manage this
comprehensively for all individual areas and across the
entire group.
13
months until the first company goes
live
65
users
50%
faster closures
Executive overview Objectives Solution Results Future plans
Bavaria Film’s ERP system and application landscape were
becoming outdated. Therefore, the company developed a
holistic IT strategy in 2020. The goal was to renew,
standardize, and integrate the system landscape. A key
component of this strategy was the implementation of SAP
S/4HANA® Cloud as an innovative financial platform.
The selection process was intensive and detailed. “We
looked at several vendors, inquired with some of them, and
ultimately chose SAP,” said Wilhelm Rath, SAP Finance
Analyst at Bavaria Film. “It was a team decision. We weighed
the costs and benefits and tested the systems in
workshops.”
The project team is gradually implementing SAP S/4HANA®
Cloud across the operating companies. Thirteen have
already been connected, and now the last two companies,
with a total of 15 operating units, will follow.
The financial accounting of the entire group will then be
harmonized.
Management already has a dashboard, which is ideal for
forecasting, planning, controlling, and reporting. Detailed
target/actual figures are readily accessible with just a click,
and transactions can be viewed for individual invoices.
Excel documents can also be imported and exported
seamlessly.
Integrated financing is crucial for Bavaria Film, as its
subsidiaries are closely connected. For instance, in a series
production, rights sales, studios, and merchandising all
work together. In other words, these activities involve highly
complex processes with correspondingly challenging cost
and profit accounting. Thanks to SAP S/4HANA Cloud, it is
now possible for the first time to manage this
comprehensively for all individual areas and across the
entire group.
13
months until the first company goes
live
65
users
50%
faster closures
Executive overview Objectives Solution Results Future plans
“In the near future, month-end closing should be
completed by the sixth business day, as opposed to
the twelfth. This will be possible due to a faster
accounting process.”
Wilhelm Rath, SAP Finance Analyst, Bavaria Film GmbH
The Highlights of the Digital Transformation
With the implementation of SAP S/4HANA® Cloud, Bavaria
Film has radically modernized its financial processes. The
team now generates segment reports for its four divisions:
Content, Rights & Distribution, Studios & Services, and Real
Estate, on a single client. The “partner function” saves many
accounts and thus streamlines the chart of accounts.
Projects can be tracked across companies using one ID
number. For example, if a studio is rented for a production,
it is recorded in the license department with the same ID
number. Intercompany billing is largely automated, and
payment transactions are processed much faster.
Liabilities can now be tracked in detail, allowing for the
early identification of potential errors. Moreover, Bavaria
Film has obtained valid key figures for numerous processes
and outcomes for the first time, providing a stable
framework for planning.
Auditors can also extract numbers directly from the system,
saving staff time and reducing the potential for errors.
Users benefit from numerous practical features that
simplify daily tasks. For instance, documents can be easily
attached via drag and drop.
Faster
invoice processing and reports
Clear
figures for all companies at the
touch of a button
Error-free
accounting and evaluations
Executive overview Objectives Solution Results Future plans
completed by the sixth business day, as opposed to
the twelfth. This will be possible due to a faster
accounting process.”
Wilhelm Rath, SAP Finance Analyst, Bavaria Film GmbH
The Highlights of the Digital Transformation
With the implementation of SAP S/4HANA® Cloud, Bavaria
Film has radically modernized its financial processes. The
team now generates segment reports for its four divisions:
Content, Rights & Distribution, Studios & Services, and Real
Estate, on a single client. The “partner function” saves many
accounts and thus streamlines the chart of accounts.
Projects can be tracked across companies using one ID
number. For example, if a studio is rented for a production,
it is recorded in the license department with the same ID
number. Intercompany billing is largely automated, and
payment transactions are processed much faster.
Liabilities can now be tracked in detail, allowing for the
early identification of potential errors. Moreover, Bavaria
Film has obtained valid key figures for numerous processes
and outcomes for the first time, providing a stable
framework for planning.
Auditors can also extract numbers directly from the system,
saving staff time and reducing the potential for errors.
Users benefit from numerous practical features that
simplify daily tasks. For instance, documents can be easily
attached via drag and drop.
Faster
invoice processing and reports
Clear
figures for all companies at the
touch of a button
Error-free
accounting and evaluations
Executive overview Objectives Solution Results Future plans
Beyond the Premiere: What Happens After Going Live?
With the rollout of core functions, Bavaria Film has taken an
important step into the future. However, this is just the
beginning: The group plans to further expand and enhance
the system.
In the coming weeks, internal coordination between
divisions and group-wide reporting will be activated. Over
the next few years, Bavaria Film plans to use additional
functions of the system that have not yet been activated,
such as:
• Cross-company accounting
• Warehouse management
• Purchase order management
• Payment approvals
• Vendor management
Bavaria Film is strategically planning to make its working
methods more efficient, flexible, and innovative. To achieve
this, the company aims to leverage new technologies to
adapt more swiftly to market changes and to discover new
creative opportunities. Additionally, Bavaria Film will
benefit from future innovations in the SAP S/4HANA®
Cloud, as these improvements are automatically rolled out
to customers.
Digital transformation is a key factor for Bavaria Film in
reinforcing and broadening its position as one of the
leading production and service companies in Germany.
Executive overview Objectives Solution Results Future plans
Picture Credit | SAP SE, Walldorf, Germany. Used with permission.
With the rollout of core functions, Bavaria Film has taken an
important step into the future. However, this is just the
beginning: The group plans to further expand and enhance
the system.
In the coming weeks, internal coordination between
divisions and group-wide reporting will be activated. Over
the next few years, Bavaria Film plans to use additional
functions of the system that have not yet been activated,
such as:
• Cross-company accounting
• Warehouse management
• Purchase order management
• Payment approvals
• Vendor management
Bavaria Film is strategically planning to make its working
methods more efficient, flexible, and innovative. To achieve
this, the company aims to leverage new technologies to
adapt more swiftly to market changes and to discover new
creative opportunities. Additionally, Bavaria Film will
benefit from future innovations in the SAP S/4HANA®
Cloud, as these improvements are automatically rolled out
to customers.
Digital transformation is a key factor for Bavaria Film in
reinforcing and broadening its position as one of the
leading production and service companies in Germany.
Executive overview Objectives Solution Results Future plans
Picture Credit | SAP SE, Walldorf, Germany. Used with permission.