IBM: Improving invoice and cash-flow outcomes with a modernized quote-to-cash process across the enterprise
Less waiting and more winning with cloud ERP
IBM, a global leader in hybrid cloud, AI, and consulting, launched a strategic modernization of its quote-to-cash operations. Guided by the RISE with SAP journey on IBM Power Virtual Server, the company enhanced operational agility, accelerated revenue, and built a scalable foundation for enterprise-wide growth with SAP S/4HANA Cloud Private Edition.
| Industry | Region | Company Size | Partner |
| High tech | Armonk, New York | >300,000 employees | IBM Consulting |
reduction in invoice cycle time.
of payments automatically matched.
faster contract registration cycle time.
Director, SAP S/4HANA Platform, IBM Corporation
Tackling complexity by modernizing on-premises quote-to-cash systems
IBM is globally recognized for pioneering innovations—from AI and cloud solutions to professional services—that span across continents. However, even this leading global hybrid, cloud, AI, and business services provider faced a mounting internal challenge: the increasing complexity of its on-premises quote-to-cash systems couldn’t keep up with the pace of its business.
With more than 150,000 active users across diverse business units, IBM’s on-premises ERP landscape supporting its quote-to-cash workflows evolved over time to include custom code, region-specific processes, siloed tools, and manual handoffs. These issues slowed operations and impacted productivity.
After evaluating the RISE with SAP journey, IBM leaders saw the opportunity to turn this challenge into a catalyst for change. As both a customer and a key strategic partner of SAP, IBM had a unique vantage point of expertise and access to the right technology and services. The vision was clear: modernize the quote-to-cash process from the inside out.
Jelle Gros, vice president of quote-to-cash operations for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa at IBM, says, “You speed up your transformation tremendously when the system says, ‘This is the application—use it.’ With this mindset, we were ready to pave the way for a smarter, faster enterprise built to scale.”
Director, SAP S/4HANA—Delivery, IBM Corporation
Pairing cloud ERP and infrastructure for smoother enterprise operations
Guidance through the RISE with SAP journey and support from IBM Consulting helped the company implement a modern ERP foundation that unified processes, enhanced automation, and empowered teams to work more efficiently across global operations. To standardize its quote-to-cash process, IBM combined SAP S/4HANA Cloud Private Edition with IBM Power Virtual Server and IBM Cloud. This helped provide a fast migration path and reduce complexity when moving the SAP software landscape on the IBM Power platform from on premises to the cloud.
The transformation delivered real-time visibility through intuitive dashboards and automated critical steps such as contract registration, billing, and payment matching. With the addition of AI-driven tools for accounts receivable, the company allowed 72% automatching of incoming payments.
SAP Fiori apps were also implemented to deliver role-based dashboards and create a responsive design for the user experience. Project managers can track contract and invoice due dates at a glance, reducing handoffs and delays. Even better, employees have the information they need at their fingertips instead of spending time searching for data or chasing updates.
As part of its long-term cloud ERP strategy, IBM is committed to a clean core approach. The company plans to use SAP Signavio solutions to baseline and analyze current processes and identify areas where simplification and harmonization could drive immediate value. This disciplined approach minimizes custom code and prioritizes standardized, modular processes to maintain a flexible, upgrade-ready, and innovation-friendly cloud ERP landscape.
Director, SAP S/4HANA—Delivery, IBM Corporation
Realizing measurable business outcomes with a modern ERP foundation
Focused on unlocking measurable value, IBM quickly turned operational complexity into strategic advantage by reimagining its quote-to-cash process with SAP S/4HANA Cloud Private Edition. The impact has been faster workflows, smarter decisions, and empowered teams on a global scale.
By modernizing its quote-to-cash process, IBM achieved meaningful business outcomes that continue to scale across the enterprise. The company shortened invoice cycle time by 83% and enabled touch-free billing for 80% of its complex consulting scenarios, driving faster cash flow and enhancing the customer experience. Additionally, accounts receivable disputes decreased by 20%, contract registration became 40% faster, and financial closings accelerated.
Beyond the numbers, teams across IBM now benefit from a consistent user experience and intuitive tools that make daily work more efficient and enjoyable. Tasks that once required chasing data or involving multiple teams are now completed in minutes, improving productivity and agility across the board.
“We used to have a very fragmented system landscape. Now we’re giving people a harmonized experience and consistent information,” explains Sirish Gottimukkala, director of SAP S/4HANA—delivery at IBM.
Project managers in particular have gained unprecedented autonomy. With on-demand access to actionable insights, they can stay on top of projects and resolve issues quickly, freeing up time for higher-value work. Teams are also more efficient, and customer engagements run more smoothly.
With these improvements, IBM is positioned to respond more quickly to market changes and customer demands.
Director, SAP S/4HANA Platform, IBM Corporation
Advancing global transformation with continuous process innovation
Quote-to-cash transformation is not an end point but a launchpad for IBM. David Ackerman, director of SAP S/4HANA platform at IBM, explains, “Our primary focus is completing the global rollout of SAP S/4HANA Cloud Private Edition. We want one global quote-to-cash and finance process across the company on a single digital backbone.”
But standardization is only part of the journey. Equally important is an ongoing commitment to eliminating inefficiencies, simplifying processes, and automating with AI. IBM plans to use SAP Signavio solutions to create a foundation to continually improve and integrate with SAP Business Technology Platform to enhance data orchestration and cross-system analytics.
With SAP and IBM technologies working together, the company is poised to drive intelligent automation, lower technical debt, and scale innovations that benefit employees, customers, and the enterprise.
Featured partner
IBM Consulting is the only global consultancy within a major technology leader. It uses deep industry knowledge, advanced AI, and a science-based approach to solve critical challenges, such as unifying processes, boosting automation, and empowering teams with modern cloud ERP solutions.