Schroeder & Associés
Schroeder & Associés improves invoice follow-up with GESALL Boomerang
Schroeder & Associés is one of Luxembourg's leading engineering firms, and has been using Proximus NXT' payroll solution since 2013. APSAL adapts to the company's needs, saving HR administration teams a great deal of time and reducing the risk of errors. The solution contributes directly to employee satisfaction and supports the company's growth.
As one of Luxembourg's leading engineering consultancies, Schroeder & Associés provides a wide range of expertise for construction and infrastructure projects throughout the country. With its 450 employees, the company is committed to building a sustainable world, integrating social and environmental issues at the heart of the projects it supports, and contributing positively and constructively to the transformation of society.
Successfully carrying out this mission means, first and foremost, looking after our teams and paying them properly, on time and on budget. In a company of our size, with its wide variety of profiles, payroll management is a complex task," admits Ms Bertemes, Head of Finance at Schroeder & Associés. We employ 450 people, with 430 fixed-term and open-ended contracts and an average of 20 interns over the year. Against this backdrop, our HR team has to keep an eye on who's coming in and who's going out, keep everyone's data up to date and adapt salary calculations to take account of parental, maternity or sick leave."
A flexible solution
For several years now, Schroeder & Associés has been relying on Proximus NXT' APSAL software to support payroll calculation and payslip preparation. "The solution we were using until 2013 no longer met our expectations," continues the manager. At the time, we were looking for a payroll management tool tailored to our needs. Since 2011, we had already deployed GESALL, the Proximus NXT solution for accounting management. So we naturally asked our partners if they could also help us with the inherent aspects of payroll calculation."
At the time, Schroeder & Associés had 280 employees. "Proximus NXT' APSAL solution stood out for its flexibility, making it easy for a small team to grasp all payroll-related issues," adds Bertemes. In fact, our wish was to be able to rely on software that adapts to the company's practices."
At Schroeder & Associés, for example, one third of the thirteenth month's pay is paid in March, and the remaining 2/3 at the end of the year. However, if an employee decides, for example, to take parental leave between the first quarter and the end of the year, it is important to take this into account when calculating the amount of the 13th month. Employees also have the option of converting this 13th month into days of leave.
Fully automated calculation
"With the Proximus NXT teams, we were able to adapt the software to meet our specific needs and integrate these elements into the payroll calculation. When a new need is identified, we can count on the Proximus NXT teams, who are always available to help us find the solution or make the solution evolve," explains Ms Bertemes. APSAL has saved us a lot of time every month. Payroll calculations and payments are fully automated. The important thing is to make sure that the input data is correct. The software takes care of the rest.
Integration of legislative changes
For Schroeder & Associés, the other major advantage of the solution lies in the integration, over time, of legislative and tax changes in the calculation of salaries. APSAL is a solution dedicated exclusively to the Luxembourg market. As such, the solution complies with current legislation. The relationship between the teams in charge of developing APSAL and the tax authorities means that we have a good understanding of regulatory changes, enabling us to update the software over time. APSAL salary calculations automatically take account of these changes, such as the recent granting of a tax credit to employees, or index jumps.
In addition to the automatic calculation and payment of salaries, the APSAL solution also enables us to draw up the various declarations to the authorities, and automatically forward them to them. "Thanks to the software, we have been able to considerably reduce the number of data manipulations. The associated risk of error is therefore considerably reduced," explains Ms Bertemes. The software also enables us to provide indicators on payroll trends. In this way, we can effectively manage our costs."
Closer to employees' needs
Between 2013 and 2023, the Schroeder & Associés team has almost doubled. Software like APSAL has supported this growth thanks to the high level of automation it enables. The company intends to continue improving its HR processes, including the integration of APSAL with the company's HR information system, to facilitate the updating of employee data. Another challenge is the digitization and availability of pay slips. "The time saved by these digital solutions means we can devote more time to our employees, advising them on the steps they need to take, with regard to tax authorities for example, with a view to optimizing their remuneration", explains Ms Bertemes, who is constantly striving to ensure the satisfaction of every member of the team.
"With the Proximus NXT teams, we were able to adapt the software to meet our particular needs and integrate these elements into the payroll calculation. When a new need is identified, we can count on the Proximus NXT teams, always available to help us find the solution or make the solution evolve."
Marcelle BERTEMES - Finance Unit Manager