ENEL GROUP, the invoice as a Value Driver

The Enel Group was founded in Italy in 1962 as the National Electricity Board (Ente Nazionale per l'Energia Elettrica) with the goal of consolidating nearly all electricity generation, transmission, and distribution activities in the country into a single corporate entity. In recent years, Enel has evolved into a multinational company operating in over 40 countries.

The Challenge


Operating as a multinational entity adds complexity to administrative processes, some of which are outsourced. To tackle this challenge, the company embarked on a delicate process of standardization and harmonization while adhering to sector-specific regulations and rigorous oversight by relevant authorities. For the Enel Group, digitalization is essential to ensuring efficiency and flexibility.

The Procurement division enhanced its processes by integrating tender and contract management with SAP, eliminating paper invoices, and streamlining accounting. The project’s objective was to digitalize the entire supplier lifecycle, ensuring a transparent and fully integrated management system from the outset. Driven by the need to simplify the invoice acquisition process, the project also incorporated elements such as segregation of duties and group policies.

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The Approach


Rosario Farina, Head of General Accounting for Italy and Head of Electronic Invoicing and Digital Archiving Projects, recalls that Enel “began the digitalization of its entire document archive back in 2009, logically starting in Italy, with the goal of extending the same approach abroad.”

To meet procurement process requirements, an advanced procurement platform was adopted, leveraging JAGGAER technology and supported by the Yubiq document and process management system. The project engaged the AFC (Administration, Finance, and Control) function, enabling suppliers to digitalize their processes right from the bidding phase. Once qualified, suppliers participate in tenders and sign contracts, which are then integrated into the ERP system. This ensures a seamless digital workflow up to the invoicing phase, guaranteeing consistent management and global governance while allowing for local customizations.

The Impact


The initial procurement objective was surpassed, evolving from a simple contract portal into a transparent supplier relationship management system. Through an integrated platform, suppliers can monitor invoices and payments, manage IBAN details, and maintain continuity throughout the invoicing process. Verified upstream information is valid for all downstream processes, enabling suppliers to access pre-filled invoices from Enel, requiring only the completion of missing data.

“This has resulted in governance that is not only declared but also actively exercised, creating a standardized digital relationship with positive impacts on the digitalization of all value chain participants, ultimately benefiting the entire ecosystem,” says Rosario Farina.

With all information now available in digital format, Enel is exploring process mining integration to identify inefficiencies, exceptions, and other process-related issues. At the same time, the company is assessing the implementation of a confirming system, where invoices could become automatically self-liquidating upon issuance.

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