Optimising Invoice Processing using OCR and AI | Cristy Bennett | Oglethorpe Power Corp | MaximoLive

Cristy Bennett, Vice President of Supply Chain Services at Oglethorpe Power Corporation, shares her extensive 46-year experience in the utility sector and explores how technology is transforming invoice processing. In this insightful session, Cristy details Oglethorpe Power’s journey in optimising accounts payable through Optical Character Recognition (OCR) and AI, leveraging the ScanNMax solution from partner company TriNMax to streamline processes within IBM Maximo. Cristy explains how Oglethorpe Power, a Georgia-based utility with over $16 billion in assets across nuclear, natural gas, coal, and hydro facilities, faced significant challenges in managing invoice entry and approvals. Prior to implementing ScanNMax, invoice processing was slow, with delays of up to three to four weeks, leading to late vendor payments, penalties, and strained supplier relationships. The presentation demonstrates how ScanNMax, fully integrated with Maximo, utilises OCR and AI to automatically extract invoice data from PDFs, scanned documents, and even handwritten invoices. Cristy walks through the workflow, including validation, approvals, three-way matching, and attaching invoices directly to Maximo records. The solution drastically reduced invoice entry time from weeks to an average of one day, enabling earlier payments, improved vendor relationships, and significant operational efficiency. Viewers will gain practical insights into: Implementing OCR and AI for accounts payable optimisation Overcoming resource and workflow challenges in large-scale utility operations Leveraging Maximo modules for contracts, inventory, requisitions, and invoicing Achieving faster invoice processing while maintaining accuracy and audit compliance Whether you’re a Maximo administrator, supply chain professional, or part of a utility operations team, this video offers a real-world case study of digital transformation, automation, and process improvement in action. Cristy also provides a live demo of ScanMax in Maximo, showing exactly how invoices are processed, matched, and approved. Presented in partnership with TriNMax, a leading IBM Maximo solutions provider, this session is perfect for organisations looking to enhance efficiency, reduce delays, and unlock the full potential of Maximo for accounts payable and supply chain management. Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more insights from Maximo experts and utility leaders. Tech partner TriNMax: https://trinmax.com/en/ #enterpriseAI #OpticalCharacterRecognition #trinmax Speaker: Mrs Cristy Bennett Vice President, Supply Chain Services, Oglethorpe Power Corporation For the last 15 years, Christy has been leading the Supply Chain Services Department for Oglethorpe Power Corporation (OPC) which uses Maximo as its enterprise asset management & supply chain tool. She also serves as the lead of the OPC Maximo Governance Team, a management committee member of the Maximo Utility Working Group (MUWG) , a management committee member of the Maximo Supply Chain User Group (MSCUG), serves on the Advisory Council for Maximo Supply Chain Matters (MSCM) and former Board member of the Utility Supplier Alliance Association (USMA). She has presented at various Maximo conferences (MaximoWorld, MUWG, UK & Ireland Maximo User G & MSCM). Chapters: 00:00 – Welcome 00:34 – Cristy Bennett – Background, experience in utilities, and journey with IBM Maximo 01:39 – Topics for the session: Oglethorpe Power, Maximo environment, challenges, solutions, and demo 02:47 – Oglethorpe Power Overview – Company footprint, assets, power plants, and upcoming projects 04:22 – Maximo Environment – Modules used, multi-site setup, and supply chain management capabilities 07:32 – Accounts Payable Challenges – Invoice delays, COVID impact, and late vendor payments 11:21 – Introducing TriNMax & ScanNMax – How OCR and AI were implemented to optimise invoice processing 13:37 – Implementation Timeline – Discovery, purchase, setup, and rapid deployment of ScanNMax 15:05 – How ScanNMax Works – Invoice scanning, data extraction, workflow, and three-way matching 16:42 – Handling Non-PO & Direct Pay Invoices – Templates and utility bills processing 18:19 – Benefits & Results – Improved invoice entry times, vendor relationships, and workflow efficiency. 21:44 – Post-Implementation Metrics – delayed entries to average one-day processing and early payments. 26:00 – DEMO of invoice processing in Maximo using ScanNMax 32:29 – DEMO Processing an Invoice Step-by-Step – From scanned PDF to approved Maximo record 35:11 – Q&A what was the previous invoice processing techniwue at Oglethorp Power Corporsation? 36:18 – Q&A Highlights – Accuracy, partial receipts, and verification process 43:11 – Contact & Closing – Key contacts and wrap-up of the presentation