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Story · Accounting

September ended on the 30th. You read it on the 12th.

Nobody was slow. The numbers were only asked for once the month was over, so every mistake was found weeks late.

32 hoursof real work
8 working daysand 3 late nights
2 daysthe same month, no late nights

7 October, 9:40 pm

Mei, the bookkeeper at Northgate Freight, has 2,300 bank lines to match. The warehouse count landed an hour ago, a week late, with 9 pallets in it twice.

Two department heads still have not answered. Lucas, the finance head, texts: “Lock September tomorrow?” No.

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October. Dark days are late nights. The owner reads September on the 12th.

The company

Meet Northgate Freight.

Northgate moves goods between cities. 110 people, 60 trucks, 3 warehouses, USD 1.9 million of sales a month.

MeiThe bookkeeper. Matches every line.
LucasThe finance head. Checks and chases.
Felix, Amara, KenRun trucks, warehouses and sales. Send numbers late.
HélèneThe outside accountant. Locks the books.
RafaelOwns Northgate. Reads the month when it is done.

Before

How September closes today.

Where did the 12 days go?

Twelve days of October, most of it waiting 1 to 12 October. Dark lines are days worked on the close. Numbers asked for on the 1st, warehouse count on the 7th, the owner reads September on the 12th. Numbers asked for Warehouse count lands Owner reads it 1 Oct 7 Oct 12 Oct
WorkingWaiting
32 hReal work
8 daysWorking days to close
September's close, day by day, before
OctoberWhat happensReal work
1stMei starts on 2,300 lines and asks the three heads for their numbers.6 h
3rdFuel numbers arrive, 40 receipts missing. Nothing from the others.5 h
5thSales numbers arrive in a new layout. Warehouses silent. Lucas calls Amara.4 h
7thWarehouse count lands at 8:30 pm, 9 pallets in it twice. Three evenings of rework.9 h
8thA fuel bill is in the wrong month. Hélène sends 11 questions.5 h
12thLast answer sent. Books locked. Rafael reads September.3 h
8 daysReal work32 h

Nobody is slow. The numbers are only asked for once the month is over.

This is normal. The typical close takes 6.4 days, and eight in ten finance teams wait on other departments.

The cost

What the waiting really costs.

What is this costing me?

USD 9,100

Twelve blind days. The Perth route lost USD 760 a day. Nobody saw it until the 12th.

760 × 12 days
36 nights

Three late nights a month for Mei. Half of Lucas’s month spent chasing.

3 × 12 months
USD 1,400

A month of Hélène’s questions, billed by the hour. And 9 double-counted pallets nearly sent to the bank.

The obvious fix

Why “faster people” won’t fix it.

Can’t I just push my team harder?

Make Mei ten times faster and the close moves one day. The warehouse count still lands on the 7th. Hélène’s questions still take four days.

Accounting software matches lines faster. It does not know who forgets receipts. Something has to carry the month across every handoff.

After

The same September, with WorkWeaver.

WorkWeaver is a digital team member. Rafael gave it access to the bank, fuel cards, books and warehouse system, on the model Northgate chose to bring. Mei taught it the rules.

What does it actually look like?

The same twelve days, with WorkWeaver Same 1 to 12 October strip. Matched every day through September, the owner reads it on the 2nd. Ten days free. Matched all September Owner reads it 10 days to spare 1 Oct 7 Oct 12 Oct
WorkWeaver workingSame 12-day scale
  1. WorkWeaver → Felix3 Sept · 7:00 am

    “Yesterday’s 212 lines are matched. Two fuel card lines, USD 418, I can’t place. The Perth run?”

    He replies from the cab.

  2. WorkWeaver → Amara15 Sept · 4:10 pm

    “Pallets 4471 to 4479 are in today’s count twice. One set, or two?”

    Fixed in 5 minutes.

  3. WorkWeaver → Lucas30 Sept · 5:30 pm

    “September is matched. Three items need your call: a USD 12,000 tyre bill, a refund, Ken’s new layout.”

    Two taps.

  4. WorkWeaver → Hélène1 Oct · 9:10 am

    “September draft attached. Your usual seven questions are answered.”

    She has two more. Done by lunch.

  5. WorkWeaver → Rafael2 Oct · 8:00 am

    “September is closed. Sales USD 1.92 million, profit USD 141,000. The Perth route lost USD 760 a day. Lucas has known since the 9th.”

2 daysto close
Zerolate nights for Mei
20 minof Lucas’s time

Side by side

The same September. Two different Octobers.

How big is the difference?

MeasureBeforeAfter
The owner reads the month12th2nd
Working days to close82
Mei’s late nights3 a monthNone
Department numbersChased for a weekAsked the same day
Hélène’s questions11, after the fact2, done by lunch

Your people

Nobody is replaced. Everyone moves up.

What happens to me?

Mei

Matching 2,300 lines at night.

Teaches the rules and decides the odd cases.

Lucas

Chasing three people.

Reads a clean picture every morning.

Felix, Amara, Ken

A monthly scramble.

One question a day, answered in a minute.

Hélène

Playing detective.

Reviews. And Rafael reads September on the 2nd.

People move from human in the loop, doing every step, to human on the loop, setting the rules and steering.

TeachingTrustingJudgement

The way forward

How Northgate gets there.

Trust is built step by step, like with a new hire. Northgate decides how much WorkWeaver does alone.

  1. Week 1

    Connect and teach

    Bank, cards, books and warehouse system connected. Mei teaches the rules in two hours.

  2. Weeks 2 to 4

    It prepares, Mei approves

    Every match and question goes past her first.

  3. Month 2

    It handles the regular lines

    Mei sees only the odd ones.

  4. Month 3 on

    People steer

    Mei sets rules. Lucas reads the picture. Rafael reads on the 2nd.

When did you read last month’s numbers?

Think about how many decisions you made before that day. WorkWeaver matches every line the day it arrives and asks the person who knows while they remember, so the month closes while it is fresh.

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