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Transparency & Planning Security: ERP Systems for SMEs

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Introducing digital technology into your own company is anything but trivial and poses a challenge for many companies. The introduction of an ERP system, i.e. a software solution for enterprise resource planning, requires a lot of preparatory work before the actual digitalisation of processes and workflows can begin.

But first: why an ERP system? An ERP system bundles real-time data from all departments in one system and thus provides a comprehensive overview. This makes it much easier to plan, control and monitor relevant business processes in a focussed manner. Trends and patterns in these processes and among stakeholders are recognised and potential problems are visualised at an early stage. This up-to-the-minute transparency across all areas of the company enables company managers to make the right decisions at the right time on the basis of solid data. Read more

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The Challenge of Company Succession: Successful Generational Change in SMEs

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According to a recent study by KfW Research, around 560,000 companies will be facing management and ownership succession by the end of 2026. However, a third of these companies are planning to leave the market without a successor. And this high figure is not surprising. Succession has become a major challenge in many medium-sized companies.

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Succession in Family Businesses – Practical Experience

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Handing over one’s own business is a challenging topic. Many entrepreneurs find succession difficult. Even if, like one of our clients, they deal with it at an early stage: Frank S., a medium-sized entrepreneur in his early sixties, had started to deal with the issue of succession in his mid-50s. So, he was well on time. It was clear early on that his only son would not take over the company. So how to proceed? Sell the company? In order to get this complex decision right, Frank S. called in an expert.

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Perfect Match? The External Managing Director in the Family Business

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In many medium-sized family businesses, a succession is due in the foreseeable future. In most cases, the company is to remain in family ownership. But not all daughters and sons are talented entrepreneurs. Or simply no one wants to do it. Then an external manager can be appointed.

When an external manager takes over the management of a family business, there are many challenges – for both sides. At the same time, the cooperation also holds many opportunities: External managers can professionalize the company with their experience and bring fresh momentum into the business. For the collaboration to succeed, a systematic approach is advisable – starting with the onboarding phase. Read more

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No Clarity? Digitalization in Accounting boosts Transparency

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No figures again? No up-to-date evaluations again? In many medium-sized companies, things are not running smoothly in the accounting department. The effort required to enter, print and check incoming invoices and receipts is often high and involves a lot of manual work. Staff shortages add to the stress. It is not uncommon for accounting to lag behind what is happening in the company. Then the entrepreneur lacks an overview of the economic development of his company – which makes decisions more difficult and involves risks. Every entrepreneur is familiar with the modern and sustainable solution, the digitalization of processes. However, the concrete implementation is lacking in many places. The digitalization of the accounting system is not a free skate for companies, but a duty, otherwise the company cannot be actively managed.

Runs: Digitized Processes save Time and Resources

Digitization of accounting aims to automate routine activities and simplify individual process steps. And it succeeds quite pragmatically. Whether it’s invoice receipt, invoice approval, archiving or invoice issue, reminders or automatic account assignments: With the right tools, accounting processes can be managed efficiently, on a daily basis and transparently. To do this, the first step is to revise the processes: What needs to be changed, what needs to be redone and what can be retained? This is the core of digitalization in accounting, because if only the manual path of a paper invoice is digitalized, this does not lead to an improved process. In the course of digitalization, the opportunity should be taken to really improve processes and structures. Subsequently, based on the requirements, it can be clarified which tools can be used for the respective company. For example, this could be new accounting software, a document management system with font recognition. The right, GoBD-compliant tools significantly simplify the workflow through automated processes and can also be implemented as a first step as an isolated solution with manageable effort.

Less Effort, more Capacity – the Advantages of Digitalization:

Digitized accounting works quickly, avoids errors and reduces the use of human resources. Cooperation with tax advisors, auditors and banks can be noticeably facilitated. On the other hand, management has an overview of the status of liabilities, receivables and its own liquidity through up-to-date evaluations. With a custom-fit solution, medium-sized companies can achieve efficiency gains and information advantages.

When THE MAK`ED TEAM supports its medium-sized customers in the digitalization of their accounting, pragmatic recommendations for action are developed on the basis of the individual starting conditions and the company’s goals. We have a high level of expertise in the establishment of new structures and the transformation of accounting and finance and know the decisive parameters for a successful and efficiently implemented digitalization.

Read more about accounting and digitalization here:

Accounting Compliance as a Basis for the Annual Financial Report

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Success with a System: Succession in Family Businesses

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One comes, one goes – and if one doesn’t go, one is too many. This statement already says a lot about why succession in family businesses is demanding. It takes a successor who is willing to take on responsibility and it takes an entrepreneur who is willing to put responsibility in the hands of his successor. The path to succession is crucial because it involves answering many questions. Systematically addressing the issue of succession in the company at an early stage ensures success – even if the result will most likely be different than expected.

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Listen to your gut! Is something wrong? Facing a crisis at an early stage

No question about it! In economically uncertain times, many companies are susceptible to crises. Now is the time to take special care in risk management. In times of energy crisis, Ukraine conflict and supply bottlenecks, very few companies know what tomorrow will bring and drive on sight. However, anticipating the development of one’s company is crucial, especially in volatile times, in order to recognize crisis indicators in good time and largely avoid a crisis that could threaten the company’s existence. The StaRUG has made this a corporate duty. The Stabilization and Restructuring Framework Act, which came into force on January 1, 2021, aims to protect companies from insolvency and support them in a restructuring process through various instruments. Permanent planning and transparent risk management are mandatory components in the entrepreneurial toolbox. This enables management to assess how the company is developing at any time and to identify crisis indicators before the crisis makes big waves.

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How much, where, for what: Personnel requirements planning brings clarity

The world of work is changing dramatically and is challenging HR managers. Whether it’s the shortage of skilled workers, succession management or digitalization: there’s a lack of personnel here, a lack of sufficient skills there. These dynamics have led to an increasing professionalization of HR management. State-of-the-art planning of personnel requirements forms an important and valid basis here.

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MBI & MBO: Profitably planning and implementing company succession

Succession is everything. Sooner or later, every company will have to face it. And for many SMEs in this country, in the not too distant future. According to estimates by the Bonn Institute for SME Research, around 190,000 company successions are due to take place between 2022 and 2026 because the management is leaving. The figures vary greatly from state to state – Bavaria, North Rhine-Westphalia and Baden-Württemberg are most affected. Due to demographic factors, the number of handovers per year tends to increase. Since most companies are family businesses, the internal family handover is the number one succession solution. But what happens if there are no competent descendants willing to lead the company? Then there are two options: Management buy-in (MBI) and management buy-out (MBO). What sounds complicated is actually quite simple: In an MBI, the company is sold to an external management, i.e. to a third party. And in the case of an MBO, the company is sold to management from within the company, for example to the management or employees. Whether the succession can be arranged within the family, within the company or outside the company, and which succession solution is best in each case, depends on the individual factors of the company.

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Who acts for you when you can’t?

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We don’t like to paint the devil on the wall. Rather, we think that part of risk management is to ensure the ability of an owner or a partner to act even if the person is unable to act himself at the moment. Illness and accidents are just two examples. The roles that an entrepreneur has as owner, managing director or partner must also be fulfilled in this situation – but by whom and on what basis? This is where the entrepreneurial power of attorney helps.

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