Unifying Accounts Payable Operations for India's Largest Entity Merger & ERP Migration
How MYND helped a major telecom infrastructure company consolidate 4 entities, migrate across 3 ERP systems, and establish a centralized Shared Service Center for accounts payable operations spanning all of India.
The Backbone of India's Digital Connectivity
India's passive telecom infrastructure sector forms the invisible foundation that keeps the nation connected. These companies own and manage the towers, fiber networks, and data centers that enable every mobile call, every internet session, and every digital transaction across the country.
Our client is one of India's largest passive telecom infrastructure providers, managing thousands of tower sites across multiple telecom circles. With the Indian telecom industry serving over 1.1 billion subscribers and growing rapidly with 5G rollouts, the operational complexity for infrastructure providers has increased exponentially.
The challenge intensifies when business growth happens through acquisitions and mergers. Each acquired entity brings its own systems, processes, vendor relationships, and compliance history. Integrating these while maintaining business continuity requires expertise that goes beyond traditional accounts payable management.
High Vendor Volume
Hundreds of vendors for site rentals, power, security, maintenance, and equipment across each telecom circle.
Complex Invoice Types
Rental agreements, utility bills, AMC payments, CAPEX invoices – each with different validation requirements.
Multi-State Operations
Different GST registrations, TDS rates, and compliance requirements across every Indian state.
Regulatory Scrutiny
SOX compliance requirements, audit trails, and stringent financial controls for listed entities.
When Four Companies Become One
Through strategic acquisitions, our client consolidated 4 separate telecom infrastructure companies into a single entity. Each company had its own ERP system, vendor relationships, processes, and compliance history. The finance team faced an unprecedented integration challenge.
Multi-ERP Complexity
The merged entity operated on 3 different ERP systems simultaneously – 2 instances of Oracle and 1 SAP implementation. Each system had different configurations, approval workflows, and data structures.
- No unified view of payables across systems
- Duplicate vendor codes across ERPs
- Inconsistent chart of accounts mappings
Process Fragmentation
Each acquired entity followed different accounts payable processes. What was a 3-step approval in one company required 7 steps in another. Standardization was essential but operationally disruptive.
- 4 different invoice processing workflows
- Inconsistent vendor payment terms
- Varying documentation requirements
Data Migration Challenge
Consolidating master data – cost centers, vendor records, TDS configurations, GST registrations – across 4 entities into 1 unified ERP required meticulous planning and execution.
- Thousands of vendor master records to reconcile
- Multiple GST registrations across states
- Historical TDS data migration requirements
Regional Decentralization
Payable operations were scattered across regional offices. Each region had its own team, processes, and vendor relationships. Centralization meant managing organizational change while maintaining vendor relationships.
- Regional teams with local vendor relationships
- Inconsistent invoice submission methods
- Limited visibility into overall payables position
What the Client Needed
The client approached MYND with a comprehensive list of requirements spanning operations management, technology migration, process standardization, and automation.
Payable Shared Service Center (SSC) Management
End-to-end management of all accounts payable operations through a centralized Shared Service Center model with dedicated governance.
Consolidation of 4 Infra Companies
Merger of payable processes from 4 separate telecom infrastructure entities into one unified operation while maintaining business continuity.
Multi-ERP Payable Management
Seamless management of payables across 3 ERP systems – 2 Oracle instances and 1 SAP – with unified reporting and controls.
Process Standardization
Design and implementation of standardized payable processes across all entities with consistent SLAs and quality benchmarks.
ERP Migration Support
Implementation support for migrating from 2 different Oracle instances to a single unified ERP platform.
Master Data Migration
Comprehensive data migration for cost centers, vendor masters, TDS configurations, GST registrations, and other critical master data.
Vendor Invoice Consolidation
Centralization of vendor invoice submission, processing, and reconciliation across all business units and locations.
Regional Work Centralization
Transition from decentralized regional teams to a centralized model while maintaining vendor relationship quality.
Process Automation
Introduction of automation to eliminate manual processing bottlenecks and improve operational efficiency.
How MYND Delivered Transformation
MYND deployed a comprehensive solution combining process expertise, technology enablement, and operational excellence to address each requirement systematically.
Process Automation Introduction
Implemented automation across the entire payable workflow to eliminate manual data entry, reduce errors, and accelerate processing. Automated invoice capture, data extraction, validation, and posting to ERP systems.
Centralized SSC & Vendor Helpdesk
Established a centralized Shared Service Center and dedicated Vendor Helpdesk (VHD) as single points of contact for all payable operations and vendor queries, ensuring consistent service delivery.
Variable Cost Model
Implemented a transaction-based pricing model that provides flexibility to scale operations up or down based on business volumes, converting fixed operational costs into variable costs.
Process Re-engineering
Redesigned payable processes from scratch with standardized workflows, approval matrices, and quality checkpoints applicable across all entities and ERP systems.
SME Deployment for Data Migration
Deployed Subject Matter Experts specifically for master data cleansing, reconciliation, and migration. Ensured data integrity during the transition from multiple ERPs to the unified system.
Regional Frontend Structure
Maintained regional touchpoints for vendor-facing activities while centralizing back-office processing. This hybrid model preserved vendor relationships while achieving operational efficiency.
Multi-ERP Trained Resources
Deployed a team trained across Oracle and SAP platforms, capable of working seamlessly across all 3 ERP instances. Eliminated system-specific silos and enabled flexible resource allocation.
Client Governance Focus
For the agreed scope of work, the client's KRA was limited to governance of operations managed by MYND SSC team. This freed client leadership to focus on strategic priorities rather than operational details.
Benefits for the Client
The MYND partnership delivered measurable improvements across cost, efficiency, compliance, and operational flexibility.
Fixed to Variable Cost Model
Transformed fixed operational costs into a variable model that scales with business volumes.
Process Standardization
Unified processes across all 4 merged entities with consistent SLAs and quality benchmarks.
Automated MIS System
Real-time dashboards and automated reporting for complete visibility and control over payables.
Regional Cost Reduction
Eliminated dedicated regional structures and associated costs including multiple ERP licenses.
Faster Invoice Processing
Reduced processing time through e-library creation and online approval workflow implementation.
Expert Resource Availability
Access to specialized AP expertise trained across multiple ERP platforms and industry best practices.
Flexible Structure
Ability to scale operations up or down based on business needs without hiring or infrastructure changes.
SLA & SOX Compliance
Maintained 100% SLA compliance and SOX-compliant processes throughout the engagement.
Getting AP Right in Telecom Infrastructure
Managing accounts payable during a major merger isn't just about processing invoices. It's about maintaining vendor relationships that keep critical infrastructure running, ensuring compliance during organizational transition, and building systems that scale with growth.
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Infrastructure at Stake
Thousands of tower sites, hundreds of vendors. Late payments or disputes can impact service levels across the network.
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Vendor Health is Critical
Landlords, power suppliers, security services – these vendors keep towers operational. Maintaining relationships during merger chaos is essential.
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Compliance Can't Wait
SOX requirements, multi-state GST, TDS – regulatory obligations don't pause during mergers. Missing one deadline can cascade into months of cleanup.
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Strategic Integration
The merger isn't just about combining books. It's about creating a unified organization ready for future growth and 5G expansion.
