The challenge
Le Foyer wants to offer its tenants the best services, both in terms of support and the quality of the rented properties. With more than 125 years of existence, their buildings - and tenants’ expectations - have evolved significantly. Their IT tools, however, were no longer suited to these new requirements. They were slow, difficult to use, and no longer ensured sufficient data quality. This limited their analyses and ability to plan future developments.
The need
They required a new solution to continue fulfilling their mission. The essential criteria for the new solution were, first, to have a scalable tool capable of automatically integrating legislative changes. They also wanted a platform that would enable an advanced digitalization of their processes: purchase orders, electronic signatures, digital invoice delivery, etc. Another key aspect was the ability to structure and analyze data, providing us with relevant insights for day‑to‑day management. Finally, the entire system needed to simplify and modernize their internal operations.
The solution
The adoption of Adfinity allowed Le Foyer to significantly improve its efficiency and overall performance. Beyond general accounting, they now use several essential modules: digitalization of purchase orders (PSM), service charge calculation, and stock management. These tools enable better tracking of goods, more reliable inventories, and accurate integration of charges. The budgeting module has also broadened access to financial data for a larger number of managers, strengthening the day‑to‑day monitoring of budgets. Finally, the digitization of approval workflows provides clear traceability and simplified analysis, ensuring optimal oversight and management within Le Foyer.
Le Foyer Schaerbeekois is a Public Service Real Estate Company in Brussels that manages more than 2,500 housing units, home to a total of 5,600 tenants. Founded in 1899, it employs around one hundred people. To support their mission, they wanted to improve their management tool.
"The main challenges our organization faces are closely linked to our desire to offer our tenants and clients the best possible services, both in terms of support and in the quality of the properties we rent out. With more than 125 years of existence, our buildings have naturally evolved along with modern housing standards, just as tenants’ expectations have increased over time. On the IT side, the tools we had a few years ago no longer met our needs. They were slow, limited the use of data, and no longer provided the analyses needed to confidently plan our future developments," explains François Loffet, Member of the Management of the Foyer Schaerbeekois.
One clear motivation: offering a modern tool to their employees
The first requirement was to have a scalable tool, capable of automatically integrating legislative changes without intervention from the Foyer. That is why Adfinity and Easi handle these updates. Next, they wanted a solution enabling advanced digitalization of their processes: purchase orders, electronic signatures, digital invoice sending, etc. Finally, it was essential that the solution allow them to analyze and structure data in order to extract relevant insights for daily operations.
"We wanted to offer every employee a business tool truly adapted to their daily practice - a tool they can identify with, continue learning with, and use to follow the evolution of their profession. This is why we chose Adfinity," adds François Loffet.
A transition and implementation that required real adaptation : "We first went through an analysis phase that allowed us to identify how we could improve our practices. It was clear that simply replicating the existing system in a new tool - while keeping our old procedures and operating methods - would not have been viable. Easi challenged us, but above all advised us, helping us evolve in a positive direction. At times it felt unsettling, but it was absolutely necessary. We then tested the different configurations. And it was really during the go‑live phase, when the Foyer Schaerbeekois started using the tool on a daily basis, that we fully dove in and took the first step toward an efficient use of the solution," concludes François Loffet.
Improvements in performance and efficiency thanks to Adfinity
In Adfinity, the Foyer Schaerbeekois did not subscribe only to the general accounting module. They also opted for:
- The PSM module, to digitalize their purchase orders.
- The service charge calculation module, essential for a real estate company, allowing charges to be integrated as closely as possible to the invoices.
- The stock management module, to efficiently track goods, follow deliveries, receipts, and stock withdrawals (apartments, renovations, repairs), and conduct far more efficient inventories.
- The budgeting module, which opened access to financial data to a larger number of managers, including the extended management committee. Everyone is now more actively involved in the daily monitoring of their budgets.
The most transformative features also include the digitization of approval workflows, providing clear traceability of validations and associated amounts. All information is now structured to be easily consulted, efficiently analyzed, and used to improve daily operations and overall management.
If I had to describe Adfinity in three words…
Professionalization: It is a tool that encourages us to challenge our practices and continuously improve them, in a logic of quality enhancement.
Digitalization: It allows us to move toward a zero-paper accounting approach, with simple and secure access, even remotely.
Evolution: Adfinity is a solution that is constantly progressing and gives us the possibility to integrate new features — whenever relevant — into the operational reality of the Foyer Schaerbeekois
François Loffet, Member of the Management of the Foyer Schaerbeekois