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When you think of The French Bastards, you picture the shop windows, the pastries, the new openings in Paris or Bordeaux. But behind every opening lies a much less visible challenge: invoice processing.
In September 2024, Marie-Céline joined as Head of Finance. Her mission was easy to articulate and hard to execute: structure finance, secure the numbers, and absorb an accelerating growth curve.
Very quickly, one issue stood out: the supplier invoice workflow, entirely manual.
Before Phacet: more shops opening, more emails piling up
Historically, every invoice landed in a shared accounting inbox. The accountant opened each email, downloaded the attachments, uploaded the invoice into Sage, then moved on to the next one. A handcrafted system that became increasingly fragile as the group expanded.
“Historically, all invoices arrived in one inbox. We opened each email, grabbed the attachments and entered everything into accounting. It was extremely time-consuming.”
With the jump from 7 to 14 shops, even a full-time person wasn’t enough. The risk of missing invoices rose sharply: if an email was opened by mistake, it visually disappeared from the queue.
“Once you open the email and it becomes ‘read’, it disappears from your view. You just don’t process it.”
For a CFO, the consequence is immediate: without exhaustiveness, reporting becomes unreliable.
“I need full visibility on expenses for the reporting to be coherent and realistic.”
The finance team spent its time absorbing the flow instead of steering performance.
The trigger: automating the accounting inbox
AI naturally became the next step: secure 100% of invoices, eliminate oversights, and free time for higher-value tasks.
“The benefit of having AI is to automate these tasks so she can free up time for work with higher added value.”
Beyond the operational impact, the challenge was also organizational: everything depended on one person. What happens when she goes on holiday? Who catches up?
The priority was clear: secure the process before launching new financial projects.
What Phacet implemented
Phacet became the bridge between the accounting inbox and Sage. The AI application running on Phacet intercepts emails, extracts invoices and key information, then automatically sends each document to Sage as a draft.
The most immediate impact was visual: for the first time, the team could see the real flow.
“Today, I can tell in two seconds whether we’re ten invoices behind or a hundred. It’s a gauge.”
Simply filtering drafts in Sage gives Marie-Céline a clear view of the workload—something that was completely opaque when everything lived in an inbox.
A second agent, dedicated to price control, verifies supplier prices against the mercuriale—a natural step toward structured cost control and analytics.
A simple rollout for the finance team, with guidance
As often, adoption depends on trust. The accountant, initially cautious, feared missed invoices. Iterations trained the AI, added new suppliers and shops, and refined the system without adding complexity.
“We had quite a few iterations to train the AI. Today, with every new shop or supplier, we update it.”
The tool remains intentionally simple so that non-technical teams can use it.
“It’s super easy to use. You don’t need to be an expert. We don’t waste time.”
Marie-Céline acts as the conductor: the accountant handles drafts in Sage, while she oversees and identifies future automation opportunities.
Concrete results
1. Absorbing growth without hiring
With 14 shops, the old model would have required an additional headcount. Phacet absorbs the heavy part.
2. Instant visibility on the flow
Drafts in Sage replace an opaque inbox.
“I know exactly where the accountant stands.”
3. A drastically lower risk of missing invoices
Every invoice ends up in Sage. No more lost emails.
4. Lower mental load
Holidays no longer paralyze the workflow. The system keeps running.
5. A stronger employer brand
Younger profiles see a modernized, forward-looking finance function.
“Young accountants think it’s great. It modernizes the job.”
A partnership, not a one-off implementation
For Marie-Céline, Phacet’s role goes far beyond being a software provider.
“We see Phacet as a real partner. Not someone you see once just to plug Sage.”
She expects ideas, use cases, and ongoing collaboration.
“You have so many use cases. You push ideas I wouldn’t have thought of.”
AI doesn’t arrive all at once—it grows in layers, through continuous collaboration with the Phacet team.
Her recommendations to other CFOs
Her advice to peers is direct:
- Start with a simple, proven use case
- Run the classic process in parallel at first
- Avoid launching ten projects at once
- Identify a clear internal owner
- Work with a partner who can support your growth
“If no one owns the topic internally, nothing moves forward.”
What The French Bastards takes away from Phacet
In just a few months, AI has enabled the company to:
- secure a critical workflow
- regain visibility
- reduce mental load
- modernize the finance function
- prepare the ground for deeper analytics
With one conviction:
“We’re really at the very beginning of what’s possible.”
