Hospitality Spotlight: DocTech Celebrate 25 Year Partnership with Daniel Thwaites Plc

Digital transformation in the Hospitality sector isn’t just about technology — it’s about managing high volumes of documents across multiple sites, teams, and systems.

So how do you move from paper-heavy processes to a fully digital, scalable operation?

This is exactly what Daniel Thwaites, a leading UK Brewery and Hospitality group, has achieved over 25 years working with DocTech.

Who Are Daniel Thwaites and Why Does Document Management Matter in Hospitality?

Daniel Thwaites Plc is a long-established UK business operating across pubs, hotels, inns, and spas.

Like many hotel groups, distilleries and breweries in the hospitality sector, they manage:

• High volumes of supplier invoices
• Contracts for events, weddings, and bookings
• Operational and compliance documents across multiple locations

Without the right systems in place, this can quickly lead to inefficiencies, delays, and lack of visibility — especially as the business grows.

The Challenges of Paper-Based Processes for Hotels and Hospitality Businesses

Before their digital transformation, Daniel Thwaites relied heavily on manual, paper-based workflows — a common challenge across hotels, pubs, and breweries.

Key issues included:

• Paper invoices being printed, stamped, and physically approved
• Documents stored across multiple locations
• Slow approval cycles impacting supplier payments
• Limited visibility for finance and operations teams

For multi-site hospitality businesses, these challenges can directly impact cash flow, supplier relationships, and customer experience.

How Did Daniel Thwaites Digitise Invoice Processing and Accounts Payable?

One of the biggest transformations came from their accounts payable automation.

Previously, invoice processing involved:

• Printing invoices from email
• Manual coding and stamping
• Physical sign-off
• Scanning documents back into systems

With DocuWare, this became a fully digital workflow:

• Invoices captured automatically from email
• Intelligent indexing extracting key data
• Seamless integration with finance systems
• Automated approval workflows accessible from anywhere

For hospitality finance teams, this means faster processing, fewer errors, and complete visibility — even across multiple sites.

How Can Digital Workflows Improve Hotel and Event Operations?

Hospitality businesses don’t just deal with invoices — they manage a wide range of operational documents.

Daniel Thwaites expanded their system to include:

• Digital contract management for weddings and events
• Electronic signatures for faster approvals
• Centralised document access across departments

This is particularly valuable for hotels and venues where:

• Contracts need to be signed quickly
• Teams work across different locations
• Customer experience depends on speed and accuracy

How Are Hospitality Businesses Using Digital Forms?

More recently, Daniel Thwaites adopted digital forms to streamline both supplier and customer-facing processes:

• Spa waivers completed digitally
• Automated Supplier onboarding
• Forms stored instantly and securely
• No manual handling or paperwork

For hotels, spas, and leisure facilities, this reduces admin while improving the overall guest journey — a key competitive advantage in hospitality.

How Does Integration Improve Efficiency Across Hospitality Systems?

A major success factor in this case study is Integration of documents with your main applications.

DocuWare connects seamlessly with systems commonly used in hospitality, including:

• Microsoft Dynamics 365
• Property management systems (PMS)
• EPOS and finance platforms

For businesses running hotels, pubs, or breweries, this ensures:

• Data flows automatically between systems
• Teams don’t need to duplicate work
• Information is always accurate and up to date

What Are the Benefits of Hybrid Cloud for Hospitality Businesses?

As Daniel Thwaites continued to grow, they adopted a hybrid cloud approach — combining on-premise and cloud-based document management.

This is especially relevant for hospitality businesses that need:

• Flexibility across multiple locations
• Secure access for remote teams
• Scalable systems to support growth

Hybrid cloud offers the best of both worlds — control, performance, and future scalability.

What Results Can Hospitality Businesses Expect from AI Powered Accounts Payable Solutions?

After 25 years of continuous improvement, the results speak for themselves:

• 600,000+ invoices digitised and stored securely
• Fully automated accounts payable processes
• Faster approvals across multiple sites
• Reduced manual admin and paper handling
• Improved compliance and audit readiness

DocuWare has evolved from a document storage system into a business-critical platform used across finance, operations, marketing, and HR.

What Can Other Hospitality and Brewery Businesses Learn from This?

The key takeaway is simple:

Digital transformation is not a one-time project — it’s an ongoing journey.

For hospitality organisations, success comes from:

• Starting with high-impact areas like Finance and aiming for the full purchase to pay automation
• Expanding into operations and customer processes
• Integrating systems across the business
• Continuously improving workflows over time