Advanced Computer Software : NPTC Group of Colleges saves £100,000 and goes paperless with Advanced's software

Published on: Tuesday 13th January, 2015 Integrated finance and electronic workflow solution supports NPTC Group's sustainable agenda

NPTC Group of Colleges has achieved efficiency savings of £100,000 by implementing a financial management solution, with electronic workflow and document management functionality, from Advanced Business Solutions (Advanced).

Advanced's solution is also supporting NPTC Group's sustainable agenda by replacing inefficient paper-based procurement at its 12 sites. The software went live recently and has been made available to 150 finance staff and budget holders.

NPTC Group was formed in August 2013 following the merger of Neath Port Talbot College and Coleg Powys and is one of the largest further education providers in Wales. Following the merger, NPTC Group conducted a strategic review of its non-integrated back-office solutions and selected Advanced in preference to eight other suppliers.

Kathryn Holley, Vice Principal Financial Services at NPTC Group, said: "Advanced has a good reputation in the FE sector and its software was highly recommended to us by another college which had been through a similar merger. The finance solution's user-friendly reporting functionality was also key as it allows us to maintain the system ourselves without needing to pay for additional consultancy days.

"The implementation project was meticulously organised and managed which resulted in us going live with the solution ahead of schedule thereby ensuring minimal disruption across the College."

Advanced's OpenAccounts financial management and eBIS workflow solutions have enabled NPTC Group to centralise its finance function and automate the processing of 20,000 documents each year. Authorised staff can also access reliable financial data, track the status of their budgets 24 hours a day and automatically distribute relevant reports to departmental managers.

NPTC Group's 12 sites cover over one third of the land mass of Wales and the Group was previously hindered by inefficient paper administration. Using eBIS and document management technology (powered by V1), employees can now remotely raise purchase orders, enter new supplier details and approve and store invoices electronically thereby replacing manually intensive administration.

Holley comments: "Advanced's solutions have enabled us to centralise our finance team and save approximately £100,000 so far. No longer having to circulate paper between our sites has also reduced delays and avoided documents from potentially going missing. We can now access financial information immediately and reporting is streamlined.

"As a further education institution, we have a responsibility to operate as sustainably as possible. Going paperless has provided major benefits from both a cost and environmental perspective, which is vital to supporting our transformation strategy."

Advanced Business Solutions is a division of Advanced Computer Software Group plc, a leading supplier of software and IT services to the health, care and business services sectors. In 2014, the Group won Tech Company of the Year in PwC's UK Tech Awards and ranked in the Deloitte UK Technology Fast 50, which recognises the 50 fastest growing technology companies in the UK.