Delivering effective financial management to Suffolk Libraries with SAP Cloud ERP
SAP Business ByDesign can grow with us and support our future projectsHead of Finance and Resources
The Client
About
Suffolk Libraries
Suffolk Libraries is a not for profit, independent and charitable organisation that runs 44 libraries for the benefit of the people of Suffolk. Membership is drawn from various community groups and organisations who support the libraries and have a say in how they are run.
Understanding the Problem
The Challenge
Although Suffolk Libraries had become a separate legal entity in 2012, Suffolk County Council continued to run the HR and Finance functions. With all the accounting information for each library still held centrally, Suffolk Libraries had to apply to the council to change the financial records each month. Without day-to-day access to its financial data Suffolk Libraries was not able to run its management accounts as efficiently as it wanted to.
Procurement for library staff also needed streamlining. Staff currently had to email requests for purchase orders to be raised. Suffolk Libraries did not have an automated procurement process and it was not straightforward to find out when goods were received and then manually match the purchase invoice with the purchase order.
“We needed to take control of our own data and accounting systems and empower our library staff with self-service procurement to increase efficiency and save time and costs.”
The Solution
Making it Work
Codestone implemented SAP Cloud ERP for its capability to manage financial data and in-depth analytics across multiple operating library units, streamlining Suffolk Libraries’ core accounting processes and providing a centralised view of its financial condition.
Data duplication is managed automatically on a batch basis, easily interfacing across different systems including cash tills. The shopping cart also enables each local library to use a very simple screen to create their own shopping list and raise a purchase order directly. The back-office team can then easily see when goods have been received and match invoices with purchase orders.
The interface is modern and simple to use and library staff who are not accountancy trained can easily access data and achieve what they need to do.
Discover the Benefits
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Suffolk Libraries get instant value from this cost effective and modular solution which enables agility to quickly adapt to new opportunities
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Self-service procurement improves time management and ensures full visibility of what has been ordered and delivered
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Intuitive, adaptive and menu-based system enables staff without accountancy skills to do what they need to do such as analytics and reporting
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Pulling data directly into monthly reports for instant updates saves time and reduces errors compared to a push system of downloading CSV sheets
Codestone is a beneficial partner who provided us with lots of technical advice on best practice and has facilitated our third parties to ensure purchase orders and invoices are uploaded efficiently.Head of Finance and Resources
