Customer Story: The Swan Trust
Transforming financial and HR operations with Access Education
The Swan Trust faced significant challenges in managing its financial, HR, and payroll operations across multiple schools. With a growing number of academies joining the trust, the need for a streamlined, scalable, and efficient solution became paramount. By implementing Access Education’s Finance and Budgets, as well as Access Education HR and Payroll solutions, The Swan Trust has successfully transformed its operations, leading to improved efficiency, accuracy, and strategic decision-making.
Access Education People & Payroll
Access Education Finance
Access Education Budgets
Multi-Academy Trust
Access Education has completely changed the way we manage our finances and HR. The efficiency, accuracy, and ease of use have been game-changers for our trust. We now have full confidence in our financial planning and payroll processes, and it has allowed us to focus more on strategic growth rather than getting caught up in administrative challenges.
The challenge
Before adopting Access Education, The Swan Trust encountered numerous issues, including:
- Fragmented financial reporting across academies, making consolidated budgeting a complex and time-consuming task.
- Inefficient HR and payroll processes that resulted in administrative bottlenecks and payroll errors.
- Lack of real-time data visibility, making it difficult for leadership to make informed financial and workforce decisions.
With the trust expanding, these challenges threatened to become unmanageable, prompting the leadership team to seek a solution that could integrate finance, HR, and payroll seamlessly.
The solution
The Swan Trust implemented Access Education Finance and Budgets to gain real-time financial insights and create a more unified approach to budgeting. Additionally, they adopted Access Education HR and Payroll to streamline employee management, payroll processing, and compliance tracking. This integrated approach provided a single platform to oversee financial and HR operations efficiently across all schools in the trust.
Key outcomes and benefits
Improved financial oversight and strategic decision-making
With Access Education Finance and Budgets, The Swan Trust now benefits from real-time financial data, allowing leadership to make informed and timely decisions. Previously, financial reporting was a fragmented process that required manual consolidation from multiple academies. Now, the trust can generate accurate, consolidated reports instantly, ensuring a clear financial picture across all its schools. This has enabled better forecasting, resource allocation, and long-term financial planning, ultimately improving the trust’s financial stability.
“It used to take us days to compile reports and understand our financial position across the trust. Now, with Access, we have instant access to the data we need, which has transformed our ability to plan effectively."
Enhanced HR and payroll efficiency
By adopting Access Education HR and Payroll, The Swan Trust has significantly reduced administrative workload and payroll errors. Previously, HR teams struggled with manual data entry, which often led to payroll inaccuracies and delays. The automated system has eliminated these inefficiencies, ensuring staff are paid correctly and on time. Additionally, HR teams can now manage contracts, absences, and compliance requirements more effectively, freeing up valuable time to focus on staff development and well-being.
“Payroll used to be one of our biggest headaches, with errors creeping in due to manual processes. Now, everything runs smoothly, and our team can concentrate on more strategic HR initiatives rather than fixing mistakes.”
Seamless integration and scalability
As the trust continues to expand, Access Education’s solutions provide a scalable framework that grows with them. New academies can be easily onboarded, with financial and HR data integrating seamlessly into the existing system. This has reduced the learning curve for new schools joining the trust and allowed for a consistent approach to financial and HR management across all academies.
“The ability to bring new schools on board with minimal disruption has been a game-changer for us. Access ensures we have a standardised approach across the trust, making transitions much smoother.”
Greater data accuracy and compliance
Access Education’s integrated system has improved data accuracy by reducing manual entry errors and ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements. Auditing processes have become more straightforward, with all necessary records available at the click of a button. This has enhanced transparency and accountability across the trust, making it easier to meet compliance standards without the administrative burden previously experienced.
“We no longer worry about missing compliance deadlines or scrambling for audit data. Everything is centralised and accessible, giving us peace of mind.”
Conclusion
The Swan Trust’s adoption of Access Education Finance and Budgets, along with HR and Payroll solutions, has significantly enhanced the way the trust operates. By eliminating inefficiencies, improving financial oversight, and ensuring seamless HR processes, the trust is now better equipped to support its schools, staff, and students. As The Swan Trust continues to grow, it has the confidence that its financial and HR operations will remain robust, scalable, and future-proofed.
Get in touch
If your trust is looking for a smarter way to manage finance, HR, and payroll, Access Education can help. Contact us today to find out how our solutions can streamline your operations, improve accuracy, and free up valuable time for your team. Let’s work together to support the future of education.