Penk Valley Academy Trust Enhances Financial Management with Sage Intacct for Education

About Penk Valley Trust

Penk Valley Academy Trust is a Multi-Academy Trust (MAT) dedicated to delivering high-quality education across 7 schools in South Staffordshire. As the Trust expanded, the limitations of their previous finance system, Sage 200, became increasingly apparent, prompting them to seek a more robust, cloud-based solution. The Trust partnered with ION to implement Sage Intacct for Education with the aim of streamlining their financial processes and supporting their growing financial needs.

Objectives

Penk Valley Academy Trust faced several challenges with their existing finance system. The trust’s previous processes were manual and paper-based, which was time-consuming and inefficient. Headteachers were spending valuable time signing off invoices at their desks, which proved to be a poor use of their time, especially given the complex levels of approval required. The previous system simply couldn’t cope with the levels of approval needed by the growing trust, which necessitated the move to Intacct.  

These inefficiencies highlighted the need for a more sophisticated and dynamic solution that could handle the trust's unique requirements and bring them into the modern world of paperless true-cloud accounting.  

The Trust specifically sought a system that would not only automate and simplify their financial processes but also provide comprehensive audit trails and accountability, all within a user-friendly framework.

Penk Valley Academy Trust + Sage Intacct for Education

Since implementing Sage Intacct for Education, Penk Valley Academy Trust has experienced a significant transformation in their financial management processes. The cloud-based nature of the system has liberated headteachers from the constraints of desk-bound tasks, allowing them to approve invoices electronically from anywhere, even on their phones when not on site. This flexibility has been a game-changer, enabling a true cloud-based operation that supports the trust’s evolving needs.

The transition to Sage Intacct has also streamlined the trust’s financial operations, providing enhanced audit trails and accountability features well-received by the trust’s management and auditors. The user-friendly nature of the system, coupled with ION’s comprehensive support package — including the ION Academy and Education Help Centre — has ensured a smooth transition and ongoing success.  

What Penk Valley Academy Trust Said...

"Before Sage Intacct, we had a very manual, paper-based process that was time-consuming and inefficient. Now, our headteachers aren’t sitting there signing off invoices - they can drill down and see everything in the system. They can approve it electronically, even on their phones if they want to, so they don’t have to be at their desks. It’s a true cloud-based system where they can do it anywhere.

ION’s support throughout the process has been phenomenal. It’s a bespoke system, yes, but the reporting and everything else is just what we needed, and we never felt like we were left on our own. The helpdesk and the support from ION have been consistent, and having the same people support us from the start through to going live has made a huge difference.”

Jan Marson, Chief Financial Officer, Penk Valley Academy Trust

This case study highlights the successful partnership between ION and Penk Valley Academy Trust, demonstrating how industry-specific Sage Intacct for Education has addressed the trust’s challenges and transformed their financial management practices.

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