"It could take a whole morning to check and forward for approval. Now it takes me a couple of hours to do everything."

The Independent Schools' Bursars Association (ISBA) is a professional body that supports bursars and senior business leaders working in independent schools across the UK. ISBA provides guidance, training, and resources to help its members manage the financial, operational, and strategic aspects of school administration effectively.

Before ExpenseIn

The Independent Schools' Bursars Association (ISBA) relied on spreadsheets and physical paperwork to manage expenses, creating a time-consuming and manual process. Each claim had to be checked, approved, coded, and then entered into Sage, adding multiple layers of complexity.

“We used spreadsheets and attached paperwork. These would have to be checked and sent for approval and then coded and entered on Sage – quite a complicated procedure.”

Why ExpenseIn?

ISBA chose ExpenseIn based on its ability to deliver accurate data and a user-friendly experience for both employees and the finance team. Ease of use and reliability were key factors in their decision.

“Accuracy of information produced, ease of use for staff, and ease of use for Finance.”

Saving time

Processing expenses was previously a lengthy, manual task for ISBA. With ExpenseIn, the team has significantly reduced the time spent on checking, approving, and entering expenses into Sage.

“It could take a whole morning to check and forward for approval and then the same again entering it into Sage. Now it takes me a couple of hours to do everything.”

Flexible integration approach

While ISBA has not fully integrated ExpenseIn with Sage, the ability to upload expenses still provides a more efficient alternative to manual entry.

“We have not integrated fully, we upload the expenses rather than transfer them automatically.”

Positive user adoption

The system has been well received across the organisation, with employees appreciating the simplicity and convenience of submitting expenses.

“The staff are very happy with the convenience and ease of use.”

Responsive support

Based on ISBA’s finance team’s experience, they have benefited from reliable and responsive support, with queries typically resolved within a day, helping maintain smooth day-to-day operations.

“The support is very good. Any queries are resolved within a day.”

Maintaining faster reimbursements

The organisation has always prioritised quick reimbursements, and ExpenseIn has helped support and maintain this standard.

“We have always tried to reimburse staff within a few days of their claim – ExpenseIn has helped this.”