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Southampton Solent University

Read about Southampton Solent University’s solution and experience with Documation.

 

  • Invoice Management Solution
  • Location: Southampton, Hampshire, UK
  • Sector: High education, University
  • Suppliers: 6,500+

The Challenge

Southampton Solent University wanted to improve the management and processing of their supplier invoices. Their previous manual system was viewed as slow and inefficient and with new targets to reduce overheads throughout the organisation in the coming year, the Accounts Payable department was an area identified as providing potential cost savings.

The goals were to:

  1.  Create cost savings through the automation of the manual data entry and query handling processes.
  2. Increase the volume of documents to be processed in the AP department without the need to increase staffing levels
  3. Eliminate the source of processing bottlenecks and errors, ensuring accurate payments and adherence to business rules.

After responding to the Solent Uni tender, Documation was invited to present their invoice management solution(IMS) and was subsequently selected to install the invoice processing system at the university.

The university uses Access Dimensions as their finance solution and, as an Access ‘Alliance’ Partner, Documation was well placed to provide the required Access Dimensions integration work.

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The Solution

Documation’s Invoice Management Solution (IMS) processes invoices across departments and locations, in multiple languages and currencies.

Key features:

  • Intelligent Invoice capture from any source – paper, email, e-invoicing, EDI
  • Intelligent data extraction
  • Documents accessible 24/7 from anywhere in the business
  • Automatic PO matching
  • Online coding and authorisation for non-PO invoices
  • Powerful monitoring, audit and reporting tools
  • Integration with any finance system or ERP

Automating with IMS means faster payment cycles, reduced staff input and improved control.

IMS is built on Documation’s software platform, Enable, which provides the components to automate any document-intensive process. Scalable in size and complexity, Enable is a modular system, allowing clients to invest in invoice processing modules and business applications as needed.

Solent Uni Student Services Reception

SSU’s Invoice Management Solution

  • Document and Data Capture

    Southampton Solent Uni processes invoices from over 6,500 suppliers through centralised scanning. Intelligent data capture automatically extracts and validates invoice header and line-item data, eliminating manual entry.

  • Intelligent Invoice Recognition

    High-volume suppliers use predefined templates for accurate data extraction, while FreeForm technology identifies key phrases to capture information from invoices without templates.

  • Automated Purchase Order Matching

    Approved purchase orders (POs) include valid General Ledger (GL) codes. Invoices are automatically matched against POs in Access Dimensions, with successful matches posted for payment.

  • Invoice Exception Handling

    Invoices with PO mismatches are automatically routed to the procurer for resolution. Once corrected and approved, they return to Access Dimensions for matching and payment processing.

  • Non-PO Invoice Authorisation

    Invoices without POs are routed to authorised users with email alerts. Users can approve, reject, escalate or assign GL codes using IMS’s Coding Assistant, which provides intelligent defaults and validates coding accuracy.

  • Integrated Invoice Retrieval

    Users can instantly access invoice images within Access Dimensions. Integrated search, audit trails and workflow histories provide complete visibility of invoice status and processing.

The Outcome

Since implementing IMS, Solent University has significantly improved its accounts payable processes, benefiting from faster invoice processing, greater visibility and reduced administrative costs.

Key benefits include:

  • Faster invoice processing: Automated PO matching reduces processing times, while improved PO coding helps minimise exceptions and delays.
  • Elimination of lost invoices: Digital workflows replace internal post, ensuring invoices are securely tracked and managed.
  • Greater control and visibility: Staff can instantly track invoice status and progress throughout the approval process.
  • Faster query resolution: Improved visibility reduces invoice-related queries and enables quicker responses.
  • Easier bottleneck identification: Clear workflow tracking highlights approval delays, helping teams resolve issues efficiently.
  • Reduced storage and administration costs: Digital archiving eliminates physical storage requirements and time-consuming manual filing.
University Admissions Office Welcome

Five Years On…

After more than five years of using Documation’s IMS, Southampton Solent University has continued to enhance its invoice processing operations through new features and improved functionality. Key improvements include:

  • Greater flexibility with concurrent licences: More employees can access IMS without individual licences, reducing bottlenecks and improving workflow efficiency.
  • Improved invoice visibility and escalation: Expanded proxy access enables team members to view invoice statuses, manage approvals and resolve delays more effectively.
  • Automated email invoice capture: PDF invoices received via a dedicated email address are automatically imported into IMS, eliminating manual printing and scanning.
  • Increased supplier efficiency: Automated PDF processing encourages suppliers to submit invoices electronically, streamlining invoice handling.
  • Better reporting and insights: Management Information (MI) and Business Intelligence (BI) tools help identify recurring matching issues, improve three-way matching rates and support targeted improvements.
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Every finance team works differently. Whether you’re looking to automate a complex process, integrate with an existing finance system or solve a specific AP or document processing challenge, Documation can configure a solution around your needs.

Tell us what you’re trying to achieve and we’ll help you find the right approach.

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