DocuWare > Case Studies > Propel Schools Streamlines Invoice Approval with DocuWare

Propel Schools Streamlines Invoice Approval with DocuWare

Company Size

1,000+

Region

America

Country

United States

Product

DocuWare

Tech Stack

Automated workflows
Document scanning

Implementation Scale

Enterprise-wide Deployment

Impact Metrics

Cost Savings
Productivity Improvements

Technology Category

Application Infrastructure & Middleware - Data Exchange & Integration

Applicable Industries

Education

Applicable Functions

Business Operation

Services

System Integration

About The Customer

Propel Schools is a federation of not-for-profit charter schools that serves 4,000 students in western Pennsylvania. The federation operates 13 charter schools, each with a strong focus on technology integration and creative arts, located in and around Pittsburgh. The schools order and receive their own supplies, but approvals are handled by a central business office. The Accounting Department matches the purchase orders and packing slips with each invoice and makes a copy of invoices needing approval. The documentation then goes back into inter-office mail to be sent for approval. Many invoices need multiple approvals, so the documents are often passed from desk to desk.

The Challenge

Propel Schools, a federation of not-for-profit charter schools, was facing challenges with their invoice approval process. Each school in the federation ordered and received their own supplies, but approvals were handled by a central business office. Invoices, packing slips, and purchase orders were sent there for processing through inter-office mail. The Accounting Department matched the purchase orders and packing slips with each invoice and made a copy of invoices needing approval. Then the documentation went back into inter-office mail to be sent for approval. Many invoices needed multiple approvals, so the documents were often passed from desk to desk. This process was time-consuming and inefficient, leading to delays in invoice approval and payment.

The Solution

Propel Schools implemented DocuWare to automate their invoice approval workflow. Staff at each school scans their documents into DocuWare. The Accounting Department accesses the documents online and performs a 3-way match. Then they quickly route the invoice out for approval. Automations save time in other ways as well. Accounting staff no longer call individual schools to track down invoices that were “lost” in someone’s inbasket. Efficiency is further improved because everyone involved in the workflow can view supporting documents online. In the past, all documentation was stored in physical files that were only accessible in the central business office. With DocuWare in place, invoices never need to be recopied and resent; a quick email reminder is all it takes to move the process along.

Operational Impact

The benefits of automation are felt in every step of the accounts payable process. When Business Manager Darryl Robinson signs checks, he also references supporting documentation in DocuWare. This has eliminated a mountain of paperwork.
Vendor calls to request information about a payment can now be answered immediately since the staff has complete information at their fingertips, including when a shipment was ordered, received and paid for.
DocuWare also integrates seamlessly with CSIU, their highly specialized accounting solution used in school districts in Pennsylvania as well as with other internal systems.

Quantitative Benefit

Approval time has dropped from up to two weeks to just a few days.
Reduced time to process from four hours to less than one.
Finding information would have taken as long as 15 minutes per request. Today, the staff can use that time for more proactive tasks.