The Skills Federation

While The Skills Federation may not deal with high volumes of invoices, their manual accounts payable process was far from ideal. Each invoice had to be manually entered into Xero, leading to inefficiencies that diverted valuable time from more impactful tasks. Without real-time data, the Finance Manager faced the additional burden of manually reviewing invoices received every Monday to keep weekly forecasts accurate—a tedious and time-consuming process.

Recognising the need for improvement, the Finance Manager sought a solution that would streamline operations and allow the finance department to function as efficiently as possible. As he explains, “We went for the change because we wanted a finance department to run as efficiently and effectively as possible.”

Already a satisfied customer of Agilico’s Managed Print services, The Skills Federation trusted Agilico to provide a solution to their invoice processing challenges. After attending a demo of Verify Automated Invoice Processing for Xero, they were confident this was the tool they needed.

Initially, the Finance Manager was concerned about the transition and whether the new system would genuinely enhance productivity. However, Agilico’s personalised support and training quickly dispelled any doubts. “The support from the Verify team, especially the personalised training, ensured a smooth transition and has made a noticeable difference in our productivity,” he notes.

Unlike many other providers who offer only generic training materials, Agilico delivers an account manager and one-on-one training as standard—a feature that The Skills Federation found invaluable.

“We particularly appreciated having an account manager and personalised one-on-one training. Many other companies provide only videos and training materials, which can be off-putting when you’re unsure if the system is set up correctly, potentially leading to inefficiencies,” the Finance Manager adds.

Verify has revolutionised The Skills Federation’s invoice processing workflow. Instead of manually keying in data, Verify intelligently captures invoice details from emails and instantly makes the information accessible to the finance team. Once verified, invoices are routed for approval and then seamlessly posted into Xero, ensuring a smooth and efficient process.

This automation has saved The Skills Federation a significant amount of time and effort. Reports that once required manual data entry are now generated with a single click, making weekly forecasting simpler and more accurate. With real-time access to invoice data, their finance team can now focus on strategic tasks that drive the charity’s mission forward.

The Finance Manager sums up the impact of Agilico’s solution: “Implementing Verify has transformed our invoice processing. The system is user-friendly, efficient, and has reduced manual entry, allowing us to focus on more strategic tasks.”

This partnership with Agilico has not only streamlined The Skills Federation’s financial operations but has also empowered their team to dedicate more time to what truly matters—advancing the education and skills of employed persons across the UK.