Leading Leisure Management Contractor Automates Purchase-to-Pay Processes with Version One

SLM, the longest established leisure management contractor in the UK, is improving its purchase-to-pay processes with Version One’s document management and imaging technology (www.versionone.co.uk). Purchase orders (POs) will be created, delivered and stored electronically and users will be able to access every PO’s corresponding purchase invoice with just a couple of mouse clicks, enabling the quick resolution of invoice queries. SLM is also looking to use Version One’s technology for the electronic storage of all its 40,000 membership records.

SLM, which manages leisure centres for local authorities across England including Cambridge City Council and Bristol City Council, is implementing Version One’s technology into its existing Microsoft Great Plains ERP system. With this technology in place, hundreds of SLM staff across sixty sites will be able to electronically create and deliver all its POs from the desktop. These will then be automatically stored in the archive and linked to all corresponding purchase invoices (imaged at the SLM headquarters using a Kodak i260 scanner). By drilling down through the Great Plains system or by using a web browser, authorised users will be able to retrieve POs and purchase invoices within seconds.

Tim Stooks, Financial Controller from SLM says, “With authorised managers having access to purchase orders and purchase invoices directly from their PCs, invoice approval times will be dramatically improved. Managers will also have greater control over cost reconciliation and the posting and faxing of purchase-to-pay documents between sites will be eliminated.”

In time, SLM will look at implementing other Version One solutions to further improve its purchase-to-pay processes, namely Version One’s automated data capture solution which significantly reduces manual data entry of invoice information. In addition, SLM is planning to roll-out Version One’s technology to other areas of the business.

“Going forward, we will look at electronically archiving all 40,000 leisure centre membership records which are currently stored in filing cabinets across our sixty sites”, says Stooks.

www.versionone.co.uk