Client Challenge
Great Places Housing Group (GPH) initially managed supplier requests through manual approvals and paper forms. Members of the Accounts Payable team would provide supplier information on either paper or via online forms, before sending them on to different teams within the business. The Accounts Payable team would then manually create the supplier directly into the OpenAccounts application. This process had many risks and challenges such as lost forms, human error, risk of fraud and the potential of collusion from suppliers.
Our Solution
GPH adopted the eBIS system and worked with Escone to make sure it was built to their needs. By using the eBIS New Supplier Request and eBIS Supplier Modification forms, GPH now had an auditable, more secure, and user-friendly way of setting up new suppliers and modifying supplier information. It also allowed GPH to send out new supplier request forms online, which are completed by the supplier, reducing the risk of misinformation entering the system.
This process also ensures segregation of duty throughout the approval process for both new supplier requests and supplier modifications. Additionally, access to the Supplier Maintenance Programme was removed from the Operational Finance team so users can no longer manually create or amend any supplier information straight into OpenAccounts without going through the correct approval process.
GPH has continued to work with Escone on enhancing its systems. Recently, additional functionality was built into the new supplier request form to allow GPH to set up a new supplier in multiple companies at the same time, highlighting GPH’s commitment to constantly improve.
What did the Client Say?
James Coulthard
Head of Finance Systems
Great Places Housing Group
“We approached Escone close after we had taken on the eBIS system to investigate how we could improve our supplier management. Escone worked closely with us to design our eBIS Supplier Management forms, allowing us to remove any manual entry by the Accounts Payable team and instead have suppliers responsible for providing their details correctly. Overall, this has taken an item of risk off the audit report, we have more confidence in the data held in the system, and the Finance directors are a lot happier with the controls around the Accounts Payable process. We are extremely pleased with the outcome and the great relationship we have developed with the team at Escone.”
