Churchmarketplace continues to develop a National Procurement Strategy with the aim of promoting better buying within Catholic Education Establishments (including Academies, Schools, Further Education and Higher Education institutions) and Dioceses in England and Wales. The main aim of this strategy will be to ensure that Schools, Academies and other Education Institutes obtain the best value for money from the services and products which they purchase, in this case a Schools Financial Management System(s):

1. Financial Management (Lot 1),

2. Budgeting (Lot 2),

3. Fully integrated to include Financial Management, Budgeting, HR and Payroll (Lot 3),

including associated systems integration services and training.

Provision of Financial Management application including amongst others General Ledger, Nominal Ledger, Purchase Ledger (including purchase ordering/ requisitioning system with online approval functionality. Control, Invoice Approval), Invoice Authorisation, Supplier Payment, Sales Ledger, Bank & Cash, Credit Cards, Period-End and Year-End, Project Costing, Asset Register, Fund Management (educational trips and visits, cashless catering, PTA funds, charitable fundraising etc.), Trusts/Trading Arms, and VAT reconciliation. Including integration to Microsoft Excel and Document Management System.

Provision of Budgeting application including Current Budget, Revenue Budgets, Budget Development, Budget Profiling, Forecast Out-turns Holding, Forecast Out-turns Estimate, Forward Planning. The system must have the ability to model changes or create scenarios across all areas (multi scenario budget modelling for multi years / multi academy sites) and must have the ability to consolidate for the MAT. The system must have the ability to import/ export into the finance system.

Provision of a fully integrated solution to include all elements of Lots 1 and 2 plus Human Resources / Payroll processing. The system must be accessible remotely for multi users incorporating authorisation and workflow for all elements and processes from budgeting, ordering, actual costs, reporting, analysis and budget forecasting. The payroll software must allow users (employees) access to enter data to inform the monthly payroll, for example absence, additional hours etc.