Specialist software consultancy Absoft has boosted turnover in the higher and further education sector by 300% in just a year.
Absoft has seen its income in the sector rise to more than ÂŁ520,000, from ÂŁ130,000 in 2008/9, since being named preferred support supplier for the SAP Higher Education and Research User Group (HERUG) in 2009.
The University of Leicester and City University, London, amongst others have engaged Absoft on the back of its HERUG success, significantly expanding its footprint in the sector in the last 12 months and leading the firm to add to its pool of consultants focussing on higher education.
And the Aberdeen-based SAP specialist has recently secured a deal to develop the blueprint of a software system for Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU).
Absoft is involved in designing a human resources and payroll system based on SAP, the world’s leading business systems software at the university. The project includes online functionality, which will allow employees and managers to perform HR administrative tasks like holiday requests and absences quickly and easily, and a staff cost planning module which integrates information from the finance and human resources functions for the first time.
Ian Mechie, managing director at Absoft, says: ”The HERUG agreement has paved the way for us to increase our client portfolio significantly in what is a key market for us. Our remit includes providing industry-specific advice and solutions that address the requirements of the modern-day higher education sector and help institutions make SAP work harder for them in the long term – allowing them to focus on meeting the needs of their students first and foremost.
Before its involvement with HERUG, Absoft’s clients already included the Scottish Qualifications Authority, Scottish Agricultural College, the University of Stirling, Edinburgh Napier University and the University of Abertay, Dundee.
Andy Hollingworth, Assistant Finance Director at MMU, says: “SAP is already used by the finance department at MMU, and when we came to replace our legacy HR and payroll system, we wanted to ensure we could reap the benefits of integration.” The new system will provide easier access to information from within the University, and that will facilitate planning and decision-making to support strategic delivery across our departments – which increases our efficiency across the board.”
Absoft has a decade of experience and expertise in the higher education sector. Its support agreement with HERUG runs for four years. The organisation’s membership includes institutions across the UK, many of which appear in the top 50 of the Times Good University Guide 2010.
It has a specific remit to encourage development and more effective delivery of SAP products and services to the higher education and research community.
Institutions typically use SAP to handle critical operational tasks and functions such as finance, grant management, student lifecycle management, procurement, human resources and payroll.
