Customer Story: ESMS

We spoke with Lesley, Finance Manager at ESMS, who leads a team of seven. Like many independent schools, ESMS faces increasing financial pressures and tighter margins.

“We have the very real possibility of VAT coming in, and it's been a big driver in parents holding off on enrolling their children into the next stage of school because it's such a big commitment. We're concerned about budgets and keeping fees down as much as possible.”

Alongside economic uncertainty, ESMS must manage intricate internal structures. While it reports as a single entity for statutory purposes, its operations span three schools and a commercial arm, requiring separate reporting and careful coding across departments.

During busy periods — especially the fee billing cycle from June to August — cash flow tightens and the finance team faces heavy administrative workloads.

“Fee billing is all hands on deck from June to August when children are being registered. We need incredibly tight controls on POs around this time too because cash is naturally low, but expenditure is high.” 

Manual invoice handling, coding and approvals created bottlenecks and errors at exactly the times when accuracy and control mattered most.

For Lesley and her team, the goal was simple: speed and accuracy.

“What we wanted to get out of Lightyear was speed,” commented Lesley, who sought to free her finance team from unnecessary manual effort.

By implementing AP automation, Lightyear now automatically extracts invoice data — including purchase order numbers, balances and due dates — removing the need for manual data entry. Every AP document is stored digitally and searchable in seconds.

Internal communication has also improved.

“We make use of the internal communications tool in Lightyear to tag users, sending notifications and nudges if things haven't been signed off.”

Lesley adds that using notes within invoices provides vital context before approving any spend.

“If someone wants me to approve an invoice, you have to tell me why you're raising it and why you want to spend budget on it!”

Improved reporting and control: From visibility to confident decision-making

One of the biggest improvements has been in financial reporting.

“I see our invoices, their total value, what's the hold up in getting them through for payment, and I can easily send reminders.”

With Lightyear’s dashboards and audit trails, Lesley and her team can now track every invoice and understand their commitments in real time — essential for managing cash flow in a tight financial climate.
Purchase order management has also been strengthened.

“Automated purchase orders have provided us with an essential level of control. For example, during summer, we centralise PO approval so that we can manage cash flow.”

Lightyear automatically routes approvals based on value or staff member, which helps the team maintain control during high-spend periods such as site repairs and restocking for the new term.

Making audits easier: Full transparency with less admin

Before Lightyear, preparing for audits was a time-consuming process that involved gathering documents manually from across departments. That’s no longer the case.

Lesley explains that having invoices stored as PDFs and tracked within the system has simplified the process.

“Having the invoice PDF attachment in Lightyear means it's easy to download and send it to another person.”
With read-only access available for auditors and every action recorded, audits are now faster, more transparent, and less disruptive.

“This is fantastic for taking the stress out of essential admin work and making compliance maintenance a quick tick.”

A supportive implementation: Smooth training and hands-on guidance

The transition to Lightyear was supported by dedicated implementation specialist Rebecca, who ensured all staff were comfortable using the new system.

“Rebecca was a star; she ran excellent training and handled the natural fear of change that some of our staff had, really well.”

By introducing Lightyear alongside passFINANCE, ESMS has cut admin time in half and eliminated much of the “repetitive and error-prone” work that once dominated their days.

The finance team no longer needs to recruit additional administrative support — freeing up budget for other priorities.

They now spend more time analysing data and improving purchasing strategy.

“We have much greater credibility on invoices in that we know why things haven't been paid, we have proof as to what happened and why, and we can communicate this easily with teachers.”

With automation now embedded in daily operations, the ESMS finance team is more proactive, efficient, and confident in their financial reporting.

Conclusion: A future-ready finance function

ESMS’s shift to AP automation has delivered significant time and cost savings, stronger internal controls, and greater visibility across its financial operations. The finance team is now equipped to manage complex reporting, respond faster to challenges, and maintain full compliance — all while freeing up time to focus on what matters most: supporting the school community.