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Lightyear for Education
Accounts payable software for independent schools
Give your finance team the freedom to focus.
Lightyear for Education transforms accounts payable from a time-consuming burden into a strategic advantage. It’s the smarter, simpler way for independent schools to manage purchasing and payments, freeing finance teams to focus on what really matters: supporting your school’s mission and future.
Built to take the 'work' out of workflow
Manual invoice processing is more than just tedious. It’s expensive. Every approval to chase, every supplier statement to reconcile, every figure to recheck adds hours your finance team can’t get back.
Lightyear for Education replaces that manual effort with intelligent automation.
- Invoices are captured automatically
- They're coded correctly
- They're routed for approval
- AND they're exported straight to your finance system
... With full audit trails built in.
The result? Up to 80% less time spent on admin, fewer errors, and complete visibility across every school, all while meeting DfE, ESFA and LA requirements.
Accounts payable software you can trust
Why choose Lightyear for Education?
Go Paperless
All your supplier bills are emailed into your account for immediate data extraction. No more posting paper to head office or passing paper around for approval signatures.
100% Correct Pricing
Never manually price check your supplier bills again. Access Education purchasing compares each lines' product code with your supplier's agreed price list, flagging any overcharges.
Early Payment Discounts
By speeding up the data entry and approvals process, you can process your supplier bills faster, allowing you to take advantage of early payment discounts more often.
Multi-tiered 1 Click Approvals
Get sign-off from each of your approvers remotely or on the go. Our multi-tiered approvals allows you to get up to 8 levels of approval via browser, email and our mobile app.
Grow with us
As you bring on more locations, you can create new entities in your account for each new location in your franchise empire.
100% Accurate Real-Time Data
Having access to live data in a business is your new secret weapon to keep your business organised and agile.
What makes Lightyear for Education different?
Every school has its own systems and approvals, which is fine, until you need clear visibility across them all. Lightyear for Education brings order and control to your finance operations, automating the admin so your team can focus on strategic decisions and long-term planning.
Seamless integration
Lightyear works with the finance systems you already use. Connect it to your accounting software with a simple, secure integration — and watch data flow automatically.
Key features:
- 40+ integrations with major accounting systems, including Access Education Suite, Sage, Xero, NetSuite and QuickBooks
- One-click export and two-way data sync
- Flexible connection options via API, CSV, KFI and TXT
- Fast, supported setup with UK-based help from real people
The result:
Automation without disruption. Accurate data in every system, always up to date.
Intelligent automation
Lightyear handles repetitive work that slows finance teams down. AI-powered invoice capture, automatic coding and multi-level approvals mean your accounts payable runs smoothly and accurately from start to finish.
Key features:
- No manual data entry — invoices captured automatically from PDFs or emails
- Smart GL coding, tax rates and departmental allocation
- Duplicate invoice detection and automatic statement reconciliation
- Up to 8 approval levels with routing by value or keyword
- Real-time invoice tracking and mobile approvals
The result:
Invoices processed in minutes, not days. Finance teams are free to focus on analysis, forecasting and strategy instead of admin.
Control & transparency
Designed for the way independent schools work — with the structure, visibility and audit trails that keep finance teams confident and boards informed.
Key features:
- Custom approval workflows to reflect school hierarchies
- Real-time dashboards showing cash flow and budget performance
- VAT handling and multi-currency support
- Complete audit trails and secure document storage
- Custom reporting for governors and leadership teams
The result:
Instant visibility, faster decision-making and complete confidence in every figure presented to your board.
Speed up your manual processing time
Proven performance for independent schools
Lightyear for Education helps bursars and finance leaders save time, improve accuracy and stay in complete control, with results that speak for themselves.
%
saving
on AP processing with NO manual data entry
+
compatible accounting systems
%
data capture accuracy
approval levels
The psychology of zero
A bursar’s new favourite number: zero.
- Zero manual data entry
- Zero duplicate payments
- Zero lost invoices
Lightyear for Education uses automation and intelligent design to make good financial practice effortless
Approvals route automatically, invoices reconcile in seconds, and audit trails are built as you go.
When doing things properly becomes the easiest option, accuracy improves, stress disappears and time comes back to the people who need it most.
Why customers love Lightyear for Education
We're no longer spending valuable time chasing invoices
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.
AP automation boosted efficiency by 85%
Before AP automation, the finance team experienced an average approval time of 15 days, aligning with the industry standard. Now, approvals take only three days - 80% faster than average!
The whole system has been really good
The visibility of invoices has helped enormously. Seeing the documents coming in, they're logged on the system, and we can see where they are. It makes processing much easier. It's a very intuitive system.
FAQs
What systems does Lightyear integrate with?
Lightyear connects with over 40 accounting systems, including Access Education, Sage, Xero, QuickBooks, NetSuite and more. Integration options include API, CSV, KFI, and TXT — ensuring a perfect fit with your existing finance setup.
How long does implementation take?
Most schools are up and running in days. Our UK-based support team helps you connect your accounting system, import suppliers, and automate approvals quickly and easily.
Can Lightyear handle VAT and multiple currencies?
Yes. Lightyear automatically applies VAT structures at line and total level and supports multiple currencies — ideal for schools with international suppliers or overseas payments.
How secure is the system?
Lightyear uses encrypted, cloud-based infrastructure with role-based permissions, ensuring data security and compliance with UK data protection standards.
What kind of support can we expect?
You’ll have access to UK-based support via chat, phone, or email five days a week, plus full onboarding assistance and training resources.
What if we’re part of a MAT or a maintained school?
For maintained schools and Multi-Academy Trusts, we recommend Access Education Purchasing, designed for public sector governance and LA compliance.
Solutions created by educators, for educators
At Access Education, we believe in simplicity. Our suite of integrated solutions is designed to seamlessly work together, creating a unified experience that transforms how you manage your school or trust.
- Financial Management: Optimise budgeting and financial management with real-time insights and simplified reporting.
- People Management: Manage recruitment, payroll, and staff well-being effortlessly.
- Parental Engagement: Consolidate communications and administrative tasks into one intuitive system.
- Curriculum & Assessment: Enrich learning with Access GCSEPod and Key Stage 3 resources, offering comprehensive content and insights.
Explore our full educational software solutions
Experience effortless integration, enhanced efficiency, and a unified user experience. Our solutions work together to simplify your processes, so you can focus on what truly matters: delivering exceptional education.
