Blackheath Public School

A community-based school offering an outstanding education.

Telephone02 4787 8253

Emailblackheath-p.school@det.nsw.edu.au

Transcript of School Staff Speak

0:14
VOICEOVER: In 2016-17,
0:16
as part of the Learning Management and Business Reform Program, LMBR,
0:21
the Department of Education rolled out SAP Finance and Student Finance
0:25
to all NSW public schools.
0:28
Here, we'll cover how schools have transitioned to
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and are using the financial systems.
0:34
SAP Finance gives principals and SAS staff
0:37
real-time access to financial information
0:40
that can be used to check on and view funds within a school.
0:44
Thing that I've particularly noticed
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is my instant access to financial information.
0:48
That allows me to make decisions on the spot,
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and they're real-time reports.
0:53
It's a very nice opportunity
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for me to be able to not necessarily have my SAM beside me
0:59
to be able to say, "OK, this is the amount of money that we've got,"
1:02
or, "This is where the funds have been allocated to."
1:06
I've actually found it to be quite empowering as a financial manager.
1:10
I can pull up a report, have a look at what's going on
1:13
and I can see what's happening day to day,
1:15
and I can see individually
1:16
what's happening within the cost centre as well.
1:18
You can pull reports on so many different things
1:21
to get the answers that you want, and it's easy to do.
1:24
MARK SNEDDEN: I've found that the LMBR systems
1:27
and my understanding of finance has actually improved
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as a result of using the SAP package.
1:31
SHARON McFARLANE: Effective financial management
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and effective school practices
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makes a significant difference to our school community
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when it's smooth and it's easy and it's effective and efficient.
1:42
VOICEOVER: Purchasing, receiving customer payments and managing funds
1:46
are key functions of the SAP Finance system.
1:49
How are schools using SAP
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to undertake these everyday financial tasks?
1:55
It's empowering staff, because it's not an arduous process
1:58
once you've been through the QRGs and done one or two shopping carts.
2:01
And that way, I think it's real financial management
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at that grassroots level.
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He and I discuss where they're going to go
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and where would best benefit the school for those funds to be placed.
2:11
It's easier to interact with other schools money-wise
2:16
because it's just easy to transfer money and codes
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and we all talk the same language.
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We're at a point now where that whole shopping cart process
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is moving into the faculties,
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where key faculties and key individuals
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will be creating their own shopping carts,
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so that whole financial management's going to happen
2:31
solely within a faculty.
2:33
There's a lot of great things that are in the system
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that we didn't have the opportunity before.
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So a contract with a billing plan a hall hirer, for example -
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receives an invoice automatically and they set that contract up.
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That's something that we've never had to do in schools before.
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ANN MOORE: No more annual rollovers, no more reconciliations.
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Lots of finance that we won't have to do anymore
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that EDConnect or the department look after.
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That's good - less stress.
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VOICEOVER: Student finance is an integral part
3:00
of a school's financial management.
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The Student Cash Desk, within the student administration system,
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is a convenient way to hold detailed financial information
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about a student in one place.
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How have schools found using the system?
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Parents, they ring all the time
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to see how they're going and where they're up to
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and it's easy to call it all up
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and tell them what they've paid for, what they haven't paid for.
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JULIE GENTLE: You can see it all on the one screen,
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and it's quite easy that we can see everything that's been paid,
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and a parent comes to the counter, we can say,
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"Yes, this is what you have paid for dancing,"
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or, "you have paid for that excursion",
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so it's really quite good.
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It's a very easy way for us
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to not have to refund very small amounts constantly.
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That makes our parents very happy.
3:45
VOICEOVER: The SAP Finance and Student Finance systems
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require principals, SAMs, SAOs, teachers and staff
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to work together on day-to-day financial tasks.
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Ongoing collaboration, networking and on-the-job learning
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help staff to hone their skills on the finance systems.
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QRGs are our friend.
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They're so well set out now.
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And the step-by-step process of the QRGs really help.
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And there is a QRG for everything.
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JULIE GENTLE: We've all learnt our different areas that we do,
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so we've been able to help one another.
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We all know a bit about each other's roles.
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We all know.
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So if there's someone stuck,
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we can all get in there then and help them get through it.
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LYNDA SKINNER: When you see something that's great
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and a school's talking about something they do
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and they have a very good process in place,
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taking that knowledge and then being able to share that
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in the teaching and learning when you're talking
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to other principals in other groups has been great.
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It's reinforced the professionalism,
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the positive attitude that my principals have
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into taking on board something new
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and meeting the challenges of managing change going forward.
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VOICEOVER: Schools will continue to learn more
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about SAP Finance and Student Finance
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as they use the systems daily to manage important school finances.
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Remember, help is always available
5:05
through online support materials or via EDConnect. 

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