How SMART Connect Streamlined a School’s Procurement Process

From Four-Hour Ordering Sessions to Instant Efficiency: How SMART Connect Streamlined a School’s Procurement Process

Running a school involves a constant balancing act — from managing budgets and resources to supporting staff and students. Ordering supplies should be straightforward. Yet, for many schools, it’s anything but simple.

We recently caught up with Shannon Barden, Procurement and Contract Manager at PCLC Trust, who shared how time-consuming her team’s ordering process used to be — and how linking IRIS with Findel SMART Connect has transformed the way they work.

The Old Way: Manual Processes and Lost Hours

“Every couple of weeks, I’d spend around four hours — usually from 8am until midday — just placing orders,” Shannon explained.

Her school frequently purchased from Findel’s family of brands including gls, Hope, Philip Harris, and Davies Sports. But because each required separate logins and individual submissions, the process looked like this:

• Logging in to multiple supplier websites

• Searching for products brand by brand

• Manually entering every order line into IRIS FMS

• Waiting for approvals

• Logging back in to each website to place the orders

It wasn’t just time-consuming — it was frustrating. Staff across the school were stuck repeating the same admin-heavy steps week after week.

The Turning Point: Seamless Integration with Findel & IRIS FMS

That all changed once the Trust integrated IRIS FMS with Findel SMART Connect, their e-procurement solution.

Now, team members can simply add items to their basket and send the order straight through to IRIS FMS for approval — no more re-entering data or switching systems.

“If the budget’s there, I just tick the box to approve, and the order goes directly to Findel,” Shannon told us. “There’s no back-and-forth and no duplication — it saves me at least 10 to 15 minutes on every big order.”

The Results: More Time, Less Admin

With everything handled in one connected system, ordering is faster and far simpler.

“It’s saving a huge amount of admin time,” Shannon added. “I can now focus on other parts of my job instead of being stuck in ordering tasks.”

Key benefits include:

• A genuine one-stop-shop for all school resources

• Centralised ordering across all Findel brands

• Quicker, simpler approvals

• Less duplication and manual entry

• More time for staff to focus on what matters most

A Message to Other Schools Using IRIS FMS

Shannon’s advice for other schools is clear:

“If your school uses IRIS FMS, I’d definitely recommend integrating it with Findel. It’s a true one-stop solution for all your educational resource needs.”

With e-procurement through SMART Connect, schools can reclaim valuable time, eliminate unnecessary admin, and focus their energy where it truly counts — supporting learning and development.

👉 Ready to streamline your school’s ordering process?

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You can also reach us by calling 03451 203 210 or by chatting with us online.