Future-Ready School Finance starts with the workflow

This is a practical playbook built from lessons and quotes shared by finance leaders across 12 Alii Schools. It’s designed to help school teams modernise approvals, purchasing and accounts payable without creating extra workload. Use it whether you’re considering AP automation or already working through workflow change.

What you’ll get in the playbook

• The key lessons schools shared when modernising approvals and AP workflows

• Real quotes from school finance leaders across 12 Alii Schools

• A practical “where to start” checklist to reduce chasing and bottlenecks

• Common pitfalls that slow adoption, and what schools did instead

• A one-page Key Findings Snapshot you can share internally

Why we made this

School finance teams are being asked for stronger governance and visibility while working with tight capacity. That pressure shows up in practical ways: approvals slow down, invoices get stuck, and finance teams spend time chasing instead of supporting budgets and reporting.

Alii works with schools on AP automation and workflow change every day. We’ve learned a lot from the leaders in our community, and many were generous enough to share what worked in their own settings. This playbook brings those lessons and quotes together to help other schools.

What you’ll learn (inside the playbook)

• How leaders explain the “why now” so stakeholders support change

• How schools keep budget holders and approvers aligned

• How teams pilot and build momentum without overload

• What stronger governance looks like in day-to-day workflows

• How schools reduce key person risk through documentation and cross-skilling

“Automation has turned what used to be an administrative burden into a controlled, transparent, and reliable process.”
Ian Mendes, Director of Business Services, St Joseph’s College

“Clear and consistent communication is key.”
Jaime Southam, Finance Manager, Penrhos College

Who it’s for

• Finance Directors, CFOs, Business Managers, bursars, finance and accounts payable staff

• Principals and executive leaders involved in approvals and governance

• Operations and procurement leaders supporting process improvement

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