Alpha Trust transforms finance efficiency with IRIS Invoice Matcher 

IRIS Alpha Trust, a multi-academy trust with five schools and a centralised finance team, has significantly improved efficiency and reduced manual workload by adopting IRIS Invoice Matcher. Within weeks of implementation, the team is already saving time, improving accuracy, and freeing up capacity for higher-value work.

Invoice processing was seen as a burden  

Like many schools across the UK, Alpha Trust’s finance team relied heavily on manual processes to input and match invoices within IRIS Financials. With multiple schools, a wide range of suppliers and high invoice volumes, this created a repetitive, time-intensive workload with a higher risk of error. 

Clare Cleverdon, Trust Management Accountant at Alpha Trust, tells us, “It was our Acting CFO who recognised the value of Invoice Matcher and the time it could save. Inputting invoices was a necessary but time-consuming task that took up a significant part of our time. When we heard about Invoice Matcher from IRIS, we were excited about its potential!”  

Introducing IRIS Invoice Matcher 

Driven by a wider organisational focus on adopting software that would help make the team work more efficiently, Alpha Trust introduced IRIS Invoice Matcher to automate invoice processing across the central finance team. 

Integrating with IRIS Financials, Invoice Matcher enables invoices to be automatically matched to purchase orders and processed digitally. 

While there was an initial learning curve for the three members of the team, two of whom were new to the Trust, the transition was supported through training and ongoing guidance. Clare tells us, “We felt really supported by the team at IRIS, from the training through to the speed of their responses. Having worked in accounting for many years, I know new software can take time to get to grips with, but we always felt confident the team was there when we needed them. Four weeks in, we’re already feeling very positive.”

Immediate time savings and improved efficiencies 

Despite only using the system for around four to five weeks, the team is already seeing clear benefits. Automating invoice matching has dramatically reduced the time spent manually inputting data, especially for high-volume suppliers like Amazon, and catering invoices.  

Clare tells us, “Catering invoices is a great example of where we’ve saved hours. With a high volume across our schools, particularly those running their own catering, invoices often arrived physically with deliveries and had to be entered manually into IRIS Financials. Now, we simply scan them, know they’re accurate, and the job is done.” 

Alpha Trust also uses IRIS Purchasing and has recently set up Amazon as a supplier. Integrated with Invoice Matcher, this has further streamlined processes for the finance team. Clare explains, “It’s been brilliant for Amazon, it just works! It finds the purchase order, matches the invoice, and requires no intervention from us. Once approved by the Acting CFO, orders go straight through, making the whole process incredibly efficient. We’re really impressed.” 

Team satisfaction increasing week by week!  

Invoice Matcher removes the repetitive nature of processing invoices, allowing the team to focus on more meaningful work. Clare tells us, “Invoice Matcher really takes away that mundaneness of inputting invoices, and I think it gives staff the opportunity to do other things that help them grow in their roles. It just makes the job more interesting, rather than spending all your time on repetitive admin.” 

“That’s probably the biggest benefit. While the time savings are significant, it’s really about the team feeling happier and more fulfilled in their roles, and Invoice Matcher has made that possible.” 

Enhanced digital workflows and audit readiness 

Moving away from paper-based processes has improved visibility and audit readiness, giving the Acting CFO and leadership team at Alpha Trust the confidence that they are moving in the right direction.  

Previously, the Acting CFO needed to manage physical paperwork. Now, everything is accessible digitally, making processes cleaner and easier to manage. Clare tells us, “Our Acting CFO loves the new BACS process – she used to have all the paperwork spread out across her desk, and now everything is on screens. It’s made all our lives easier!” 

With leadership actively encouraging the use of innovative software and AI-driven tools, Invoice Matcher aligns with the trust’s broader ambition to modernise processes and explore new efficiencies. Clare says, “It’s still early days, but we’re confident the more we use it, the more time we’ll save. We’re really excited about its potential.” 

The future for Invoice Matcher and Alpha Trust 

Alpha Trust is already seeing tangible benefits and expects these to grow as confidence and usage increase. With more suppliers expected to be onboarded and processes refined further, the trust is well positioned to continue improving efficiency and scaling its finance operations. 

Clare tells us, “I would strongly recommend IRIS Invoice Matcher to other schools and trusts looking to modernise their finance processes. Not only does it save time, but it also enables teams to move beyond repetitive tasks and focus on higher-value work. It’s significantly reduced our invoice processing time, improved accuracy and consistency, and given our team more time to focus on work that really matters. We love it.”