"Bringing together a group of employees that do not traditionally work together has been a new way of working within UKSBS. I have been very reassured by the way that the team has come together so quickly, and the value of the close collaboration has become evident very quickly."
Delivering change at pace: UKSBS automates Purchase to Pay process for Central Government clients
Overview
UK Shared Business Services (UKSBS) has successfully implemented an automated Purchase to Pay (P2P) process for Central Government clients, demonstrating our ability to deliver meaningful change rapidly and efficiently.
The recently completed project—which moved from concept to implementation in just over a month—showcases our commitment to innovation and service improvement. This streamlined process now automatically emails purchase orders to suppliers once approved in Oracle, eliminating the need for manual intervention by our clients.
"This is a piece of work which has demonstrated that as an organisation, we can deliver change at pace," notes the project lead. "It has only been made possible through a combination of effective planning, scheduling, and the dedication of those involved."
Our approach
Innovative taskforce methodology
The project pioneered a new taskforce approach to change delivery at UKSBS, bringing together colleagues from across different business areas and locations to form a dynamic team focused on rapid delivery.
Agile ways of working
The taskforce fully embraced agile principles throughout the project:
- Daily online stand-ups to maintain momentum
- Open communication channels to aid collaboration
- Iteration planning sessions in the early stages
- Built-in retrospective periods for review and feedback
"Being part of the Taskforce has been a positive experience," shares Sarabjit Dosanjh, Lead Engineer for Digital Products. "We have worked collaboratively and very much as a team throughout. Everyone has shown a shared interest in improving the P2P process, and working closely with colleagues from different areas was highly effective."
Client-centred development
A key factor in the project's success was involving stakeholders from the beginning.
"I have really enjoyed being part of the Taskforce," says Emma Cavaye, Communications Manager. "Being included in the team from the outset enabled me to fully understand the requirements and timeline for delivery. This insight meant that we could effectively plan communications, align our language, and ensure that users received the best possible information to support them as they adopt the new way of working."
Our clients were part of the process throughout, with comprehensive process guidance and user communications including video support developed to ensure a smooth transition.
Benefits
For our clients
The automation creates significant efficiencies for our clients by:
- Saving valuable time previously spent on manual processing
- Allowing staff to focus on priority activities in their day-to-day roles
- Providing confidence that purchase orders reach suppliers promptly
For suppliers
The benefits extend beyond our immediate clients to include their supplier networks:
- Improved supplier relationships through faster invoice processing
- Increased "right first time" processing rates
- More standardised communications
For UKSBS
"This improvement aims to reduce the amount of time our teams spend on updating supplier information," explains Jenny Lewis, Finance Manager. "By standardising the data submitted to us by suppliers, we will reject fewer invoices and be able to complete more transactions 'right first time'."
The taskforce has already scheduled post-implementation analysis to review metrics and confirm the full benefits of the change.
A template for future transformation
Perhaps most importantly, the success of this pilot provides a valuable template for future change initiatives at UKSBS.
Dan Hardy from Operational Transformation notes: "We wanted the team to self-organise in a safe space. Seeing how they formed so quickly and solved their own problems together was fantastic. For a pilot, I think we would have taken that as a good outcome, the fact that they thrived and delivered a well-rounded solution at pace really opened our eyes."
This success gives us confidence to apply similar approaches to future change activities—continuing to adapt and evolve our services to meet the changing needs of our customers.