Press

The Royal Parks (TRP), an executive government agency responsible for administering and maintaining London’s Royal Parks, is rolling-out human resource (HR) self-service and workflow functionality from COA Solutions (www.coasolutions.com).

This HR functionality, which has a planned go-live of summer 2010, will be integrated into TRP’s existing COA Solutions human capital management (HCM) system, enabling 130 staff across TRP to access the HCM system themselves. To date, the HCM system has only been accessible by the HR team.

Using COA Solutions’ integrated self-service and workflow functionality, authorised managers and employees at TRP will be able to ‘self serve’ by accessing and updating HR information themselves such as holiday dates, sick leave and training details. Time-consuming, paper-based HR procedures will also be replaced with automated processes. For instance, the workflow functionality enables reports to be sent electronically. It also streamlines annual leave requests and accurately records absence, enabling line managers to have greater control over their workforce.

9th December 2009 – Business applications software provider, COA Solutions (www.coasolutions.com), today announces a partnership with independent software solutions provider, Software Europe Ltd (www.software-europe.co.uk). COA Solutions will now be able to provide its NHS customers with Software Europe’s leading online employee expenses management system, expenses2010. Tailored towards the needs of NHS organisations, expenses2010 enables greater control over staff expenses, complementing COA Solutions’ comprehensive suite of business applications.

DPG plc is the first UK-wide CIPD provider to offer the new CIPD Level 3 Certificate in Human Resource Practice for those looking for a thorough grounding in HR or to bolster their existing skills with an internationally recognised professional qualification.

The new qualification opens the gateway to career development and progression in HR as DPG’s managing director, Robert Wagner, explained, “The CIPD is phasing in new qualifications during 2010 with this Foundation-level certificate offering a flexible way for individuals and organisations to gain the knowledge, skills and understanding required to create next generation HR professional equipped to help future proof their organisations.
“We are proud to be the first CIPD provider to offer the Certificate in Human Resource Practice building on our track record as the leading provider of the CIPD’s Certificate in Training Practice qualification.

Business applications software provider, COA Solutions (www.coasolutions.com), today announces a partnership with workforce management specialist, SMART (www.smart-workforce.com). This partnership enables COA Solutions to provide its National Health Service (NHS) customers with SMART’s workforce management solutions.

SMART’s solutions, which comprise staff bank management, electronic rostering and time and attendance software, link to the NHS-wide human resource (HR) and payroll system, ESR, helping acute trusts, primary care trusts and mental health trusts to maximise the potential and efficiency of their staff. SMART’s solutions release highly skilled nurses from administration duties back to patient care whilst reducing absenteeism, improving staff retention and cutting labour costs by up to five per cent.

22 October 2009 – UK business applications software provider, COA Solutions (www.coasolutions.com), is a finalist in the payroll software provider of the year category of the prestigious Pay Awards 2009.

Run by Pay Magazine, the Pay Awards recognise and reward outstanding achievements within the UK payroll industry. The winners will be announced at an awards ceremony on 3 November 2009 at BAFTA headquarters in London.

COA Solutions is one of five finalists in the payroll software provider of the year category. To reach the final, COA Solutions had to demonstrate product and service innovation within the past 18 months as well as customer satisfaction. A combination of user votes and the decisions of the Pay Awards judging panel, comprising five leading industry experts, will determine the award winner.

8 October 2009 – Business applications software provider, COA Solutions (www.coasolutions.com), is focusing on its integrated paperless office technology on stands AF203 and HR204 at Softworld 2009 (13-14 October 2009, London Olympia 2). COA Solutions is also holding a series of ‘The Paperless Office Has Arrived’ seminars 11:30 – 12:15 on both 13 and 14 October (Theatres AFS2 and HRS1).

With the latest version of COA Solutions’ OpenAccounts financial management system (FMS) being the most paperless FMS on the market, COA Solutions will be demonstrating how financial documents can be created, delivered, circulated, stored and retrieved directly from users’ FMS. New functionality includes the automatic generation of mass mail merge documents and the conversion of reports into PDF for electronic delivery and Intranet display. Visitors to stand AF203, will also learn how integrated optical character recognition (OCR) technology, can be used to automatically capture data from inbound documents, such as invoices, reducing manual data entry.

1st October 2009 – Hay Group, a global management consulting business specialising in organisational and workforce strategy has gone live with a human capital management (HCM) system from COA Solutions (www.coasolutions.com). This HCM system, which has integrated workflow and self-service modules, has been customised with swine flu screens to effectively manage the impact of swine flu on staff absence levels.

As a fluid organisation, Hay Group required a flexible and customisable HCM system to replace its standalone systems. The HCM system was required to store and interrogate information about its 320 UK employees, automate HCM processes and accurately record and monitor information relating to staff absence. It was also vital that the system could be customised quickly and easily in response to external and organisational change.

Train the trainer maestro Mike Morrison has just agreed to lead a CIPD Certificate in Training Practice (CITP) course for one time only for DPG in London.

Mike, well known in the leadership and management training community for his regular contributions to professional media and prolific blogging, will front the course at London Kensington on 14th October.

“DPG has a reputation as the leading provider of CIPD approved CITP courses in the UK and I’m delighted they asked me to step up to the plate to lead this special one-off course for them.

“It comes at a time when businesses and organisations really need to be pushing forward to get out of recession and into positive, sustainable growth. The obvious and cost-effective way to do that is have trainers, managers and leaders who inspire and can train colleagues to create a cutting edge in their organisation.”

DPG has now supported over 2500 trainers in developing their knowledge of the theory and practice of being a highly effective trainer to earn the CIPD’s Certificate in Training Practice qualification.

Business applications software provider, COA Solutions, today reports solid financial results for year ending 31 March 2009 with revenues increasing by 7.4% to £59.8m  (2008: £55.7m). Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) were £12.8m (2008: £12.4m). These results consolidate the company’s position as the UK’s leading independent business applications software vendor.

Mark Thompson, Managing Director of COA Solutions, says, “Trading conditions during the last financial year have been the most uncertain and challenging I have ever witnessed. Despite this economic turmoil, our resilient business model has ensured that we’ve increased revenues and profits whilst sustaining growth in market share.”

The Brendoncare Foundation, a leading charity dedicated to improving the quality of life for older people, has reached the final of the Charity Times Awards 2009 for its innovative IT project involving the implementation of software from COA Solutions (www.coasolutions.com). Brendoncare is one of six organisations to be shortlisted in the Best Use of Technology category with the winner being announced at an awards ceremony on 9 September 2009 at The Royal Lancaster Hotel, London.

The Charity Times Awards, now in its landmark tenth year, recognise high standards in the UK charity and not-for-profit sector. Brendoncare has been shortlisted in the Best Use of Technology category in recognition of the successful roll-out of an integrated COA Solutions software system comprising financial management, human capital management (HCM), payroll, business intelligence (BI) and document management functionality (using Version One’s technology). This integrated system, which has been implemented in a phased approach across five years, has replaced standalone and manually intensive systems and processes which were costly, inefficient and prone to error.

The findings of a survey by UK business management and information systems provider, COA Solutions (www.coasolutions.com), has revealed that 51% of senior human resource (HR) professionals intend to increase the overall size of their workforces by the end of 2010. COA Solutions carried out the research with 75 senior HR professionals (HR directors and managers) across a range of UK public sector and private sector organisations.

30% of the respondents stated that they intend to increase their workforces by the end of 2009 with 21% saying that they plan to recruit in 2010. 13% intend to wait until 2011. Despite this increasing optimism, COA Solutions’ survey also highlights that a level of uncertainty still persists amongst HR professionals due to the challenging economic climate. 21% of those surveyed have “no plans” to hire more staff whilst 8% said that they “didn’t know” whether their organisation will be recruiting any time soon. The remaining 7% stated that they will start recruiting after 2011.

Dawnus Construction, the fastest growing construction company in Wales, is implementing a COA Solutions system comprising a portfolio of financial management, electronic procurement and human capital management (HCM) solutions (www.coasolutions.com). This integrated system, which will also comprise electronic document imaging and data capture software from Version One, will support Dawnus Construction’s growth plans whilst improving the way financial and human resource (HR) information is reported upon across the organisation. The new system will go-live in September 2009.

Wayne Jones, Group Financial Director at Dawnus Construction, says, “We had outgrown our previous system. It was inflexible and restrictive, especially when we needed to extract financial information for reporting purposes. We recognised the need for a customisable and more flexible integrated finance and HR system that could support our growth plans both organically and through acquisition.”

Albemarle & Bond, the largest pawnbroker in the UK, is implementing a financial management system with integrated cash flow forecasting, electronic procurement, business intelligence and document management and imaging functionality from COA Solutions (www.coasolutions.com). This new system will enable Albemarle & Bond to reduce manually-intensive administration, manage its cash more effectively to support its future growth plans and aid financial and corporate decision making. The planned go-live for the COA Solutions system is Autumn 2009.

 A leading provider of financial management systems (FMS) to the UK mid-market, COA Solutions (www.coasolutions.com), today announces a partnership with Real Asset Management Plc (RAM) – a UK-leading provider of fixed asset management software and services. This new partnership sees the integration of RAM’s fixed asset management software into COA Solutions’ FMS, providing users of eFinancials, OpenAccounts and e5 systems with market-leading fixed asset management functionality to complement COA Solutions’ existing fixed assets accounting module.

The leading provider of business management and information systems to the UK mid-market, COA Solutions (www.coasolutions.com), is showcasing its budgeting and forecasting system, Collaborative Planning, on stand 51 at The Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accounting (CIPFA) Annual Conference and Exhibition 2009 (23-25 June at Manchester Central).

The findings of a survey by UK business management and information systems provider, COA Solutions (www.coasolutions.com), has revealed that 41% of senior financial professionals believe the economic upturn will come in 2010. COA Solutions carried out the research with 100 senior finance professionals (finance directors and managers) across a range of UK public sector and private sector organisations.

27% of the respondents think that the upturn will manifest itself in 2011 and although unemployment hit 2.2 million in April 2009, the highest figure since 1996, 13% optimistically predict that the economic upturn will happen by the end of this year. One of these respondents, a financial director from a financial services company, commented, “Providing no more discontinuity skeletons emerge from the marketplace cupboard we could see the upturn starting as early as Q3.”

Havering Council is implementing a budgeting and forecasting system from COA Solutions (www.coasolutions.com). This Collaborative Planning system will improve the Council’s budget development and monitoring and provide greater control over the Council’s expenditure. The COA Solutions system, which is being integrated with the Council’s Oracle Financials system, will be made available to over 600 authorised council managers and is expected to go live in August 2009.

Denis Riddle, Systems Accountant, at London Borough of Havering Council, says, “Budgeting and forecasting is currently done outside of our Oracle system and involves manually consolidating information onto separate spreadsheets. This is time-consuming and creates issues with version control and data manipulation.”

The Council evaluated a number of software providers. COA Solutions’ Collaborative Planning was selected because of its ease-of-use and advanced functionality as well as COA Solutions’ understanding of the Council’s needs. 

 A leading UK provider of human capital management (HCM) systems, COA Solutions (www.coasolutions.com), is launching COA SolutionsOn Demand, on stand H180 at the HR Software Show 2009 (17-18 June at Olympia Conference Centre, London). COA Solutions is also presenting a Masterclass at 14:15 on 18 June advising organisations of the key factors they should consider during the tendering process for a new HR and payroll provider so that they select the best supplier for their needs.

COMPUTER-based assessment company Pearson VUE has launched its Spring 2009 series of free psychometric workshops, to be hosted at its offices at 80 Strand, London.

The sessions are intended to help those involved in, or getting started in the creation of assessments, to develop tests that are a better and more reliable reflection of the abilities they are intended to measure.

The Health Store, the UK's largest, independent and co-operatively owned buying group supplying independent health and wholefood retailers, has reduced staff absence levels from 7% to 2% by implementing a Human Capital Management (HCM) system from COA Solutions (www.coasolutions.com).