Resources
Argos For Business in time for the budget A
s the nights draw out, the focus on end of year performance gathers momentum. School offices are filled with the hum of printers churning out reams of multi- coloured graphs. Foreheads are rubbed, chins are stroked and pained expressions are etched across faces. Distant memories of invoices and expenditure are frantically dragged to the fore, fingers trawling through crumpled receipts in an attempt to help make sense of the spreadsheets and numbers laid out as far as the eye can see. Yes, it’s the annual transition from head teacher to financial analyst; part time whiz kids with calculators and spreadsheets at the ready. Yes, it’s budget time again. Head teachers, bursars and school governors increasingly, and somewhat reluctantly, have to don the financial cap in the knowledge that the school budget is under increased scrutiny for the year gone by. Plans are required to be evermore robust and transparent for the year to come. Finances, we know, are tight, with funding now available from a multitude of sources. Each different guise operates to its own rules, regulations and expectations. How should it be spent, and with it proof that it was spent wisely and prudently for the good of the school, teachers and its pupils? Increasingly, the key to success, especially when purchasing goods for schools, is having tighter control and tracking throughout the year, resulting in fewer surprises at year end. Buying goods is a great example of an area of expenditure which has an element of
unknown about it, the uncertainty of what will need replacing, and when.
Argos for Business has witnessed a surge in applications recently from public sector organisations for their new For Business account, with schools and colleges leading the drive. It is probably no coincidence that this spike in new accounts has coincided with the end of the year and the increased focus on budgets.
The For Business account offers schools much tighter control over spend; it’s free and can save both time and money. It offers up to 45 days to pay for goods and with an annual cash back on spend over £500 it offers a fantastic opportunity to stretch funding and make the most of precious resources. For added convenience and control, accounts can be accessed online 24/7 using a secure website, making it easy to order new cards, set credit limits and access management information. Indeed, the card offers a centralised monthly invoicing option even where multiple cards are issued – ideal for allowing colleagues or governors to purchase the goods as required whilst maintaining tight control and visibility of spend throughout the year.
The card makes it easier for schools to take advantage of the choice, value and convenience that Argos and Homebase provide on thousands of products for the classroom, social and recreational areas, outdoor spaces, offices or kitchens and catering areas – all available in-store or online.
For schools with Pupil Premium funding, transparent reporting is made simpler with line item detail on invoices, which also makes VAT reclaims easier and reduces paperwork. It appears that the search for new ways to manage purchasing and the desire to improve processes and increase control is very much on the agenda for schools. Emphasised under the spot light of budget reporting and planning, spending those precious funds is evoking a shift to simplification, solutions which not only provide goods but help reduce the implications on time, not add to it. With a philosophical nod to the necessity of budget planning and reporting, take comfort from the knowledge there are products out there designed to help and make your lives easier.
uwww.argosforbusiness.co.uk
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www.education-today.co.uk
March 2013
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