FMSwire - Edition 5
Supplier NewsletterThis article sits within the Supplier Newsletter sectionNote from the editors:
Welcome to the first FMSWire of 2025.
The 2023/24 Account return has now closed, the overall on time submission rate was really good and our automation numbers have improved from last year, now reaching 74.
In this edition, we cover :
- Accounts Return 2023/24
- Gaining a better understanding of our FMS providers – survey
- ACoA updates
- Client webinars/demos
- Development for 2024/25
Please take note of the points 'For action' throughout the newsletter.
Best wishes,
Academies Chart of Accounts and Automation Team
Accounts Return 2023/24
Now that the Accounts Return has closed, we know what the automation uptake looks like for 2023/24 and will shortly be looking at the fresh data.
Thank you to those FMS providers who have developed the automation functionality. We asked you very late to give us demos of your FMS systems and we really appreciate your patience with the DSI migration holdups.
74 trusts used automation to complete their 2023/24 accounts return, this is an improvement on the 59 from the previous year. We will send feedback from your client bases when we're able to do so.
We need your help to improve this figure for next year and any suggestions and feedback you have from your clients would be very useful to us.
Please contact us here: DfE Chart of Accounts and Automation
Accounts Return 2023/24 Retros
As usual, we'll be having a post AR retro session with each FMS provider we have worked closely with on our Automation project. These will take place in late February / early March.
We will discuss the successes and challenges experienced by both our suppliers and ourselves, along with any relevant client feedback.
Please bring along any colleagues you think could contribute to the discussion.
'For action' -If you haven't already replied with some dates, please do let us know what days to avoid and I will send out invites.
'For action' - We would appreciate it if you could share your current academy trust client list with us. This will help us have up-to-date information to enable us to address any queries from trusts and ensure the market share data we provide is as accurate as possible.
Gaining a better understanding of our FMS providers – survey
This year we are sending all FMS providers a new survey. We are aiming to send it out in March.
We are looking for a better understanding of what your products can offer and how we can use our collective minds and time to better serve academy trusts. Some questions may require a little bit of thought and/or information gathering but please do provide as much detail as you can.
We'll be asking about:
- Automation
- FMS comparison matrix
- Communications & performance
Academies chart of accounts (ACoA) – updated versions
A reminder that there will be two versions available for FMS providers;
- 2024/25 ACoA - the next version to be released in March, final version to be released July/August
- 2025/26 ACoA with updated account codes with effect from 1st September 2025 - currently due to be released in May
Any changes to the academies CoA will be listed on the change control tab within the spreadsheet.
'For action' - Keep an eye on our webpage and Supplier helpdesk knowledge base for updates.
Client webinars/demos for AR 2024/25
We think this is an opportune time of year for FMS providers to talk to trusts about upgrading their finance software, as trusts have now finished their busy financial reporting season and have a few months before the start of the next financial year to think about upgrading their systems or indeed switching systems.
If you are planning some marketing communications/events for your software which uses the DfE’s chart of accounts and automation, we would be very happy to work with you on any joint endeavours, led by yourselves.
'For action' - Please let us know what you have planned or are planning for 2025 so we can get some dates in.
Development for 2024/25
Firstly, just a reminder that the UAT environment is no longer available, the Supplier Test Environment (STE) is to be used for all testing and demos.
We will start 2024/25 form development in earnest in May. FMS providers will have continuous access to the form through the STE environment, but to note there will be a short period of unavailability when we rollover the environments to include any new changes, we'll let you know when closer to the time.
'For action' - We recommend that you update your subscription keys annually as part of your ‘business as usual’ processes, which will also ensure you are using the most up to date contact details.
This is a really quick and easy process and guidance is provided in our API guide.
How to contact us
If you need to reach the team, please use our FMS provider helpdesk.
This is the preferred route over email as we are able to track queries much more effectively this way.
Your feedback
'For action' - Please take a minute to leave some comments about this newsletter here
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