The acquisition of two regional businesses has seen the first integrated HR platform and payroll bureau service rolled out to schools.
Grimsby’s Dataplan was bought by Langley-based Iris Software Group in October last year, with Leeds firm Every added to the stable a month later.
Now, days past the first anniversary of the businesses being united, the combined software package has been deployed. Almost 6,000 employees at UK schools and trusts are benefitting from the work, in an increasingly challenging environment.
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Dataplan Education’s client services director, Adele Blackham, has been at the forefront of supporting customers on the journey to more holistic HR. She said: “With our first joint project going live in November to 45 schools with over 5,000 employees in a large multi-academy trust, it is the culmination of a fantastic effort by teams at Dataplan and Every working closely together to make it happen.
“Schools outsource their payroll for peace of mind that it is compliant, accurate and efficient, and the integration we can now offer schools using Every HR adds real value to the process and will be a game-changer for both businesses.”
Dataplan, founded by management consultant Tom Allen in 1969, became part of the Cosalt group of companies, and was later acquired by Forrester Boyd. Under former accountancy partner Richard Rowell’s leadership it grew dramatically, with a management buyout returning it to a standalone business three years before Iris swooped.
Every started life in 2010 as Sandgate Systems and rebranded in 2015, having been founded by two colleagues who worked at a software company in West Yorkshire.
Adam Watson, one of those founders, said: “Our aim was to develop Every HR into the most holistic human resources management solution for the UK’s schools and trusts. Now, this partnership with Dataplan Education’s excellent payroll service is supporting us to achieve what clients have been asking for, an integrated HR and payroll service.
“The sheer number of our education workforce whose pay and pension administration has benefitted from this integration in month one alone is something that we’re really proud of, especially during a challenging time for the sector.
“Increased teacher salaries and squeezed budgets are putting huge pressure on internal processes. Being able to give our customers peace of mind that both their employee data and payroll information is up-to-date, synchronised, and streamlined, is helping to take a little bit of that pressure off.
“Having already heard from numerous customers about the benefits of centralising two key components of HR, we’re really excited to develop and grow this partnership to support more UK schools and trusts with their HR and payroll activities.”
Iris connects millions of parents and gardens with schools via app-based technology, providing communication and transaction lines between home and headteacher.
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