St Helena Hospice’s staff were burdened with manual, time-consuming processes.

About the client

St Helena is a hospice charity dedicated to providing specialist care and support to people facing incurable illness and bereavement. The charity also offers guidance to families, helping them navigate financial and emotional challenges during difficult times.

With a commitment to delivering compassionate, high-quality care, St Helena continuously looks for ways to improve efficiency and enhance services.

The Challenge

Symptoms of a failing system

St Helena was operating on Sage 200, a limited system that was slowing down vital operations. Finance staff found themselves burdened with manual, time-consuming processes that drained resources and limited their ability to focus on strategic planning. Reports lacked accuracy, making it difficult for senior management and trustees to make well-informed decisions.

Integration issues meant staff had to enter the same data multiple times across different platforms, increasing errors and adding unnecessary workload. Budget holders struggled to get real-time financial insights, creating bottlenecks that delayed decision making. Additionally, with Sage 200 approaching end-of-life, there were rising concerns about security and compliance risks.

Beyond technical challenges, the restrictive system placed immense pressure on the finance team. Staff were regularly working late to reconcile accounts, navigating a complex reporting structure that lacked transparency. For newer team members, understanding the system was frustrating, while long-serving employees had simply adapted to its inefficiencies. The situation was unsustainable—St Helena needed a modern, cloud-based solution that would empower its people and streamline operations.

The Solution

Prescribing the right solution

Following extensive research, ForGood.Tech and Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central stood out as the perfect fit. ForGood.Tech’s deep understanding of the charity sector and proven track record in digital transformation made them the ideal partner. Their structured implementation plan provided reassurance, and pre-project workshops helped St Helena’s team understand exactly what to expect. Business Central was chosen for its flexibility, automation capabilities, and ability to future-proof the charity’s finance system.

During the transition, ForGood.Tech provided engaging remote training sessions, ensuring staff felt supported every step of the way. These sessions were recorded, allowing employees to revisit training materials when needed—reducing the dependency on external support. To ease the transition, St Helena also brought in temporary additional resources, ensuring that existing staff had time to focus on testing and adapting processes without disrupting day-to-day operations.

---

“Budget holders used to be blind to their financial data and completely dependent on us to give them reports. Now, they can access everything themselves in the system.”

St Helena

---

Stronger vital signs in finance

Since moving to Business Central, St Helena has experienced a complete transformation in its finance operations. Manual approvals and spreadsheet-heavy processes have been replaced by automated workflows, allowing the team to focus on adding real value. Reporting is now seamless, providing real-time insights that enable quicker and more confident decision-making.

Budget holders, once reliant on the finance team for every query, can now access their own reports instantly—freeing up finance staff to focus on strategic initiatives. Senior leadership and trustees have gained full confidence in financial reporting, ensuring resources are allocated efficiently where they are needed most.

The impact of Business Central has been felt across the organisation. Invoice processing, which previously required multiple steps and manual workarounds, is now smooth and efficient. Audit trails are clear, and approvals are tracked seamlessly, improving governance. The frustration and stress previously felt by the finance team has been replaced with a sense of control and confidence.

Looking to the future

Ongoing care and future wellbeing

With Business Central in place, St Helena is looking ahead to further advancements. Plans are in motion to integrate a CRM system, which will provide a seamless link between donor and financial data, ensuring greater operational efficiency. The charity is also exploring additional automation opportunities to reduce manual workloads even further, allowing teams to focus on delivering their mission.

Beyond the technology, St Helena is committed to embedding a culture of digital confidence among staff. Ongoing training and process refinement will ensure that employees continue to make the most of Business Central’s capabilities. In the future the organisation plans to utilise the purchase ordering functionality to bring about greater control in procurement and create efficiencies for budget holders.

St Helena’s digital transformation with ForGood.Tech is not just about technology—it’s about empowering people, creating efficiencies, and strengthening the charity’s ability to focus on what matters most: providing exceptional care to those who need it. As a trusted partner, ForGood.Tech will continue to support St Helena on this journey, ensuring they remain at the forefront of innovation in the charity sector.