Aparangi Village
Not-for-profit retirement village improves efficiency with an integrated payroll and financial solution from Attaché Software.
- Greatly reduced payroll processing time
- Faster, more accurate financial reporting
- Improved operational visibility
Retirement village saves with integrated software solution
An integrated payroll and financial management solution from Attaché Software is helping Te Kauwhata Retirement Trust Board, a not-for-profit organisation and lifestyle retirement village operator, save time, cut management costs and improve efficiency.
Improved efficiencies
Te Kauwhata Retirement Trust Board operates Aparangi Village, a unique lifestyle retirement community in New Zealand.
The solution from Attaché Software combined with the VCare care management system has dramatically cut payroll processing time and improved financial reporting, providing greater visibility on the operations. According to the board’s general manager, Jackie Long, the board has reduced its staff’s workload by seven days a month, equating to more than a third of one admin wage.
Take the pain out of payroll
Processing the payroll previously required 1.5 days each month, however, by implementing Attaché together with TimeTarget, it’s now half a morning. Roster scheduling has also become more efficient with TimeTarget, harnessing 1.5 days a month.
“Often payroll would take away from the stuff we have to get on with, so we saw it as an onerous task but now we don’t – it’s just part of business,” says Jackie.
Originally four people were required to authorise the pays, including Jackie, who had to sign off on them. Now only one person is needed, freeing up hours for other pressing issues.
“I just get one report and sign it off,” says Jackie. “It takes me ten minutes to do the pays, whereas it used to take me half to three-quarters of an hour – my own time has been saved as well as the rest of the team’s so we’ve seen dividends all over the place.”
Outstanding financial efficiency makes a difference
Attaché’s financial reporting has saved the organisation two working days a month in preparing board reports. Now one person runs a succinct monthly report, which is easier for members to read and keeps them better informed about the organisation’s progress and expenditure.
Resident billing was another time-consuming area, however with VCare currently being implemented, the situation has already improved, knocking off approximately 24 days of work a year.
“It was all separate with people not talking to each other and things getting missed,” says Jackie. “Our overall financial efficiency is just a different picture from last year.”
The use of VCare also benefits residents, as payments are made in real time, rather than monthly invoices going out.
“We were finding people questioning things because they’d forget that they received a service; they got confused which month it was in,” says Jackie. “It’s really good, especially for the older population.”
More time means more efficiency
Overall, staff members have more time to do tasks they might not normally have time to do, alleviating stress in the office and offering a more value-for-money service for residents.
“The staff understand the system, they know they get support and they know they get training, so they’re really happy,” says Jackie. “If my staff are happy, I’m happy.”
Software a success for aged care
When Jackie became general manager at Te Kauwhata Retirement Trust Board, the existing system was outdated and unsuitable for an organisation of its size.
“What we had wasn’t fit for what the board required to make informed decisions,” she says.
Jackie was impressed by Attaché’s personal approach.
“Our model is unique to aged care and to New Zealand full stop, and the way we operate is very different to anybody else.”
Attaché took the time to familiarise themselves with the team’s specific business needs.
“They got to know what our challenges were and recommended the best way for us to move forward,” says Jackie.
About Aparangi Village
- A registered charitable trust managed by the not-for-profit Te Kauwhata Retirement Trust Board
- Developed in 1972, it is one of the earliest “lifestyle retirement villages”
- Aims to provide quality care to meet the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of its 200 residents
