Academy Trust and School Finance Managers face mounting pressure. Between budget management, compliance requirements, and the day-to-day financial operations of your organisation, time is your most precious resource. When you need support with your finance systems, waiting for answers simply isn't an option.
At SAAF, we built our school finance support system around one key principle: getting you back to work as quickly as possible. With a 98% resolution rate within three hours and 90% first-call resolution rate, we understand that speed matters.
But here's the thing: you can make our service work even more efficiently for you.
Whether you're troubleshooting PS Financials, managing user permissions, or navigating system queries, how you contact support makes a real difference to resolution times. Here are five practical tips to help you get answers faster.
We offer three ways to reach our school finance helpdesk team, each suited to different types of queries:
Telephone: 0115 975 2400 (Option 1)
Best for urgent issues requiring immediate guidance or when you need to talk through a complex problem.
Email: mailto:support@saafeducation.org
Ideal when you need to attach screenshots, error messages, or documents that provide context to your query. Visual information helps our team diagnose issues more accurately.
Online Support Portal
Perfect for tracking multiple queries, accessing guidance notes, and building a record of resolutions for your team. To register, contact mailto:support@saafeducation.org.
The Support Portal is free for all support clients and provides a valuable knowledge base of software guidance that your entire finance team can access at any time.
SAAF Cloud clients: You have an additional shortcut built directly into your IRIS/PS Financials software, giving you instant access to helpdesk support without leaving your finance system.
We aim for first-time resolution on every query, which means we'll only need to contact you again if essential information is missing. The more detail you provide upfront, the faster we can resolve your issue.
Consider this common scenario: "Please can Susan be set up to use PS Purchasing."
Whilst we may be able to identify who ‘Susan’ is, we'll need to follow up with questions about her role, responsibilities, and required access levels. This back-and-forth adds unnecessary time to what should be a straightforward process.
When requesting new user setup or access changes, save time by including:
Replacing an existing user? Simply provide the new user's name, email address, and the name of the person they're replacing. We can replicate existing user group permissions efficiently.
Setting up a new role with specific requirements? Detail exactly what access is needed. Since security is controlled by user groups, the more specific you are about their responsibilities, the more accurately we can configure their access.
When reporting system issues or errors, a screenshot is worth a thousand words. Visual information helps our team:
Email and the Online Support Portal both allow attachments, making them ideal for queries that benefit from visual context.
The Online Support Portal isn't just for logging new tickets; it's a valuable resource for your entire finance team. Use it to:
When related issues arise, referencing previous ticket numbers helps our team understand the full context and provide more informed support.
At SAAF, our helpdesk specialises in education finance systems. That’s why our team understands the unique pressures of school finance officers and their teams face, including the compliance requirements you face, and the systems you use daily. We're not tied to a single finance system, which means we can offer comprehensive support that goes beyond basic troubleshooting, and we take the time to ensure you understand what’s happened and how to fix it if it happens again.
When you're managing month-end processes, preparing for audits, or processing urgent payments, system downtime or unanswered questions create real problems. That's why our helpdesk is designed around your needs, providing industry expertise with genuine speed.
Our school finance helpdesk exists to make your working day easier. By following these straightforward tips, you'll get faster resolutions and spend less time waiting for answers.
Current helpdesk clients: If you have any questions about accessing support or using the Online Support Portal, contact our support team at support@saafeducation.org or call 0115 975 2400 (Option 1).
Considering our helpdesk service? Learn more about how we support school and academy trust finance teams.
Getting the right support shouldn't slow you down. With the right approach and a helpdesk that understands education finance, you can resolve issues quickly and get back to what matters most – managing your school’s finances effectively.