University of Surrey | Sempre Analytics

Customer stories

Harnessing the power of connected planning

With uncertainty still around many sectors, find out how the University of Surrey has gained the ability to process, analyse and understand their data, in order to make strategic business decisions based on real data, connected through a single platform. Sempre Analytics work with Higher Education, enabling the sector to harness the power of connected planning. The University of Surrey has gone beyond student number planning and is now completing all its budgeting process using the Anaplan Solution.

The problem

With around 16,000 students, 3,000 employees, a campus estate comprising residences, catering, conferencing, sport and leisure, along with a vast array of teaching and research facilities: it’s easy to see why decision-making for a major university has been likened to running a small town.

Like many sectors, higher education has to grapple with its own blend of new challenges: uncertainty on funding in the short and long term, predicting student demand, along with shifting expectations of stakeholders around accountability – particularly in relation to areas such as ESG (Environmental, Social & Governance).

The University of Surrey was relying on multiple silos of spreadsheets for financial and non-financial planning. Pulling data together was “really messy”. Its end goal was a seamless planning and resource allocation process incorporating the university’s full span of activities.

What we did

Through implementing the Anaplan business planning platform, Sempre has enabled The University of Surrey to successfully move away from spreadsheet silos to join the dots between financial and operational planning.

The University’s entire budgeting and planning system is now in one place. This means a more robust, error-free process for budgeting and cash allocation, and the ability to see exactly what’s happening in terms of the institution’s finances. When strategic decisions need to be made, stakeholders can analyse their likely impact across the entire organisation, test assumptions, evaluate options and make evidence-based decisions rapidly, and with confidence.