News
Forum For The Future Implements time@work from Touchstone Group To Improve Audit Efficiency
By Teredo Limited
4. Dec 2006 - 10:39:22 PM

The new time recording and client billing software is set to improve the time management and billing efficiency for over 75 users,  helping to ensure that the charity’s resources are being used effectively. The new time@work software will integrate with Forum for the Future’s financial and management accounting software – SunAccounts – and will become an integrated part of its IT systems.

Forum for the Future works with 150 partner organisations in business and the public sector to find ways to build a future that is environmentally viable, socially just, and economically prosperous. Forum for the Future has been operating as a registered charity for 10 years and has more than 75 employees operating from two offices in Cheltenham and London.

John Bishop, IT Manager, Forum for the Future, comments, “Forum for the Future’s  income primarily comes from grants for projects plus partnership fees from business and public sector organisations who work with us to develop their skills, tools and commitment to act more sustainably. It is vital for our status as a not-for–profit organisation that we can calculate and justify how many hours and what cost is going into any project. Our previous time management and billing system was causing us significant support issues, and was extremely difficult to work with technically.”

Bishop continues, “Touchstone Group presented us with time@work as the solution to our problems and after thorough evaluation, we decided to do a complete swap.”

Bishop concludes, “From the offset we have received a heightened level of support from the team at Touchstone Group. We are much more positive about time@work’s technical abilities and believe that it will perform to a much higher standard. After we have fully implemented the product, we predict that we will benefit greatly from a reduced number of support calls and as a result our IT will be able to operate more seamlessly, efficiently and proactively.”

Adrian McNay, Divisional Managing Director, Touchstone Group, adds, “We are still at the early stages with Forum for the Future, but we are working with them very closely to ensure that they receive the very best advice and support. This is a very extraordinary organisation. We are very impressed with the advice and guidance that they offer and understand their unique position in the not-for-profit sector. We look forward to guiding them through each phase of the project development.”

About Forum for the Future
Forum for the Future is the UK's leading sustainable development charity.  Our aim is to show that a sustainable future is both possible and desirable.  We work with forward looking organisations in business and the public sector to find practical ways to build a future that is environmentally viable, socially just and economically prosperous. 

For further information about Forum for the Future please contact:
Imogen Martineau
Head of Communications
 
Forum for the Future
Overseas House
19-23 Ironmonger Row
London
EC1V 3QN

T: +44 (0)20 7324 3631 
F: +44 (0)20 7324 3697 
M: +44 (0)7944 401111 

www.forumforthefuture.org.uk

About Touchstone Group
Incorporated in 1982, Touchstone Group plc is quoted on the London Stock Exchange AIM market (LSE:TSE).

Touchstone Group provides integrated business software solutions and consultancy services to mid-market & enterprise level organisations to harness the power of technology for business improvement.

Touchstone Group combines an intimate knowledge of its clients’ vertical markets with a strong partner portfolio. Coupled with teams of experts to support the entire integration process, the Group is able to provide a highly professional service, helping each client to find the right technology solution to support its business needs through addressing a broad range of business activities; such as ERP & CRM, corporate performance management, procurement, document and records management, and enterprise resource management (ERM). 

From business analysis, solution definition, programme & project management, technology & infrastructure, to development, solution implementation and client support, Touchstone is able to integrate and deliver exactly the right combination of technology components to streamline its clients’ complex business processes and deliver ongoing, incremental change.

Primarily working with companies in the UK, but also supporting many international organisations, Touchstone has over 1,000 customers of which about 300 are this year involved in fee-based project developments. The organisation is focused upon ten key industry sectors, including Not-for-Profit, Hire & Rental, Wealth Management, Financial Services, Hospitality & Leisure, Energy, High Tech, Media & Publishing, Wholesale and Professional Services. Key customer names include: Speedy Hire, PwC, Isle of Man Government, MessageLabs, J D Wetherspoon, Toshiba, and West Yorkshire Police.

For further information, please contact:

Natalie Easson  
Touchstone Group     
+44 (0)207 121 4700     
www.touchstone.co.uk   
natalie.easson@touchstone.co.uk

Celia Dixon / Jo Timmins
The itpr Partnership     
+44 (0)1932 578800 
www.itpr.co.uk
celiad@itpr.co.uk