How Collaboration led to Industry Success

We were impressed with Kaleida’s thorough approach from the start. They knew how to ask the right questions, drilling down to the real struggles and constraints we were facing. Our collaboration continued as they invested considerable time in developing an ideal solution for us, making revisions throughout based on testing and our feedback. We now have a system that understands us. It continues to save us time and money, whilst providing clear visibility across projects. Couldn’t be happier!

Andy Lofthouse, Commercial Director, Renaker Build

The problem

Renaker’s managers were struggling to administrate complex projects across multiple sites in Manchester City Centre, finding that the system for uploading, approving and paying contractors was letting them down. 

The existing system relied on a central spreadsheet on LAN where each Quantity Surveyor had to update their section during a scheduled access window so that there weren’t any update conflicts. It was restrictive and time consuming, allowing for errors and requiring post-reconciliation after import. It didn’t allow the Commercial Manager to gather information on an interim basis, and this in turn impacted on the information he was able to relay to the FD.

Manual data input plus wasted resource was creating a system that was slow and greatly inaccurate.

The project was picked up by Kaleida after a previous supplier failed to deliver, having previously beaten Kaleida on cost in the initial bid.

After numerous scope meetings with our team, we proposed that a web application be developed, running on LAN but with external access via VPN, that would automate large portions of the process for the QS and CM, and provide BACS reports for payment processing and weekly payslip summaries.

The solution

Our bespoke software for Renaker succeeds in improving accuracy and reducing the time needed to upload, query and approve timesheets through a simple to use, but comprehensive, management solution.

The system calculates and generates individual payslips for each employee from approved timesheets to be printed, and finance can download individual or all payslips for a week as a PDF. After the initial import of an operative’s details, it allows for timesheets to be copied over week to week, improving efficiency further. When the QS enters a timesheet, the system dynamically calculates the holiday accrual so that an operative can make a request for their full entitlement, including the current week.

Automation reduced wasted resource and completely removed any data errors. Importantly it improved efficiency, reduced stress for the QS and FD and allowed them to put their time to better use.

Our CSV generator enables the user to export a CSV file in a format suitable for manual import into Sage, further reducing the chance of human error and helping with HMRC CIS reporting.

The QS can now enter timesheets at a time that is convenient, allowing them to do the job they are on site to do. Not only that, but it produces a clear picture of each project for the Commercial Manager, allowing them to bulk authorise weekly payments as the final stage in their weekly workflow. This in turn means that the FD benefits from clear visibility across all projects.

Key features & Benefits

• QS enters timesheets (and resolves queried timesheets) and holiday payment requests on a weekly basis for their own sites.
• The Commercial Manager queries and approves individual timesheets for all sites
• The Commercial Manager authorises payslips and employee payments
• Finance can view and download (as Excel) Labour reports which detail BACS payment details
• Finance can view and download (as PDF) individual and all payslips for a week
• Finance can download a Sage import file (as CSV) which provides a payslip breakdown into invoices and credits for a variety of accounts, nominal codes and departments
• Payslips are generated as 3 per A4 page so that they can be printed onto specifically perforated paper and inserted into windowed envelopes
• The system maintains Year to Date balances for each operative
• The system calculates CIS tax deductions for each operative based on their verified rate
• The system allows the user to manage a list of sites
• The system allows the user to manage a list of operatives including workflow to ensure they can't be paid until their CIS status has been verified