The problem
Financial teams within academies and educational trusts in England require timely, accurate, and comprehensive funding information to manage their finances effectively.
Our research identified several challenges with the current system:
- users expect an overview of all grant allocation information for each of their schools
- users expect a payment schedule
- users need an easy way to compare funding information
- users often download and file documents themselves to ensure future access
- users currently have to use multiple platforms for each school they manage and for each funding stream they receive
Creating a consolidated view
To address these challenges, the team worked on defining what a consolidated view should include.
The aim was to provide all relevant funding information in a single, accessible interface without overwhelming users with excessive data.
Instead of a large, complex table, we focused on presenting key financial details in a structured and user-friendly way.
Prototype overview
The prototype for the consolidated view features:
- Dashboard overview
The dashboard serves as the central hub for financial teams, offering a high-level summary of their funding allocations and key financial metrics.
- summary cards: users can quickly view key funding details, including total funds allocated, received, and pending
- quick access links: navigation to deeper funding breakdowns and specific reports
- recent updates section: highlights any changes in funding or new allocations
- financial health indicators: a visual representation (e.g., color-coded statuses) of payment statuses and outstanding amounts
This overview enables users to get a clear snapshot of their funding position without diving into detailed reports immediately.
- Funding breakdown and details
The funding breakdown section provides a structured, interactive table that organises grant allocations, payment schedules, and remittance information in one place.
Data table layout:
- columns include: funding source, allocation amount, payment date, payment status, and remittance reference
- each row corresponds to a specific funding transaction, making it easier to track payments
Filtering and sorting:
- users can filter by school, funding stream, date range, and payment status
- sorting options allow them to organize data by amount, date, or status
Drill-down details:
- clicking on an entry provides an expanded view with more details, including funding justification, linked documents, and remittance history
Export and download options:
- users can download reports in CSV or PDF formats for offline access
This structured breakdown ensures that financial teams can easily navigate and manage their funding information efficiently.
Key design decisions
Prioritisation of information Instead of presenting all data at once, we focused on surfacing the most relevant information first, with options to explore more details as needed.
Interactivity and customisation Users can filter funding information based on time periods, funding streams, or specific schools, reducing the need to manually process large datasets.
Ensuring data accuracy and timeliness The system provides real-time updates, ensuring that users always have the latest funding information without relying on multiple documents or outdated emails.
Next steps
With these design decisions in place, we are continuing to test the prototype with financial teams in schools and trusts.
Feedback from these sessions will help refine the interface, ensuring that it effectively meets user needs.
Our goal is to create a consolidated funding view that is clear, accessible, and supports better financial decision-making across the education sector.