Platform Housing Group boosts on-contract spend by 20% with Proactis
Platform Housing Group is one of the UK's largest housing associations, with ambitions to double in size. Formed in 2018 through the merger of Fortis Living and Waterloo Housing, the Group faced the challenge of unifying fragmented procurement processes and disconnected supplier records across a rapidly growing organisation - all while navigating sector-wide pressures including capped rental income and rising repair costs.
Sector
Housing Association (Social Housing)
Homes Managed
48,000+
Suppliers
1,700+
Purchase Orders Processed
75,000+ per year
Annual Third-Party Spend
£267 million+
System Integration
Infor Sun Systems
Solutions Used
Marketplace, Sourcing, Contract Management, Invoice Capture, Proactis P2P
On-Contract Spend Increase
20%
Reduction in Maverick Spend
15%
Reduction in Overdue Invoices
30%
Platform Housing Group manages over 48,000 homes across the UK, processing more than 75,000 purchase order transactions annually across a supplier base of over 1,700 - with total spend exceeding £267 million per year. Following rapid growth through merger, the Group's procurement and finance functions were struggling to keep pace.
Supplier records were fragmented and often out of date. Maverick purchasing was common, contract compliance was difficult to enforce, and a growing backlog of overdue invoices was creating risk across the supply chain. Procurement operated largely in isolation from Finance, meaning budget holders had limited visibility of committed spend and little ability to track budgets in real time.
At the same time, the wider social housing sector faced mounting economic pressure - a 7% rent cap, rising repair costs, and persistent inflation - making financial control and procurement efficiency more urgent than ever. Platform needed a single, scalable Source-to-Pay solution capable of supporting not just its current scale, but its ambition to double in size within five years.
As part of its 'Shaping Future Finance' programme, Platform partnered with Proactis to deploy a unified Source-to-Pay solution integrated with its Infor Sun Systems finance platform. The result: a 20% increase in on-contract spend, a 30% reduction in overdue invoices, and a procurement function repositioned as a genuine strategic partner to the business.
Solution
Platform launched a comprehensive Source-to-Pay transformation, deploying Proactis Marketplace, Sourcing, Contract Management, and Invoice Capture alongside Proactis P2P - all integrated with its Infor Sun Systems finance platform. The solution was selected for its balance of functionality, ease of use, and long-term scalability. It also supported the technology change programme that included migrating the Group's housing management system to Microsoft Dynamics.
The programme began with a redesign of Platform's chart of accounts and procurement hierarchy, giving budget holders a clear, real-time view of commitments and spend for the first time. Requisitioning, approvals, and invoice matching were consolidated into a single connected process - from capture through to payment - eliminating the manual handoffs and system-switching that had previously slowed the team down.
They now track key performance indicators including overdue invoices, contract compliance, and savings delivered - embedding a culture of data-driven continuous improvement across both Finance and Procurement, and giving leadership the visibility they need to manage the organisation confidently.
How Proactis Helped
“This technology transformation has given us real control over what we're buying and what we're spending. Budget holders now have the visibility they need to manage commitments properly, and we have a platform that's built to grow with us.”
- CFO, Platform Housing Group
Increased on-contract spend by 20%, directing more purchasing through negotiated agreements and approved suppliers
Reduced maverick spend by 15%, improving compliance and reducing the risk of uncontrolled expenditure
Reduced overdue invoices by 30%, improving supplier relationships and strengthening cash flow management
Processed over 75,000 purchase order transactions in a single year, with a platform built to scale further as the Group grows
Gave budget holders real-time, accurate spend reporting aligned directly to their budgets for the first time
Streamlined the full invoice journey - from capture through to payment - within one connected, automated process
Embedded continuous improvement through live KPI dashboards covering savings, compliance, and invoice performance
Repositioned Procurement as a strategic partner to the business, moving beyond transactional processing to proactive spend management
Customer Insight
“We're committed to continually investing in our technology to create great places to live. Working with Proactis has enabled us to take control of our spend and contracts, remove risk from our supply chain, and lay the foundations for a truly modern finance function - one that's ready for growth.”
- CFO, Platform Housing Group
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