University of Plymouth

How Embridge Consulting automated the University of Plymouth’s invoice processing with the Unit4 Extension Kit

The customer

Embridge Consulting built and maintained custom integrations for the University of Plymouth, allowing its finance team to automate key functions within the institution’s existing Unit4 cloud environment, without the need for an additional, costly, underutilised RPA platform.

Known for its excellence in teaching, research, and sustainability, the University of Plymouth is home to around 19,000 students. Recognised globally for its academic excellence and real-world impact, the institution has long upheld its positive reputation via commitment to innovation and efficiency across finance and administration.

The challenge

The University had relied on a leading SaaS-based Robotic Process Automation (RPA) platform to automatically create and send invoices generated from the finance team’s spreadsheets and make the output available in Microsoft SharePoint online for users to access. Whilst effective, the software’s licencing costs were significant. Moreover, when the specialist who implemented the system left, the University was left with a complex, costly tool that required dedicated expertise from new hires to maintain and update. As a result, it needed to find an alternative, more affordable and efficient route forward for its requirements.

Although the RPA platform had been in place for three years, it was never fully integrated with the University’s broader technology ecosystem – such as HR, payroll, and other enterprise applications. This limited its current value versus its potential.

The alternative was to carry out the same functions using Unit4 cloud, which the University had already transitioned to 6 years ago. Nevertheless, this would require custom integrations to be built and consistently maintained and updated – beyond those provided for free via the Unit4 Extension Kit available to all cloud customers. Without this interoperability, it could not safely retire the RPA platform without compromising streamlined and intuitive finance operations.

The solution

Having worked successfully with Embridge Consulting for over 5 years, the University of Plymouth turned to its trusted partner for the solution.

Embridge experts built and configured the necessary integration within the Unit4 Extension Kit to ensure the invoice processing function previously managed by the RPA platform could be replicated within the Unit4 cloud environment. This not only made it possible for the University to cut unnecessary expenditure by using the Extension Kit, but also gave the finance team a more efficient, maintainable, and integrated way of managing a recurring, high-volume process within a system they already used.

To embed the change effectively, Embridge also provided comprehensive staff training, ensuring users understood how to make the most of the Unit4 tools at their disposal. This guaranteed that the University achieved full adoption and sustained benefit from the transformation, without resistance or return to outdated, inefficient legacy processes due to lack of understanding or buy-in.

The results

The new automation system – built entirely using the Unit4 Extension Kit – was completed in a matter of months and pushed live on the 1st of October 2025.

By retiring RPA, the University has made significant cost savings, whilst benefitting from a more integrated and efficient financial ecosystem. The finance team can now automatically raise and send invoices directly through Unit4, without the need for external software or manual intervention.

This has proved particularly impactful for the University’s innovation centres spread across Cornwall, which lease space to local SMEs and require hundreds of invoices to be issued on a monthly basis. What was once a costly and time-consuming process is now fully automated and streamlined.

With Embridge’s guidance and training, the University has ensured strong staff engagement and adoption, guaranteeing that new processes are effective and deliver long-term value. The success of this project has also inspired the University to explore additional opportunities for automation via Embridge and Unit4. It is hoped that Embridge will build and manage more integrations within the Unit4 cloud environment to support additional improvements across other University tasks and processes, while providing additional staff training and digital transformation support where required.

“Embridge has supported changes to how we use the Unit4 Extension Kit, which has reduced reliance on an RPA system that was being retired due to its limited ROI within the current team context. Alternative, more affordable and accessible methods are now being used to deliver similar functions, contributing to some adjustments in our financial operations processes. Our systems are connected in a different way, and ways of working continue to evolve”.

Steven Piper Interim Finance Systems Manager, Financial Operations, University of Plymouth.