UHS: From spreadsheet-driven collections to full-ledger visibility and proactive Accounts Receivable management with My DSO Manager

The context: Managing a complex Accounts Receivable ledger within the NHS

Managing Accounts Receivable in a major NHS hospital trust presents challenges that extend far beyond traditional debt collection.

At University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust (UHS), the Accounts Receivable team is responsible for recovering income from a diverse range of organisations and individuals, including other NHS organizations, Integrated Care Boards, private patients, overseas visitors and commercial partners.

For Will Dorey, Accounts Receivable Supervisor at UHS, the challenge was not simply understanding how much money was outstanding. It was knowing where the team should focus its efforts, how to allocate resources effectively and how to demonstrate collection performance to senior Finance stakeholders.

With a large and complex ledger containing thousands of accounts and invoices, the team needed a more structured way to manage collections, prioritise actions and maintain visibility over its receivables portfolio.

However, the existing finance system had not been designed specifically for collections management.

As a result, much of the team's time was spent organizing work, preparing reports and navigating administrative processes rather than focusing on debt recovery itself.

Before My DSO Manager: When spreadsheets limit collection performance

Before implementing My DSO Manager, UHS relied heavily on spreadsheets and manual processes to manage its Accounts Receivable activities.

Collectors typically began the week by downloading spreadsheets from the finance system and working through the outstanding ledger as effectively as possible.

Without a dedicated collections platform, identifying which accounts required attention, scheduling follow-up actions and recording customer interactions involved significant manual effort.

The main operational challenges included:

• ✕Limited visibility across a large and complex receivables ledger.
• ✕Time-consuming work allocation between collection team members.
• ✕Manual reporting based on multiple spreadsheets and data extracts.
• ✕Difficulty prioritising collection actions according to their potential impact.
• ✕Fragmented customer information and limited continuity between collection activities.
• ✕Administrative workload reducing the time available for actual debt recovery.

One particularly frustrating issue was the difficulty of reallocating accounts between collectors.

When workloads needed to be adjusted because of staff changes or operational priorities, Will had to download and analyse the ledger manually, identify which accounts could be transferred and submit a request through several levels of support.

Even a relatively simple change to the allocation of accounts could take a week or more to be reflected in the system.

Reporting presented another major challenge. Performance reports had to be assembled manually from multiple spreadsheets, meaning that by the time the information was available, it could already be out of date.

For a team responsible for supporting the Trust's financial position, this lack of timely information made effective management unnecessarily difficult.

The objective: Giving collectors clear priorities and manage better visibility

When UHS began evaluating a dedicated collections management solution, two priorities emerged.

The first was to make the daily work of collectors simpler, more structured and more productive.

Rather than requiring each collector to review spreadsheets and decide independently which accounts to chase, the team wanted a flexible diary management system capable of scheduling actions, organizing priorities and guiding users through their daily workloads.

The objective was to automate routine decisions and communications wherever appropriate, allowing collectors to spend more time recovering outstanding debt.

The second priority was to strengthen management reporting.

Will needed to be able to monitor team productivity, evaluate collection performance and communicate meaningful information to senior Finance stakeholders.

Importantly, the platform needed to demonstrate how the team's activity contributed to the wider financial position of the Trust.

My DSO Manager was selected to provide a more proactive, structured and transparent approach to Accounts Receivable management.

Implementation: More than installing a new system

Having already participated in four system implementations during his career, Will was familiar with the challenges involved in introducing new technology into established financial processes.

What particularly impressed him about the My DSO Manager implementation was the team's willingness to understand UHS's operational requirements before configuring the solution.

Rather than simply reproducing existing processes in a different application, the project team worked closely with UHS to understand what information was needed, why it mattered and how the organisation could improve its ways of working.

This collaborative approach enabled the Trust to rethink its collections processes instead of simply digitizing existing inefficiencies.

"What really set this process apart from others was the way in which the team who were going to do the implementation listened to our needs."

Will Dorey - Accounts Receivable Supervisor - UHS

Support was another important factor.

During the initial implementation phase, the My DSO Manager team worked directly with UHS on site, providing guidance and answering questions as users became familiar with the platform.

Crucially, this accessibility continued after the initial deployment.

Whenever questions arose, the team could obtain answers quickly, helping maintain confidence and encouraging users to make full use of the solution.

"Even when they stopped being on site, they didn't start being unavailable."

Will Dorey - Accounts Receivable Supervisor - UHS

User adoption: A new way of organising the working day

The introduction of My DSO Manager fundamentally changed how the UHS Accounts Receivable team organises its daily activities.

Previously, collectors were responsible not only for carrying out recovery actions but also for determining which actions needed to be performed and when.

With automated collection workflows and diary management, daily priorities are now clearly identified within the platform.

Users can see which accounts require attention, which letters or emails need to be sent and which cases require follow-up.

While adapting to the new approach required some changes in established habits, the overall response from the team was extremely positive.

"The response from the receivables team was overwhelmingly positive."

Will Dorey - Accounts Receivable Supervisor - UHS

Features such as scheduling, diary management and integrated dispute resolution quickly demonstrated their value.

Instead of working from static spreadsheets, collectors now have a dedicated system that guides them through each day's work.

This has helped create a more structured and engaging working environment, while giving the team greater confidence in its ability to manage the ledger effectively.

From approximately 20% of the ledger to comprehensive visibility and control

One of the most significant changes concerns the proportion of the receivables ledger the team can realistically manage.

Before implementing My DSO Manager, UHS estimated that its collectors were effectively servicing approximately 20% of accounts.

With a large ledger and limited administrative resources, collectors were forced to concentrate on a relatively small proportion of outstanding accounts.

Today, My DSO Manager provides visibility across the entire ledger and enables the team to organize collection actions much more systematically.

The transformation is driven largely by the automation of routine activities.

Standard collection letters can be prepared within the platform and issued in just a few clicks. Early-stage collection emails can be automated, allowing the team to contact a large number of debtors efficiently.

These automated processes help address straightforward cases quickly, freeing collectors to focus on more complex accounts that require personal interaction, investigation or internal coordination.

Instead of spending time repeatedly deciding what to do next, collectors can concentrate on resolving issues and recovering outstanding income.

For UHS, this represents a fundamental shift from limited, reactive collections to a more comprehensive and proactive approach to Accounts Receivable management.

Centralised customer notes: Better information, better continuity

Another particularly valuable feature for the UHS team is the ability to maintain detailed, centralised notes for each account.

In previous systems, limitations on note length and fragmented information made it difficult to maintain a complete history of customer interactions.

Collectors often had to reconstruct previous conversations and actions before deciding how to proceed.

With My DSO Manager, users can record detailed notes, include relevant information from emails and document the history of each account directly within the platform.

This creates a more complete and accessible record of collection activity.

When an account is transferred between colleagues, the next collector can quickly understand what has happened, who was involved and what action should follow.

The result is better continuity, reduced duplication of effort and greater confidence in the quality of the information available to the team.

"Someone else should be able to go to that account next, see your note and need nothing else."

Will Dorey - Accounts Receivable Supervisor - UHS

Reporting transformed: From two and a half days to a few clicks

Reporting is another area where the impact of My DSO Manager has been particularly significant.

Previously, preparing a month-end report could require approximately two and a half days of manual work.

The process involved consolidating information on cash collected, identifying the responsible collectors and breaking down performance by business unit to produce meaningful data for management.

Today, the same type of reporting can be generated in approximately three clicks.

Instead of spending days extracting, manipulating and reconciling spreadsheets, the team can access structured reporting directly within the platform.

This provides several important benefits:

• ✓Significantly reduced reporting preparation time.
• ✓Faster access to collections and productivity information.
• ✓Greater visibility into performance by collector and business unit.
• ✓More timely information for senior Finance stakeholders.
• ✓More time available for analysis, decision-making and collection activities.

For Will, the value extends beyond administrative efficiency.

Better reporting allows the Accounts Receivable team to demonstrate its contribution to the Trust's financial position and provide decision-makers with more accurate, relevant information.

Dispute management: From unresolved queries to structured accountability

Managing disputed invoices is a particularly important part of Accounts Receivable within a complex healthcare organization.

Payment delays are not always caused by customers refusing or forgetting to pay. They may also result from missing purchase order information, administrative errors or internal queries that require action from other departments.

UHS has worked closely with My DSO Manager to develop a more structured and collaborative approach to dispute resolution.

When an invoice is disputed, the team can record the dispute within the platform, classify its nature and identify the person responsible for resolving it.

The process can then automatically generate an email to the relevant stakeholder and create a follow-up action for the collector.

As a result, collectors have immediate visibility into:

• ✓The nature of the dispute.
• ✓The invoice or account affected.
• ✓The person responsible for resolution.
• ✓The actions already taken.
• ✓The next follow-up required.
• ✓How long the issue has remained unresolved.

Importantly, disputes can remain in a consistent follow-up status while additional notes and actions are recorded.

This allows the team to monitor dispute resolution times and identify cases that have remained blocked for too long.

It also makes it easier to determine whether delays originate with customers or within the Trust's own processes.

By centralizing this information, My DSO Manager has helped UHS move from simply following up outstanding invoices to understanding and addressing the underlying causes of payment delays.

Better collaboration with internal stakeholders

The structured dispute management process has also transformed how the Accounts Receivable team collaborates with other departments.

Will can now prepare reports showing which invoices are in dispute, who is responsible for resolving them and how long they have remained outstanding.

These reports provide a clear factual basis for discussions with internal stakeholders.

Instead of relying on individual follow-up emails or general requests for assistance, the team can present specific cases, identify recurring issues and focus discussions on concrete actions.

In some instances, this visibility has revealed that disputes were being directed to the wrong person or that particular processes were creating repeated bottlenecks.

By identifying these issues through reporting, UHS has been able to improve resolution processes and address certain problems at their source.

This is an important evolution: Accounts Receivable data is now helping improve operational processes beyond the collections team itself.

The unexpected benefit: A major improvement in team morale

When asked to identify the single biggest benefit of implementing My DSO Manager, Will highlighted something that goes beyond productivity, automation and reporting: employee morale.

Before implementation, collectors often felt constrained by systems that made their work more difficult than necessary.

They could spend significant amounts of time organizing tasks without having a clear view of what they had achieved.

Today, the team has clearer priorities, better visibility into its activities and greater ownership of its workload.

Collectors can see the progress they are making, focus on meaningful recovery activities and work with a system designed to support their responsibilities.

This has resulted in a more positive and engaging working environment.

"For me as a team manager, I would say one of the biggest areas that has changed is morale."

Will Dorey - Accounts Receivable Supervisor - UHS

For Will, the transformation demonstrates that effective technology does not simply help people complete more tasks.

It also gives them confidence, clarity and a stronger sense of professional achievement.

By removing unnecessary obstacles and making collection activity more structured, My DSO Manager has helped the team feel more productive, more engaged and more in control of its daily work.

Why UHS recommends My DSO Manager

Reflecting on the project, Will describes My DSO Manager as a solution that has fundamentally changed how UHS manages Accounts Receivable.

For organisations still relying on spreadsheets and finance systems not designed for collections management, the experience highlights the importance of treating Accounts Receivable as a strategic financial function.

The main benefits identified by UHS include:

• ✓Comprehensive visibility across a large and complex receivables ledger.
• ✓Structured collection priorities through diary management and automated workflows.
• ✓Reduced administrative workload and more time dedicated to debt recovery.
• ✓Faster reporting for operational management and senior Finance stakeholders.
• ✓Detailed account histories improving continuity between collectors.
• ✓Centralized dispute management with clear ownership and follow-up.
• ✓Better collaboration with internal departments to resolve payment issues.
• ✓Positive user adoption and significantly improved team morale.
• ✓Responsive customer support throughout implementation and ongoing use.
• ✓Better-informed financial decisions through more reliable Accounts Receivable information.

Above all, My DSO Manager has given the team a clearer sense of direction and greater control over its receivables portfolio.

"My DSO has fundamentally changed the way we manage receivables."

Will Dorey - Accounts Receivable Supervisor - UHS

From recording receivables to actively managing them

The experience of University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust illustrates a fundamental distinction in modern Accounts Receivable management.

A traditional finance system can record how much money is owed. But effective collections management requires much more: knowing which accounts need attention, identifying why invoices remain unpaid, organizing recovery activities and providing reliable information to financial decision-makers.

By implementing My DSO Manager, UHS has moved from spreadsheet-driven, reactive collections to a more structured, proactive and collaborative approach.

Automated workflows have helped the team increase its capacity to manage the ledger. Reporting has become faster and more accessible. Dispute management now supports greater accountability across departments.

And perhaps most importantly, collectors have gained the tools, visibility and confidence they need to perform their roles more effectively.

For NHS Trusts and other organisations managing complex receivables portfolios, the lesson is clear: the value of a dedicated Credit Management platform is not simply the time it saves, but the transformation it enables in the way teams work, collaborate and contribute to financial performance.

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