Reference: University of Helsinki

"The implementation went like a breeze!" – University of Helsinki impressed by Avalo's smoothness

The University of Helsinki is a large and diverse organization whose financial management processes must function flawlessly every single day. When manual processes and growing uncertainty around their existing solution made day-to-day cash management increasingly difficult, the university decided it was time for a change. They set out to find a modern partner that could fit seamlessly into their broader system landscape, including SAP for ERP and Personec F for HR and payroll. Heli Hiekka-aho and Nina Jokinen from the University of Helsinki participated in this success story.

The challenge: Manual work and uncertainty

Before implementing Avalo, the university's financial management struggled with manual tasks and system unpredictability. In particular, glitchy integrations and unexpected changes in user permissions consumed the specialists' valuable time.



"Opening the computer in the morning, you always had to feel anxious about what was waiting for you today. For example, we had to do a massive amount of manual correction work with cross-boarder payments feedback because the automation simply didn’t work," describes Heli

Hiekka-aho, Specialist at the University of Helsinki.

Selection criteria: Technology and security first

The university set strict requirements for the new system. As a public sector actor, cost-effectiveness was central, but at the same time, technical performance and data security had to be top-tier. It was crucial to find a partner capable of providing a modern REST API interface according to the integration team's wishes.

Trust is also emphasized in cash management. The university values Avalo's ability to keep data security constantly up to date, which is critical when managing large financial flows.

"Cash management must work every day, and data security is a given that simply has to be in order. We have full confidence that Avalo takes care of this," states Nina Jokinen from

the University of Helsinki.

Photo: Tuomas Uusheimo / University of Helsinki

Smooth implementation under pressure

The University of Helsinki was convinced of Avalo's clarity right from the very first presentation. Both the demo and the subsequent implementation project were smooth and convincing from start to finish. The process was complemented by Avalo's skilled project team, whose quick and clear answers guaranteed a successful outcome.

The system migration was scheduled for a challenging time: right on the cusp of the closing of the accounts. Despite the tight schedule, the project progressed exactly as planned under Avalo's guidance.

"The implementation went like a breeze! We received clear schedules from Avalo, which helped us stay on target even in the middle of the rush," Nina recalls.

Expert support and modern processes

Thanks to the cooperation, daily life has become much easier: manual correction work is history, and support is always reachable. Avalo's expert and approachable team receives special praise.

"The answers come quickly and they are correct. The people working there are truly nice and approachable, making them very easy to deal with. After all, cash management isn't rocket science. After seeing Avalo's demo, we concluded that Avalo was the right choice," Heli summarizes.