Document Management Blog

Modernising School Operations: How Strathallan Streamlined Document Management with DocuWare

Written by Laura Bulmer | Tuesday Aug 26, 2025

Strathallan School, one of Scotland’s leading independent boarding schools, have onboarded DocTech and their solutions to bring greater efficiency and organisation to their internal processes.

By introducing a Document Management System (DMS), the school has successfully reduced paper use, centralised data, and created a smoother working environment for both administrative and academic staff.

This digital shift forms part of a wider commitment to sustainable, future-ready education.

This Private School focused blog outlines the following topics:

  • Streamlined School Operations

    Strathallan School implemented DocuWare to reduce paper use, automate workflows, and improve access to key documents across departments.

        Single Source of Truth  - An Integration with their main system i-SAMS has been deveopled

  • Improved Efficiency and Compliance
        The cloud-based system enhanced data security, accelerated processes like HR and invoice approvals, and supported safeguarding and GDPR compliance.
  • Positive Measurable Outcomes

        The school saw reduced admin workload, lower printing costs, and increased staff engagement positioning itself as a digitally forward, future-ready institution.

 

The Challenge

Like many schools, Strathallan faced growing pressure to handle an increasing volume of paperwork while maintaining secure and compliant record keeping. Processes such as admissions, HR, and finance involved time-consuming manual steps, and access to documents was often delayed or dependent on specific individuals.

They needed a system that could not only reduce physical paperwork, but also ensure documents were accessible, searchable and securely stored all while supporting their high standards of safeguarding and data protection. With many students enrolling from overseas, slick systems are a must for parent communication.

 

The Solution

Working with DocTech, Strathallan implemented DocuWare, a cloud-based Document Management System that offers Integration with existing systems ( in this case i-SAMS Student information system)  and departments. The platform was tailored to suit the specific needs of a school environment covering everything from pupil files and recruitment records to invoice approvals.

DocuWare’s secure digital storage and intelligent workflows meant:

 

•    Documents were indexed and filed automatically
•    
Staff could access what they needed, when they needed it
•    Sensitive data was better protected with permission-based access
•    
Time-consuming tasks like chasing approvals were eliminated
•    Digital Forms could kick start processes and be used across multiple requirements

 

The Results

Since the rollout, Strathallan has seen a significant improvement in document handling and cross-departmental collaboration. Staff are no longer burdened with paper trails or scanning tasks, and administrators now have more time to focus on strategic initiatives.

The school also benefits from:

•    Greater data accuracy and fewer errors
•    Streamlined onboarding and HR processes
•    Faster invoice processing and audit preparation
•    A measurable reduction in paper and printing costs

And most importantly, teams have embraced the system seeing real value in how it simplifies everyday tasks.

A Future-Ready School

By embracing digital transformation with DocTech and DocuWare, Strathallan has taken a forward-thinking approach to school administration. They’ve created a more efficient, sustainable, and secure environment for staff and students alike.

Whether it’s improving workflow or supporting data compliance, their journey offers valuable insight for other independent schools considering a move to digital.

Take a look at our newest blog post - Using Document Management Systems to Manage Remote Teams.