What Disconnected Data Is Costing Housing Associations 

The solution to this challenge is often thought to be how data is collected – either in Excel spreadsheets or in housing management or finance systems – but, in reality, an effective solution is streamlining the way data is connected, extracted, and reported on. 

With decades of experience migrating, implementing, and integrating key housing systems, experts from Xledger UK and Infoshare+ share their insights around data and connectivity issues in the sector, and how housing associations can solve these challenges. 

How do data silos create decision silos? 

Decision silos usually occur because key business systems that hold information aren’t connected. Managing data is an inherent challenge in housing associations because organisations rely on large volumes of historical data to calculate charges associated with managing social housing, including: 

• Tenant rent records 
• Property and asset data 
• Repairs and maintenance information 
• Service charge records 
• Development scheme accounting 
• Treasury and loan covenant reporting 

But, as David Tillen (Senior Housing Business Development Manager, Xledger UK) explains, “when one department has access to one figure, and another department has a contradictory figure, the belief of what your data is telling you begins to fail”. 

Essentially, when data is siloed across key business systems, such as a housing management system (HMS) or finance management system (FMS), it creates: 

• Disconnected systems 
• Duplicated and repetitive effort 
• Manual reconciliation 
• Reduced confidence in decision-making 
• Further off-system reporting and data silos 

This creates the critical challenge of different departments viewing the same data differently. Not only are the disconnected systems delaying data access and demanding more manual reconciliation, but they are enforcing siloed decision-making across an entire organisation. 

What can connected systems do for your organisation? 

Focusing on connectivity, rather than technology or data, is the first step in creating a robust data ecosystem for your housing association. Connected systems create foundations for more consistent reporting, but integration on its own can’t guarantee data quality. Consistent processes and clear governance remain essential to improving insights. 

Live consolidation becomes easier, intercompany transactions are automatically matched and eliminated, and reporting and analytics are centralised so you gain a full picture of your association’s financial health. As a result, finance can gain faster access to operational information, while other departments can work with more consistent financial data, ensuring that decisions are made in real time and driven by data. 

However, long before you begin your system transformation project, “it’s worth focusing on the why, not the what.” John Owens (Product Owner, Infoshare+) illustrates this idea below: 

“The scope of what you can do with integration is driven only by your imagination, and it’s a good starting point to ask, What would good look like for your organisation, and How would our processes run better if we had X and Y connected with Z?” 

From experience, the panel argues that the most successful integration projects don’t begin by asking which systems to integrate, which APIs to use, or which method of integration to select. Instead, housing associations must define what insights they need and what processes should improve to achieve their outcomes, focusing on the end goal rather than the technicality of the journey. 

Summarising this sentiment, John urges housing associations to “dream the dream and have the vision of where you want to be and what you want to do. Then make the tech follow – not the other way around.” 

Does better integration start with better questions? 

The panel agreed that successful integration starts with asking the right questions, and the questions don’t always need to be complex.  

Reflecting on experience working within the housing sector, Ivan Blythe (Housing Solution Consultant, Xledger UK), notes that asking whether you can import a journal or import an approved invoice are two vital questions to ask in a finance system integration project, despite being relatively simple ones. 

Ivan continues: “I can honestly say that the ability to import a journal, whether that’s a rents journal or a payroll journal being prime examples, and the ability to import an approved invoice to pay a supplier, actually tick the boxes for the vast majority of people that utilise the integration. 

In my experience, these two things are key to success. When looking at your outcomes and deciding what you need, the ability to get both journals and approved invoices into your FMS or HMS are processes that typically improve decision-making the most.” 

When defining your outcomes, it’s important to remember that complex integrations aren’t always the best solution. Often, good integrations are simple, tackling everyday processes by improving data flow, data access, and data insights.  

Expert advice for overcoming risk 

The primary outcome of an integration project is to connect one system to another, streamlining data flow across an organisation. To ease this process, the panellists each offered a piece of advice to housing associations looking to undertake a system integration project. 

Key advice 1: Get the right stakeholders involved 

“There’s always a risk to any project,” John acknowledged. “The key is identifying and mitigating that risk. […] Having the right stakeholders from all parties involved is an enormous part of any project, so make sure to get the right people in the room.” 

Key advice 2: Don’t be put off by perceived risk 

If you choose to integrate two best-of-breed systems, there’s risk; if you choose to implement a full-scale enterprise resource planning system, there’s risk. As Ivan advised, “Don’t let that perceived risk of integration put you off looking at best-of-breed.” 

Key advice 3: Choose the method that’s right for you 

“There is no need to fear integrations nowadays. It’s a common practice now across all modern systems. The key thing to remember is that you have a choice of taking the project in-house, employing a specialist, or selecting a combined effort to make an integration project work for you.” 

Many integration project risks stem from data governance and resistance to change, rather than the technology itself. Housing associations that define how processes and governance will change, and how data must be adapted to fit the integration, are more likely to achieve their project outcomes and realise the full benefits of connectivity. 

Talk to us about your integration requirements today.