Web dashboard
APTI Accounting Solution
Automating School Administration
Introduction
Introduction
Introduction
APTI began as a response to the daily challenges school accountants faced which was a scattered financial records, manual reconciliation, unclear reporting, and tools that simply didn’t talk to each other. Through interviews and empathy mapping, we uncovered a core need for clarity, accuracy, and speed across the entire financial workflow. These insights became the foundation of a unified accounting system that gives schools a single source of truth for income, expenses, assets, liabilities, inventory, and payroll.
The goal was simply to design an experience that reduces cognitive load and gives accountants instant confidence in their numbers.
APTI began as a response to the daily challenges school accountants faced which was a scattered financial records, manual reconciliation, unclear reporting, and tools that simply didn’t talk to each other. Through interviews and empathy mapping, we uncovered a core need for clarity, accuracy, and speed across the entire financial workflow. These insights became the foundation of a unified accounting system that gives schools a single source of truth for income, expenses, assets, liabilities, inventory, and payroll.
The goal was simply to design an experience that reduces cognitive load and gives accountants instant confidence in their numbers.
APTI began as a response to the daily challenges school accountants faced which was a scattered financial records, manual reconciliation, unclear reporting, and tools that simply didn’t talk to each other. Through interviews and empathy mapping, we uncovered a core need for clarity, accuracy, and speed across the entire financial workflow. These insights became the foundation of a unified accounting system that gives schools a single source of truth for income, expenses, assets, liabilities, inventory, and payroll.
The goal was simply to design an experience that reduces cognitive load and gives accountants instant confidence in their numbers.
User Impact
User Impact
User Impact
The accounting feature became one of the most requested improvements from partner schools using APTI. Many schools had repeatedly highlighted challenges with tracking income, expenses, fees, and approvals across multiple disconnected tools. This feature request consistently appeared in feedback sessions and was referenced across several support tickets, signaling just how urgently accountants needed a unified accounting system in the same school management system.
Also, some schools do not have a dedicated accountant, so it was easier for them to manage their account and financials directly from their school management tool.
This project also served as the starting point for our deeper discovery research. By reviewing recurring complaints, previous support logs, and interview comments, we gained clear insight into how essential this upgrade was. Not only for accuracy, but for daily productivity. It also helped us identify power users who later became our beta testers, providing critical insights during validation
The accounting feature became one of the most requested improvements from partner schools using APTI. Many schools had repeatedly highlighted challenges with tracking income, expenses, fees, and approvals across multiple disconnected tools. This feature request consistently appeared in feedback sessions and was referenced across several support tickets, signaling just how urgently accountants needed a unified accounting system in the same school management system.
Also, some schools do not have a dedicated accountant, so it was easier for them to manage their account and financials directly from their school management tool.
This project also served as the starting point for our deeper discovery research. By reviewing recurring complaints, previous support logs, and interview comments, we gained clear insight into how essential this upgrade was. Not only for accuracy, but for daily productivity. It also helped us identify power users who later became our beta testers, providing critical insights during validation
The accounting feature became one of the most requested improvements from partner schools using APTI. Many schools had repeatedly highlighted challenges with tracking income, expenses, fees, and approvals across multiple disconnected tools. This feature request consistently appeared in feedback sessions and was referenced across several support tickets, signaling just how urgently accountants needed a unified accounting system in the same school management system.
Also, some schools do not have a dedicated accountant, so it was easier for them to manage their account and financials directly from their school management tool.
This project also served as the starting point for our deeper discovery research. By reviewing recurring complaints, previous support logs, and interview comments, we gained clear insight into how essential this upgrade was. Not only for accuracy, but for daily productivity. It also helped us identify power users who later became our beta testers, providing critical insights during validation
Business Impact
Business Impact
Business Impact
Because accounting is one of the highest-value modules for schools, the redesigned APTI accounting system became a major opportunity for revenue growth and upsell.
During discovery, we identified that 42% of schools using APTI were still relying on external spreadsheets for income tracking, expenses, payroll, or asset management. This gap presented a clear path for expansion: schools that were already paying for basic modules could now upgrade to a more complete financial suite.
If even 30% of these schools adopted the new accounting module, we projected an MRR increase of roughly $12k–$15k within the first quarter of release.
Additionally, schools evaluating APTI during sales demos consistently cited “robust accounting tools” as a deciding factor. Competitors that offered partial accounting solutions were a frequent source of lost leads. With the new end-to-end accounting workflow (income → expenses → payroll → assets → inventory), we expected to improve demo-to-close conversion by 18–22%, adding an estimated $8k in new monthly recurring revenue from newly acquired schools.
We also projected a reduction in finance-related support tickets by up to 35%, decreasing operational load and freeing the team to focus on onboarding and upsell initiatives.
Finally, integrating accounting with other modules (payroll, inventory, fees, assets) opened a clear upsell path: schools adopting the accounting suite were 70% more likely to activate at least two additional modules, significantly increasing overall account value.
Because accounting is one of the highest-value modules for schools, the redesigned APTI accounting system became a major opportunity for revenue growth and upsell.
During discovery, we identified that 42% of schools using APTI were still relying on external spreadsheets for income tracking, expenses, payroll, or asset management. This gap presented a clear path for expansion: schools that were already paying for basic modules could now upgrade to a more complete financial suite.
If even 30% of these schools adopted the new accounting module, we projected an MRR increase of roughly $12k–$15k within the first quarter of release.
Additionally, schools evaluating APTI during sales demos consistently cited “robust accounting tools” as a deciding factor. Competitors that offered partial accounting solutions were a frequent source of lost leads. With the new end-to-end accounting workflow (income → expenses → payroll → assets → inventory), we expected to improve demo-to-close conversion by 18–22%, adding an estimated $8k in new monthly recurring revenue from newly acquired schools.
We also projected a reduction in finance-related support tickets by up to 35%, decreasing operational load and freeing the team to focus on onboarding and upsell initiatives.
Finally, integrating accounting with other modules (payroll, inventory, fees, assets) opened a clear upsell path: schools adopting the accounting suite were 70% more likely to activate at least two additional modules, significantly increasing overall account value.
Because accounting is one of the highest-value modules for schools, the redesigned APTI accounting system became a major opportunity for revenue growth and upsell.
During discovery, we identified that 42% of schools using APTI were still relying on external spreadsheets for income tracking, expenses, payroll, or asset management. This gap presented a clear path for expansion: schools that were already paying for basic modules could now upgrade to a more complete financial suite.
If even 30% of these schools adopted the new accounting module, we projected an MRR increase of roughly $12k–$15k within the first quarter of release.
Additionally, schools evaluating APTI during sales demos consistently cited “robust accounting tools” as a deciding factor. Competitors that offered partial accounting solutions were a frequent source of lost leads. With the new end-to-end accounting workflow (income → expenses → payroll → assets → inventory), we expected to improve demo-to-close conversion by 18–22%, adding an estimated $8k in new monthly recurring revenue from newly acquired schools.
We also projected a reduction in finance-related support tickets by up to 35%, decreasing operational load and freeing the team to focus on onboarding and upsell initiatives.
Finally, integrating accounting with other modules (payroll, inventory, fees, assets) opened a clear upsell path: schools adopting the accounting suite were 70% more likely to activate at least two additional modules, significantly increasing overall account value.
What did Jane do?
Research Phase
Research Phase
Research Phase
Discovery sessions
To kick off the redesign of APTI’s accounting system, we reached out to a group of school accountants who had previously shared feedback and expressed frustration with the existing workflow. From this pool, we selected 12 accountants representing different school sizes and financial processes, ensuring we weren’t designing around a single type of institution.
From the 12, 5 became our core discovery partners, agreeing to join multiple interview rounds, walkthrough sessions, and early prototype testing. These conversations helped us validate real pain points and understand the emotional weight behind daily financial tasks.
Here are a few of the questions we explored during the sessions:
What is the most challenging part of your current accounting process?
Which tasks take the most time or lead to mistakes?
What does a “perfect” accounting workflow look like to you?
How do you currently track income, expenses, assets, or payroll?
During each interview, we captured specific quotes, expectations, and recurring frustrations. After every session, we documented key takeaways at the top of our notes, then merged those insights to form a clear picture of the core problem to solve and the experience accountants truly needed.
This discovery phase became the foundation that guided the entire structure of the APTI accounting modules.
To kick off the redesign of APTI’s accounting system, we reached out to a group of school accountants who had previously shared feedback and expressed frustration with the existing workflow. From this pool, we selected 12 accountants representing different school sizes and financial processes, ensuring we weren’t designing around a single type of institution.
From the 12, 5 became our core discovery partners, agreeing to join multiple interview rounds, walkthrough sessions, and early prototype testing. These conversations helped us validate real pain points and understand the emotional weight behind daily financial tasks.
Here are a few of the questions we explored during the sessions:
What is the most challenging part of your current accounting process?
Which tasks take the most time or lead to mistakes?
What does a “perfect” accounting workflow look like to you?
How do you currently track income, expenses, assets, or payroll?
During each interview, we captured specific quotes, expectations, and recurring frustrations. After every session, we documented key takeaways at the top of our notes, then merged those insights to form a clear picture of the core problem to solve and the experience accountants truly needed.
This discovery phase became the foundation that guided the entire structure of the APTI accounting modules.
To kick off the redesign of APTI’s accounting system, we reached out to a group of school accountants who had previously shared feedback and expressed frustration with the existing workflow. From this pool, we selected 12 accountants representing different school sizes and financial processes, ensuring we weren’t designing around a single type of institution.
From the 12, 5 became our core discovery partners, agreeing to join multiple interview rounds, walkthrough sessions, and early prototype testing. These conversations helped us validate real pain points and understand the emotional weight behind daily financial tasks.
Here are a few of the questions we explored during the sessions:
What is the most challenging part of your current accounting process?
Which tasks take the most time or lead to mistakes?
What does a “perfect” accounting workflow look like to you?
How do you currently track income, expenses, assets, or payroll?
During each interview, we captured specific quotes, expectations, and recurring frustrations. After every session, we documented key takeaways at the top of our notes, then merged those insights to form a clear picture of the core problem to solve and the experience accountants truly needed.
This discovery phase became the foundation that guided the entire structure of the APTI accounting modules.
Empathy Mapping
After our discovery interviews, we synthesized everything we heard into an empathy map to better understand how school accountants think, feel, and behave while managing daily financial tasks. This helped us move beyond surface-level workflow issues and capture the emotional drivers behind their frustrations.
After our discovery interviews, we synthesized everything we heard into an empathy map to better understand how school accountants think, feel, and behave while managing daily financial tasks. This helped us move beyond surface-level workflow issues and capture the emotional drivers behind their frustrations.
After our discovery interviews, we synthesized everything we heard into an empathy map to better understand how school accountants think, feel, and behave while managing daily financial tasks. This helped us move beyond surface-level workflow issues and capture the emotional drivers behind their frustrations.
By mapping these insights, we created a shared understanding of the accountant’s world and aligned the team around one goal: design an accounting experience that reduces cognitive load and empowers accountants to work with confidence.
By mapping these insights, we created a shared understanding of the accountant’s world and aligned the team around one goal: design an accounting experience that reduces cognitive load and empowers accountants to work with confidence.
By mapping these insights, we created a shared understanding of the accountant’s world and aligned the team around one goal: design an accounting experience that reduces cognitive load and empowers accountants to work with confidence.
Use Cases
Use Cases
Use Cases
Together with the lead dev and product owner we came up with use cases (Tshirt size, MVP stage, features, and acceptance criteria). This was based on the feedback we got from the users we had spoken to earlier. This helped inform all design decision i made moving forward.
Together with the lead dev and product owner we came up with use cases (Tshirt size, MVP stage, features, and acceptance criteria). This was based on the feedback we got from the users we had spoken to earlier. This helped inform all design decision i made moving forward.
Together with the lead dev and product owner we came up with use cases (Tshirt size, MVP stage, features, and acceptance criteria). This was based on the feedback we got from the users we had spoken to earlier. This helped inform all design decision i made moving forward.
Designs
Designs
Designs
Now it was my turn to start designing- we started with the MVP versions which was mainly the accounting overview and bills management. After the MVP was done we coducted the first rounds of usability testing
Now it was my turn to start designing- we started with the MVP versions which was mainly the accounting overview and bills management. After the MVP was done we coducted the first rounds of usability testing
Now it was my turn to start designing- we started with the MVP versions which was mainly the accounting overview and bills management. After the MVP was done we coducted the first rounds of usability testing
Account Overview
Account Overview
Account Overview
Bills & fees management
Bills & fees management
Bills & fees management
Bills & fees management/ action> view more (sent)
Bills & fees management/ action> view more (sent)
Bills & fees management/ action> view more (sent)
Bills & fees management/ Create new bill
Bills & fees management/ Create new bill
In creating a new bill, users can enter the bill name, due date, assign a class to this bill and enter the total bill amount and under this select the bill amount and specific amounts, also create discounts with either a percentage value or flat fee)
In creating a new bill, users can enter the bill name, due date, assign a class to this bill and enter the total bill amount and under this select the bill amount and specific amounts, also create discounts with either a percentage value or flat fee)
In creating a new bill, users can enter the bill name, due date, assign a class to this bill and enter the total bill amount and under this select the bill amount and specific amounts, also create discounts with either a percentage value or flat fee)
Income & Expenses
Income & Expenses
Overview- This gives a summary of all the income and expense and a profit just in one glance. With this the school management can make good decisions about the finance of their school.
Overview- This gives a summary of all the income and expense and a profit just in one glance. With this the school management can make good decisions about the finance of their school.
Overview- This gives a summary of all the income and expense and a profit just in one glance. With this the school management can make good decisions about the finance of their school.
Testing
Testing
Testing
Results
Results
Results
And it delivered measurable business impact
And it delivered measurable business impact
And it delivered measurable business impact
The redesigned APTI accounting system launched successfully and quickly proved its value and not just in usability, but in adoption, revenue growth, and operational efficiency. By solving real accounting pain points and packaging the solution as a scalable feature set, we were able to drive strong upsell performance across schools.
The redesigned APTI accounting system launched successfully and quickly proved its value and not just in usability, but in adoption, revenue growth, and operational efficiency. By solving real accounting pain points and packaging the solution as a scalable feature set, we were able to drive strong upsell performance across schools.
The redesigned APTI accounting system launched successfully and quickly proved its value and not just in usability, but in adoption, revenue growth, and operational efficiency. By solving real accounting pain points and packaging the solution as a scalable feature set, we were able to drive strong upsell performance across schools.
Adoption & Upsell Growth
The accounting feature was introduced as a premium capability and steadily adopted over time:
20 schools onboarded by March 2022
80 schools by Dec
120 schools by march 2023
150+ schools by may (1 year later)
This steady growth validated the feature’s value and positioned accounting as one of APTI’s strongest upsell drivers.
Adoption & Upsell Growth
The accounting feature was introduced as a premium capability and steadily adopted over time:
20 schools onboarded by March 2022
80 schools by Dec
120 schools by march 2023
150+ schools by may (1 year later)
This steady growth validated the feature’s value and positioned accounting as one of APTI’s strongest upsell drivers.
Adoption & Upsell Growth
The accounting feature was introduced as a premium capability and steadily adopted over time:
20 schools onboarded by March 2022
80 schools by Dec
120 schools by march 2023
150+ schools by may (1 year later)
This steady growth validated the feature’s value and positioned accounting as one of APTI’s strongest upsell drivers.
Revenue Impact
25% increase in revenue attributed to accounting feature adoption
Schools that activated accounting were significantly more likely to adopt additional modules (Payroll, Inventory, Reports)
The accounting suite became a key differentiator during demos and renewal conversations
Revenue Impact
25% increase in revenue attributed to accounting feature adoption
Schools that activated accounting were significantly more likely to adopt additional modules (Payroll, Inventory, Reports)
The accounting suite became a key differentiator during demos and renewal conversations
Revenue Impact
25% increase in revenue attributed to accounting feature adoption
Schools that activated accounting were significantly more likely to adopt additional modules (Payroll, Inventory, Reports)
The accounting suite became a key differentiator during demos and renewal conversations
Efficiency & Time Savings
User testing and post-launch feedback showed clear improvements in day-to-day workflows:
~40% reduction in time spent on daily financial reconciliation
~35% faster payroll processing, from review to approval
Fewer manual errors, resulting in a drop in finance-related support tickets
Accountants reported spending less time exporting spreadsheets and more time reviewing insights directly in-product
Efficiency & Time Savings
User testing and post-launch feedback showed clear improvements in day-to-day workflows:
~40% reduction in time spent on daily financial reconciliation
~35% faster payroll processing, from review to approval
Fewer manual errors, resulting in a drop in finance-related support tickets
Accountants reported spending less time exporting spreadsheets and more time reviewing insights directly in-product
Efficiency & Time Savings
User testing and post-launch feedback showed clear improvements in day-to-day workflows:
~40% reduction in time spent on daily financial reconciliation
~35% faster payroll processing, from review to approval
Fewer manual errors, resulting in a drop in finance-related support tickets
Accountants reported spending less time exporting spreadsheets and more time reviewing insights directly in-product
In Conclusion
In Conclusion
In Conclusion
These results confirmed that investing in foundational, workflow-heavy features like accounting creates outsized impact. Most importantly by grounding design decisions in research and validating them through testing, and iterating quickly, the accounting system evolved into a revenue-driving, retention-boosting core of the APTI platform.
These results confirmed that investing in foundational, workflow-heavy features like accounting creates outsized impact. Most importantly by grounding design decisions in research and validating them through testing, and iterating quickly, the accounting system evolved into a revenue-driving, retention-boosting core of the APTI platform.
These results confirmed that investing in foundational, workflow-heavy features like accounting creates outsized impact. Most importantly by grounding design decisions in research and validating them through testing, and iterating quickly, the accounting system evolved into a revenue-driving, retention-boosting core of the APTI platform.