For school bursars, finance leaders, and technology leaders, managing the expanding portfolio of educational technology (EdTech) subscriptions has become increasingly complex. Tracking costs across multiple departments, auditing spend, consolidating disparate platforms, and maintaining compliance can overwhelm even the most experienced teams. Without a centralised system, schools risk redundant subscriptions, missed renewals, compliance gaps, and administrative inefficiencies that can compromise both educational outcomes and strategic financial management.
At 9ine, we recognise these interconnected challenges. That is why we are proud to introduce Contract—a platform designed specifically to empower school bursars, finance teams, and tech leaders to take full control of the EdTech ecosystem. Contract simplifies subscription management, provides granular oversight of both expenditure and operational performance, and ensures your institution remains compliant, secure, and strategically aligned.
This post explores the common pain points for bursars and tech leaders, and explains how Contract, now a core part of the broader 9ine platform, delivers a centralised, holistic solution.
The accelerated adoption of digital tools in education has added value in the classroom but also created a complex administrative landscape for financial and technology managers. Without a dedicated management tool, bursars and tech leaders alike face a set of recurring barriers.
EdTech purchasing is often decentralised, with various departments or educators sourcing solutions to address local needs. While this adaptive approach can support innovation, it results in a fragmented and sometimes chaotic subscription portfolio. For bursars and technology leaders, this means tracking numerous contracts, renewal dates, payment schedules, and technical integrations—often across inconsistent systems. Without a single source of truth, it is nearly impossible to gain a comprehensive view of your school's technology investment and its impact.
Auditing EdTech expenditure and usage is vital for both financial responsibility and operational optimisation. Without a centralised platform, the process is manual and error-prone: teams sift through invoices, purchase orders, and disparate departmental records. This process often uncovers redundant or underused subscriptions and unapproved "shadow IT" solutions. These inefficiencies divert resources from strategic priorities and hinder both classroom and technology innovation.
Managing contract renewals and platform compliance is another significant challenge. A missed renewal date can result in unwanted auto-renewals or service interruptions, while lapses in data protection compliance expose the school to risks. Without automated reminders and centralised oversight, bursars, tech leaders, and compliance teams face persistent uncertainty and administrative burdens.
Contract was developed by 9ine to directly resolve these pain points. It is more than a tracking tool—it is an integrated platform that forms the cornerstone of the wider 9ine ecosystem, offering the structure, visibility, and strategic insights required for effective EdTech management. The platform is purpose-built for bursars, finance leaders, and technology leaders working together to drive operational efficiency and educational value.
Contract provides a unified dashboard where finance, technology, and operational leaders can collaboratively manage all EdTech subscriptions, vendor relationships, and contract data from one secure platform. By centralising this information, Contract enables informed decision-making, streamlines communication between teams, and ensures optimal use of resources. Schools leveraging Contract can quickly identify and eliminate unused or redundant subscriptions, which translates to immediate cost savings that benefit both classroom outcomes and IT operations.
A core strength of Contract is its ability to deliver real-time visibility into spending and platform usage. Track expenditure by department or use-case as it happens, and proactively highlight areas of overspending or underutilisation. With these insights, your team can:
This real-time intelligence transforms auditing into a continuous, evidence-led process, empowering business, finance, and technology stakeholders alike.
Contract optimises the complete subscription lifecycle for both finance and technology teams through:
By streamlining these workflows, Contract allows finance, technology, and compliance leaders to focus on long-term planning and school improvement.
Contract’s value is further amplified by its integration with the broader 9ine platform, delivering a unified, 360-degree perspective across three key domains:
This connected approach enables bursars, technology leaders, and compliance teams to collaborate seamlessly—ensuring classroom impact, financial stewardship, and compliance management are aligned and optimised across your institution.
The proliferation of EdTech creates unprecedented opportunities, but also increasing complexity for school business and technology leaders. With Contract, your institution can confidently manage subscriptions, centralise processes, and unlock the full value of your technology investments—delivering measurable outcomes in the classroom, on the balance sheet, and for regulatory compliance.
Ready to see how Contract and the 9ine platform can transform your school’s EdTech management? Discover a smarter, more secure, and connected approach to EdTech governance.
Learn more about Contract here.