Case Study: McDaniel College achieves paperless purchasing and faster approvals with Ellucian Purchase

How McDaniel College modernized purchasing processes with digital automation

McDaniel College was burdened by paper-based purchasing workflows that became increasingly untenable during the pandemic—remote work left a few in-office staff managing print-and-sign approvals, causing delays, duplicate orders, and growing time between purchase request and approval. To modernize, McDaniel College selected Ellucian Purchase to complement their Ellucian Colleague ERP and replace manual, paper-driven processes.

Ellucian implemented Ellucian Purchase to digitize and automate purchasing, eliminating paper forms and streamlining approvals. The solution shortened time to approval, increased data accuracy, and improved transparency so stakeholders can track funding and purchases more effectively; staff time was refocused from tracking paperwork to higher‑value, strategic work, and campus adoption was eased by a familiar, consumer-like interface. Ellucian’s implementation delivered measurable outcomes: reduced paper-based forms, faster approvals, and better visibility into spending.

McDaniel College

Julie Fisher

Controller, Financial Services Department