Case Study: Automating Supplier Payments at LSHTM with Business Central

Overview 

The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), a leading institution in public health research and education, sought a solution to improve how supplier payments were managed across departments. The Unit’s finance processes involved manual workflows that lacked traceability and introduced a high risk of human error. 

To address this, MRCG at LSHTM partnered with Mercurius IT to integrate Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central with Ecobank’s Omni payment platform—a host-to-host solution designed to automate and streamline the entire payment process. 

The Challenge

Before the integration, MRCG at LSHTM processed supplier payments manually within Business Central.  

The system: 

• Had no bank configuration or automation
• Lacked an approval workflow
• Provided limited to no visibility on the status of payments
• Made it difficult to trace payments either at document level or line by line 

These limitations affected efficiency, increased the risk of errors, and created gaps in financial oversight. 

The Solution

Mercurius IT worked closely with MRCG at  LSHTM to implement a host-to-host integration between Business Central and Ecobank’s Omni system. The integration introduced key functionality to automate, track, and approve payments digitally. 

Key features included: 

• A batch-based payment system in Business Central
• Line-by-line tracking of individual payments 
• An automated approval process routed through the finance team
• Exporting of payment files to OneDrive or SharePoint
• Seamless transfer of approved files to Ecobank’s Omni for processing 

“We can now raise a batch payment, monitor each line item, and clearly see which payments have been completed. Once approved, the file is sent automatically to Ecobank through SharePoint or OneDrive.”  

Badou Gaye, Head of IT 

MRCG at LSHTM 

The Results

The host-to-host integration delivered major improvements in how LSHTM handles its financial operations. 

Benefits included: 

• A fully traceable payment process
• Reduced manual errors 
• A structured approval workflow
• Time savings and operational transparency
• Greater confidence and control across the finance function 

“This integration has made our payment system very traceable, has greatly minimised errors, and given us a clear approval path. We are very happy with the professionalism and patience shown by Mercurius in executing this.” 

Badou Gaye, Head of IT 

MRCG at LSHTM 

Conclusion

By working with Mercurius IT, MRCG at LSHTM successfully automated its supplier payment process, reducing friction and improving financial control. The host-to-host integration with Ecobank’s Omni platform has allowed the institution to focus more on strategic financial planning while ensuring accuracy and compliance in daily operations.