Non-profit organizations face a number of unique challenges that for-profit businesses generally do not. One of the biggest challenges they face is their reliance on donations, grants and other sources of income that are not guaranteed from one year to the next. Raising money is a part of a non-profit’s identity, and it is imperative that the software it uses to keep track of that money and its organization’s operations is reliable, secure and meets organizational and government standards.
Unfortunately, many non-profits might start out with entry-level accounting software only to find that it no longer meets their requirements once they begin to grow and seek out greater financial contributions.
In the white paper “15 Red Flags: Is Your Accounting Software Hurting Your Business”, one entry, a client of by CAL Business Solutions, describes a non-profit organization that wanted to apply for numerous grants but soon realized that its accounting software was not entirely GAAP compliant. Would-be contributors did not have confidence in the organization’s governance and transparency.
The non-profit had no controls on posted transactions and no audit trail in its accounting system. People with nefarious intent could seize control of the system, void transactions, change accounts and ultimately conceal their actions. Because it lacked transparency and adequate security, the organization could not show benefactors that it met government compliance regulations, satisfied grant requirements or demonstrated fiscal responsibility.
Nevertheless, all hope was not lost. By switching from Quickbooks to a Microsoft Dynamics GP, the non-profit was able to integrate controls that supported transparency and sound governance. They also implemented limited user access to only the screens they needed within the system, as well as audit trails at every step of a document’s journey through a transaction.
You can download the full white paper with 15 examples of organizations that overcame the limitations of their accounting software by moving to Dynamics GP at www.calszone.com/15flags.
If you are a non-profit organization that is interested in evaluating Microsoft Dynamics contact CAL Business Solutions 860-485-0910 x4 or sales@calszone.com.
Read more about our experience in the non-profit industry.
By CAL Business Solutions, Connecticut Microsoft Dynamics GP Partner, www.calszone.com