Simplify Your Posting Process
Posting gifts to a general ledger from the Raiser’s Edge is no small feat. Each nonprofit organization has different processing rules, software packages, and areas of emphasis to keep in mind while posting. With the growing number of non-Blackbaud accounting packages available in the marketplace, this is becoming an increasingly important issue.
All organizations need to post their gift information to a general ledger but many Raiser’s Edge organizations do not have an integrated accounting system. For one reason or another your organization may select a non-Blackbaud accounting system. For example, many nonprofits that are a part of larger organizations commonly have a mandated accounting system. A disconnect is instantly created for these organizations because the accounting system does not integrate with The Raiser’s Edge.
Organizations that do not have an integrated accounting system handle the posting process in many different ways. Some use manual query and export functions, while other organizations use the standard post to GL or customizations. In most cases the process is manual and importing into an accounting system is challenging.
To deal with these challenges we generally see two groups emerge: The first queries and exports manually while the second group utilizes the standard post to GL feature.
Our first group of organizations generally have an accounting system that has unique and specific requirements. These organizations use query to group the gift records that need to be posted and then export the required data through the export module. The data file that the export module creates is normally not “import ready” for their accounting system. At this point, a user needs to spend time manually manipulating the data file to make it ready for import. This could include the need to edit account numbers, summarize transactions, add additional fields, or even convert the file to a specific format (such as fixed length or XML). Although it is different for every organization, this step requires the most time and resources. Once the file is ready, it can then be imported into their accounting system. The gifts then need to be marked as posted which is completed through a Raiser’s Edge global change. Reconciliation is the last step which can be obtained through additional exports or the canned report provided within The Raiser’s Edge. As we can see, this group has a lot of actions to complete while posting gifts to the GL.
Our second group of organizations follow a similar process as group one but utilize a built in Raiser’s Edge tool to export the data. The Raiser’s Edge includes a standard post to GL option that will export a data file and mark gifts as posted (…a great feature we included in PostOmatic!). The post to GL function in The Raiser’s Edge provides the ability to use a query or specific gift criteria to group gifts together for posting. When posting gifts, the post to GL function creates a comma separated data file which includes a fixed set of fields and marks the gifts as posted.
Although this feature is helpful, the most common complaint that we hear is “the post file that is created is too limited”. A user cannot change the fields that are included or how the data is presented in the file. Because accounting systems have specific requirements before importing, most organizations in group two also struggle with manual manipulation of the data file and reconciliation, similar to group one.
After hearing these issues for years, we decided to build a solution that would streamline the posting process for organizations wanting a better experience. PostOmatic is a flexible and enhanced post to GL tool that works within The Raiser’s Edge to post to your accounting system (regardless of what accounting package you use).
PostOmatic serves as an integration between The Raiser’s Edge and your accounting system by creating import files tailored specifically to your organization’s GL needs. PostOmatic can be configured to meet the requirements of any commercial accounting system, eliminating the need to manually manipulate the exported data file. PostOmatic is incredibly flexible with options to run in validation mode to ensure accuracy and avoid exceptions. It can even be scheduled to run after hours for a more hands free solution with minimal impact on operations.
When using PostOmatic, users create a query in The Raiser’s Edge to target specific gifts that need to be posted, and then PostOmatic will do all the rest. PostOmatic exports the gifts in an import ready format for your specific account system and also provides reports for reconciliation.
When using PostOmatic:
1. Users create a query in The Raiser’s Edge for the gifts that need to be posted
2. PostOmatic will do all the rest:
a. PostOmatic exports the gifts in an import ready format
b. Provides reports for reconciliation
c. Marks posted gifts as ‘Posted’ in The Raiser’s Edge
Although the current state of posting to the GL presents challenges, PostOmatic is designed to change the posting experience and eliminate these challenges. For more information on PostOmatic, watch a demonstration.
