Nonprofit organizations have a mission, which means that they don't have the time to worry about employee timesheets and expense reports. However, some of these organizations might realize that they are spending too much time and effort working on spreadsheets by hand to track their time and expense.
Time and expense is one area that automated processes can be helpful in that they can minimize how much time and work are spent ensuring that there’s no fraud being committed, that resources are properly used, and all rules, whether by contract or donor stipulations or by a governmental body, are being followed. The lack of an automated nonprofit time & expense system could be wasting precious resources and, as a result, losing grants in the long run.
Some Nonprofits might resist an automated system, and some have good reason to be skeptical. After all, a new system can be scary. Here are some of the concerns that might be preventing these nonprofits from trying out automated nonprofit time and expense software:
What might be holding nonprofits back from trying out automated nonprofit time and expense software?
Concern #1: A system-wide implementation will require time and resources to train employees.Nonprofits might have a large, mobile workforce of volunteers and employees across the globe trying to accomplish a particular mission. That could mean a lot of time spent training everyone on a new system. The answer to this concern is software built to be intuitive enough to require little to no training.
A system that's intuitive enough to learn without the need for training speeds up processes like billing and reimbursement, which also means that employees will be happier and they're more likely to be more satisfied with their job and less frustrated with their administrative work. This gets them back to the mission.
Grants are a primary source of funding for nonprofits, making it necessary to ensure that all donor and contract requirements are being met. If so, the contract might get renewed for more money next year or the nonprofit can use it as evidence of money well spent to earn even more grants.
Nonprofit time and expense software that comes with grant tracking can assist with this concern. Nonprofits can track time and expense to each grants the same way they would for a regular project. In the end, the software does the work for you when it comes to connecting associated billing and managing grants.
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Concern #3: Compliance is really important for nonprofits.
Managing funding comes with its own issues regarding transparency. Nonprofits need a solution that will help in the fight against fraud and will lighten the workload when it comes to managing compliance. Nonprofits have plenty of rules to follow when they're spending public money or grant money, so a system that can take in your nonprofit's rules and make sure that expense reports and timesheets follow those rules is essential. The software should be able to accept policies and provide reports about how well those policies were followed using the Audit module. Look for this as an essential part of your nonprofit time and expense solution.
Concern #4: Adding more software will only complicate matters.Because many nonprofits have already committed to using particular software for their accounting, ERP, HR, or other critical systems, they might be hesitant to add another one. To solve this problem, look for software that already integrates with your systems. When all systems can talk to one another, the result is an all-in-one platform for all your essential business needs without the need for manual data manipulation.
Beyond supporting the core requirements of nonprofit organizations, DATABASICS provides the right solution for your timesheet, expense reporting, and leave management needs. With a platform built for nonprofits, this cloud-based software can cut costs and streamline processes. Learn more about what DATABASICS Time + Expense for Nonprofits™ can do for you.
For more information on the DATABASICS Time & Expense solutions, contact us, or call (800) 599-0434.
DATABASICS provides cloud-based, next generation Expense Reporting, P-Card Management, Timesheet & Leave Management, and Invoice Processing automation. Specializing in meeting the most rigorous requirements, DATABASICS offers the highest level of service to its customers around the world.
DATABASICS is relied upon by leading organizations representing all the major sectors of the global economy: financial services, healthcare, manufacturing, research, retail, engineering, non-profits/NGOs, technology, federal contractors, and other sectors.
DATABASICS is headquartered in Reston, VA.