Blackbaud, Inc. — Fundware

www.blackbaud.com

Fundware from Blackbaud, Inc. is a fund accounting product designed for both nonprofit organizations and government entities. It is an excellent fit for mid-sized to larger nonprofit organizations that desire a scalable, flexible product.

BASIC SYSTEM FUNCTION

My review unit of Fundware was preloaded on a laptop, alleviating any issues I might have had with product installation. System navigation was easy, with all installed modules displayed at the top of the screen, as well as listed vertically on the left side of the user interface screen. Clicking on a module expands the menu to display various functions found within that module, and opening the module in turn displays the various folders within that module. An optional Home Page can be customized with frequently used functions for all modules.

Data-entry screens contain lookup options and various function tabs. Smart boxes assist with data entry by populating fields containing saved information. Available modules include GL/Project Grant, AP, AR, Payroll/Personnel, Budget Preparation, Allocation Management, Fixed Assets, Classic Budget Forecasting, Classic AR, Classic Cash Receipts, Cost Allocation and Report Manager. Add-on modules include Import Expert, Electronic Timesheets, Advanced Security, F9 and Bank Reconciliation, along with several others. Also available is a new PaperSave module, designed to help manage documents more efficiently. 4.75

CORE NFP/FUND ACCOUNTING CAPABILITIES

Fundware contains a table-driven chart of accounts that allows users to create custom accounts. The Account Builder function assists in building accounts using various dimension values to represent funds and grants. Fundware handles multiple transaction types including allocation processing, purchase order processing, vendor invoices and accounts receivable payment posting. The Budget Preparation modules allow users to set up separate budget items. Fundware can also set up and maintain various budgets and produce in-depth budget reports. Multiple budget types can be set up in the system using multiple fiscal years. Grant tracking is available in the GL/Project-Grant module, and automatic fund balancing is available for allocating both direct and indirect costs.

Users can choose the fund range and account attributes that they wish to include in the year-end process. Fundware also contains excellent audit trail functionality that displays all transactions entered in the system along with a list of all changes, transaction dates and system user information. 4.5

MANAGEMENT FEATURES

Budgeting and forecasting is easy using the Budget Preparation module. The Classic Budget Forecasting module, while not as easily navigated, also offers budgeting and forecasting capabilities. Fundware offers multi-level user access, utilizing both workgroups as well as user-defined access. Each Fundware user must be assigned to at least one workgroup. Security levels are now task-driven instead of menu-driven. The budget control system in the AP module will alert system users when budgeted amounts have been exceeded. Users can easily initiate account collections utilizing the various AR reports that are available. Customer statements can be run using a variety of criteria. 4.5

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS & REPORTING

Fundware offers extensive report customization capabilities, including report types and adding and adjusting report dimensions and attributes. Page values can also be adjusted. The Advanced Financial Reporting module produces customized financial statements. Fundware offers a good selection of predefined reports that can be printed directly or edited as needed. Financial reports available include both the IRS 990 and GASB reports, along with standard financial statements. Grant reporting options include the Grant Expense Coverage report, along with a wide variety of budget reports. All reports are created in ASCII format, which means they can be easily exported to a variety of word processing and spreadsheet programs. 4.5