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Sage — Sage MIP Fund Accounting

800-811-0961www.sagenonprofit.com

From the Nov. 2009 Review of Not-for-Profit
Accounting Programs
.

Designed
specifically for the nonprofit and government sector, Sage MIP Fund Accounting
continues to offer a solid fund product which continually provides frequent
product enhancements designed to increase the value of the product.

EASE OF USE/FLEXIBILITY-
Sage MIP Fund Accounting’s user interface contains a standard drop-down
menu that allows access to various functions including transactions, activities,
reports and the Sage MIP Fund Accounting dashboard. To the left of the screen
is the Sage MIP Fund Accounting Navigator that lists various module options.
Clicking on one of these options brings up a workflow chart with icons representing
all of the available functions within that module. The Process Manager, to the
right of the screen, provides options for saving and organizing favorites, reports,
charts and forms. Frequently used functions can also be saved to the Favorites
menu.

Sage MIP Fund Accounting data-entry screens are easily navigated, with drop-down
menu fields and lookup options plentiful. Tabs at the bottom of the screen display
when accessing a module or feature and stay displayed, making it easy to toggle
between screens. Function icons at the top of the screen make it easy to print
documents, export information to Excel, or save as an attachment.

MODULES/SCALABILITY-
Sage MIP Fund Accounting is a modular system, with GL, AP, AR, Visual Analyzer,
Grant Administration, Allocations Management, Encumbrances, Advanced Security,
Multicurrency, Payroll, Budget, Direct Deposit, Electronic Requisition, Inventory
Control, Forms Designer, Sales Order Entry, Fixed Assets, Purchase Orders, Data
Import/Export, Scheduler, Electronic Funds Transfer, Bank Reconciliation, Data
Consolidation, and GASB 34.

Other add-ons available include Sage Fundraising 50, providing fundraising
and development tools that assist users with donor acquisition, fundraising
and operational efficiency. Built around GL functionality, modules can be added
as needed, making Sage MIP Fund Accounting an ideal solution for small and mid-sized
nonprofits alike. For those who require flexibility and anytime access, the
option to have Sage MIP Fund Accounting fully hosted on secure Sage servers
is also available.

FEATURES/FUNCTIONALITY-
Sage MIP Fund Accounting Version 10.1 contains two significant program updates:
new compliance with Form 990 changes and various user enhancements that include
an improved Scheduler module and the addition of a new Warehouse Control Report.

All modules and chart of accounts are set up in the Administration option
of Sage MIP Fund Accounting. This allows modules to be set up as needed, as
well as an organizational chart of accounts. Sage MIP Fund Accounting offers
a table-driven chart of accounts, allowing users to track an unlimited amount
of grants, funds, departments and cost centers.

The Grant Management module maintains grant contact information, reporting
periods, indirect cost rates, and any notes that need to be recorded for future
reference. Allocations Management allows users to allocate both direct and indirect
costs, with allocations being done at program level, department level, grant
level or across multiple segments. The Forms Designer allows users to create
custom forms that suit their particular organization, including paychecks, purchase
orders, bills and invoices. An excellent Data Import/Export module allows for
the import of Excel spreadsheets and employee timesheets, as well as for the
export of reports to Excel while maintaining original formatting. The Visual
Analyzer module uses a graphical interface to help users uncover organizational
trends, monitor budget and actual expenses, and develop effective strategies
to help strengthen the organization.

REPORTING-
Sage MIP Fund Accounting contains an extensive array of reports, including Form
990, GASB Compliant and FASB 117 reports. Reports are easily customized and
can be run for multiple years. Reports are easily managed utilizing The Report
Manager. As well, the Report Manager allows users to easily create financial
statement formats and assign report groups. It also grants access to the Report
Binder, which allows for scheduling multiple reports to be run at the same time,
saving report processing time. All reports can be viewed on-screen, printed,
emailed to recipients, saved as a PDF file or exported to Excel.

SUPPORT/HELP-
Sage MIP Fund Accounting contains an excellent Help function, as well as product
guides available as PDFs. An online knowledgebase is available to Sage users
24/7, and the customer forum allows users to interact with other Sage MIP Fund
Accounting users. Phone support is available during regular business hours.
Various Client Care and support plans are available. Product training is also
available through Sage University, which offers a variety of online and instructor-led
classes.

RELATIVE VALUE-
Sage MIP Fund Accounting is currently available for $3,000 for a single-user
system, with add-on modules starting at $495. Although an ideal fit for mid-sized
organizations, the scalability of Sage MIP Fund Accounting makes it a good fit
worthy of consideration by nonprofits of just about any size that want the power
that Sage MIP Fund Accounting provides along with an easy-to-use interface that
cuts training time drastically.

2009 OVERALL RATING: