Read how GPLAA secured MIP Account Funding Solution to support a 40 member library alliance
Libraries aren’t known for being renegades, but for the 40 member Georgia Public Library Accounting Alliance; Coastal Plain Regional Library System: there’s no stopping progress when it comes to best meeting the needs of their communities and staff. For over a decade they relied on a previous provider for their accounting software solution. With an ongoing ecosystem of complex funding streams, they knew it was time to consider other options.
In researching other accounting software, they also discovered that their current accounting solution provider was not going to offer a payroll module in their next product. That was a deal breaker. With the help of their partners 1st Choice Advisors, they found the MIP Fund Accounting Solution to be the best fit for present and future growth.
A large library system alliance needed to leave a decade long provider for fund accounting software. The alliance desired a fund management software product that was more intuitive and could support a wide range of skill sets of staff in abilities to do accounting. The software also had to be affordable because of the library’s commitment to donors, grants and public system. The alliance had to secure a system that was easy to use as some of the alliance members were hesitant to change the system in place. Additionally, the library system also needed an integrated payroll, that could easily handle different pay periods and dates.
As Kim Spencer, CFO notes, “We’re are very public service oriented and must be able to pay our staff effectively. We’re all territorial about paying our employees and want to be able to ensure we fix any problem with paychecks immediately.”
Finally, the alliance needed strong customer support, as their experience with the previous provider was difficult at best, and non-existent at times. Spencer notes, “We would call, and they would say they didn’t have an account with us, so it was often time-consuming and not rewarding.”
The alliance selected MIP Fund Accounting solution for their new accounting management program. Their team is delighted with functionality including: the exporting feature on MIP has provided superb donor/grant reporting for auditor visits. MIP exports to Excel seamlessly and there is no need to reformat. As Spencer states, “When my auditor is here and wants to look at what I spent on a grant, it takes seconds to pull the report and just hand it to him. MIP exports so beautifully. With this program we have software that does not try to force you to change for it, it changes for you.”
The mixed skill set of users has also benefited from the free customer tech support that MIP offers and have found filtering data in customizing reporting much easier to pull.
Spencer notes, “It’s a great use of our library resources, cost-effective and financial reporting is very flexible. Libraries are funded by so many different sources and being able to pull reports when the funding agents ask is so important. We can just respond so quickly.”