Automation saves significant time on financial management tasks. Most nonprofits now choose between QuickBooks Online (with https://piernas.us.com/a-guide-to-independent-contractor-taxes/ significant customization) or purpose-built nonprofit software like Aplos. QBO supports fund tracking through Classes and Locations, though this is a workaround rather than native fund accounting architecture. Try Aplos free for 15 days and experience what true nonprofit accounting software can do for your organization. The city had been using QuickBooks, which wasn’t optimized for fund accounting, making cash balances for funds difficult to determine.
Our picks for the best nonprofit software
- Development of the website’s software components (frontend and backend).
- Setting up classes or sub-accounts for each grant ensures we allocate expenses as funders approve.
- Most nonprofits now choose between QuickBooks Online (with significant customization) or purpose-built nonprofit software like Aplos.
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- QuickBooks has its own numbering system for charts of accounts that is also fairly business-oriented rather than nonprofit-specific.
- While we don’t cover every company or financial product on the market, we work hard to share a wide range of offers and objective editorial perspectives.
Instead of acting as a generic database, Bloomerang links donor records to real engagement signals such as giving frequency, email interactions, and campaign history. You can see their giving history, track engagement, and understand relationships so your outreach feels relevant and timely. Pricing can climb as your contact list grows, which can catch nonprofits off guard during growth periods. They let you share updates, promote campaigns, provide support, and follow up with (potential) donors at the right time. “Classy helps us run campaigns that raise funds for our organization!
best QuickBooks features for nonprofit organizations
With tools for automated payments, donor management, budgeting, and reporting, nonprofits can focus on their mission while staying organized and compliant with financial regulations. This plan is suited for large nonprofits or those needing robust financial management tools with more users and advanced features like automation and data synchronization. As part of the Velora nonprofit technology suite, Aplos combines true fund accounting with integrated donor management (through Keela) and online fundraising (through Raisely). It lacks donor contact management and engagement tracking, fundraising analytics and campaign management, automated thank-you letters and acknowledgments, donor retention and lapse analysis, and native integration with online giving platforms.
One of the best features of Bill is the ability to limit who can approve payments. The platform syncs perfectly with QuickBooks and eliminates the need to manually enter bills or payables into the QuickBooks system. This seamless flow of data reduces the work you have to do and makes your organization more efficient. By using QuickBooks, you’re increasing the chance of efficient and effective communication between accounting teams. More than likely, they’ll already know how to use QuickBooks, saving you time and money on training.
- Nonprofits can use QuickBooks for their accounting needs and can configure the software to fit their unique accounting situation.
- Aplos partners with Stripe Payments Company for money transmission services and account services with funds held at Fifth Third Bank N.A., Member FDIC.
- At Complete Balance Accounting & Consulting, we specialize in nonprofit accounting, ensuring accurate financial records, compliance, and strategic financial guidance.
- The clock is ticking, move your business to the front of the line.
- To use QuickBooks for your nonprofit, you’ll need to link it to your bank account.
- Wave is a solid free option for nonprofits with basic accounting needs, while Xero has an impressive feature set, with in-depth reports that can easily be shared with donors and volunteers.
This plan also includes a dedicated account team to help nonprofits scale. It is designed to help organizations with high volumes of transactions, reporting, and user management. It includes all the features of the Plus plan but with more advanced tools and capabilities, making it suitable for growing organizations with more intricate needs. The Charity Charge resource hub is dedicated to providing tips, tools, and information to help your nonprofit create and grow a modern organization. Integrating QuickBooks with other platforms can streamline your nonprofit’s operations.
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Unlike newer nonprofit accounting tools, which may be plagued by bugs or errors, QuickBooks is a tried and true solution. Features like class tracking and fund accounting can help you accurately record revenue and expenses. A nonprofit’s accounting software must help it accurately record these transactions. This includes documenting the source of funds like donations, grants, or other revenue streams. Generally, this includes having specific funds or categories where nonprofit revenue is allocated.
Nonprofits often use online fundraising platforms to collect donations. With easy features and smart integrations with other software like Donorbox, QuickBooks is the way to go for nonprofits who need accounting help. For some nonprofits (particularly those with simple finances, limited restricted funds, and accounting expertise), it can work. Aplos migrated all QuickBooks data, built a new chart of accounts based on the city’s reporting needs, completed two years of bank reconciliations, and worked directly with the city to properly allocate transactions to the correct funds. Reports filtered by fund (using Classes) are possible, but donor-level and grant-level reporting requires workarounds since QuickBooks lacks native donor CRM or grant-tracking features. Likewise, if you partner with another organization or business, you may have to work with their accounting team to settle accounts or share financial data.
Key Features:
Larger organizations may prefer Advanced for custom reporting. Even experienced teams can make setup errors that create reporting headaches later. ✅ “Common Nonprofit Financial Statement Errors” – Cook & Company CPA highlights that using consistent report templates improves clarity and donor trust. This setup allows you to produce Statement of Functional Expenses reports automatically—no manual sorting needed.
It also adapts well as nonprofit work shifts from one season to the next, like moving from a grant push to an event sprint. “The only downside is that I still have a few people who have not paid, which really isn’t the platform’s fault unless emailed invoices are going to spam. I love the import template for adding items; it saves so much time! If you only need quicken for nonprofits basic ticketing or a simple raffle, you’ll likely find the platform more robust than necessary, both during setup and ongoing use. OneCause can feel heavy if your nonprofit runs smaller or occasional events. In addition, the online and personal event consultants provide helpful advice, making it easier to run events smoothly and with less stress.” – Linae S.
Additionally, you can configure your setup to focus not on sales tracking, but on donations or grant funds tracking. The right accounting software can help nonprofit organizations meet these standards even if they have a lean staff, so they can reach their financial objectives and minimize their costs. You can use QuickBooks Enterprise Nonprofit to track expenses and donations, budget by program and compare to actuals, and create donor and grant reports. We selected the top seven accounting software companies for nonprofits after reviewing 20 different well-known companies.
They also help you run campaigns, accept recurring gifts, and track results without juggling multiple systems. Good self-help resources make it easier to get unstuck without having to wait for support every time. Check whether the platform offers a knowledge base, written guides, or video tutorials you can rely on if you encounter any issues. Check for platform fees, add-ons, upgrade tiers, and scaling costs, then compare them against your long-term budget to understand what you’re signing up for.
30% off for 6 months when purchasing through our link (any online or payroll products are eligible) – Get Started QuickBooks for Nonprofits is an essential tool designed to help nonprofit organizations manage their finances with ease and accuracy. Lindsey spent years wearing many hats in the nonprofit world. The above article intends to provide generalized financial and legal information designed to educate a broad segment of the public.
The setup wizard guides you through creating your chart of accounts and funds in minutes. These reports can be filtered by fund for even greater nonprofit-specific clarity. Aplos includes pre-built reporting templates for your most common nonprofit financial statements. The integration between Aplos and Keela through Velora means when a donation comes in online, it’s immediately reflected in both the accounting system and the donor’s record. If you’re experiencing the limitations of QuickBooks or want to avoid them as your organization scales, purpose-built nonprofit accounting software addresses these challenges. This is often described as “death by a thousand spreadsheets.” You’re paying for accounting software but still doing critical tracking in Excel because QuickBooks can’t handle it natively.
Nonprofit organizations can access these discounts through TechSoup, a marketplace that connects nonprofits with technology products at reduced costs. QuickBooks is not free for nonprofits, but it does offer special discounted pricing. QuickBooks is the most popular accounting software with 81% of the market (compared to Sage 50 at 10% and Xero at 9%). As an executive director, you have a mission to focus on, fundraising to manage, and programs to oversee. For most nonprofits today, QuickBooks Online is the superior choice. They spent weeks manually re-entering a year’s worth of data to get their books in order for the grant reporting.
Pricing: QuickBooks for Nonprofits
Strong integrations help data flow cleanly between systems, reduce manual entry, and keep your records consistent across teams. Whether you choose a full-featured platform like Givebutter or a specialized tool like Noupe for chatbots, integrations matter. Here are a few things to consider before you commit to a specific platform. Before they know it, you’re spending more time on administrative work and manual fixes than on your mission.
Since these providers may collect personal data like your IP address we allow you to block them here. Reach out to us for support in setting up your QuickBooks accounting setup today! We’re able to analyze your organization and make expert recommendations based on your organization’s financial setup QuickBooks offers a range of customized settings and features that could make it a great solution for your organization.