How an ERP System Can Help Your Nonprofit Organization Work Remotely
Unfortunately, ERP systems are generally associated with major corporations with millions-of-dollars in budgets, hundreds of employees, and dozens of locations around the country, if not the world. While this software is key for helping these companies operate smoothly, different types of companies can also benefit from the same advantages. Keep in mind that a cloud ERP system is designed to help employers and employees stay organized and up-to-date on everything happening in their business. Although nonprofits are often considered different from large businesses, the same daily operations ensuring continued success don’t vary between the two. For this reason, ERP systems in the cloud are a great resource for nonprofits. No matter your organization’s size, industry, or budget, a cloud-based nonprofit ERP system might be the missing piece to help your organization run more efficiently and organized while working remotely.
Why a Nonprofit Would Decide to Work Remotely
In the modern age, there are countless reasons why businesses decide to have employees work remotely. Nonprofits are no exception to this rule as these organizations come in different sizes, have a wide range of budgets, and work in a variety of sectors. Here are some common motivations that might push a nonprofit to go remote in part or in total.
- There isn’t enough money in the budget to rent commercial space.
- The team is too small to justify paying for an office.
- Some employees with the required talent aren’t located nearby.
- The nonprofit operates internationally.
- Employees prefer greater flexibility and independence.
- Employers enjoy enhanced productivity.
- Major health crises, like the recent COVID-19 pandemic, make coming into work difficult.
The Advantages of Running a Remote Nonprofit
Less wasted time – When heading into the office every day, employees lose hours getting ready in the morning, waiting in traffic both to and from work, and taking a long lunch break. When using cloud-based ERP software to work remotely, all of this wasted time is eliminated, giving employees more time to put towards important tasks.
Lower costs – Nonprofits need to keep costs down in order to succeed. Operating a remote nonprofit allows owners to cut down on a variety of hefty expenses including rent, utilities, fuel, public transportation, lunch, and more.
Better spirits – There can be something refreshing about working from home that seems to give workers a new sense of vitality and energy. This could lead to greater productivity, efficiency, and accuracy.
How Your Nonprofit Can Operate Remotely With an ERP System
As we mentioned before, even those within the nonprofit sector often consider these organizations to be very different than larger businesses. This misconception leads many to assume that an enterprise resource planning software for nonprofits is unnecessary since this software is typically thought to be exclusive to major corporations. In reality, any business, for-profit or not for profit, could benefit from the flexibility, organization, and other remote advantages offered through a cloud ERP system. This software is a worthwhile investment for nonprofits who have an interest in continuing to grow and find success. Here are some of the primary reasons why nonprofits should consider using cloud-based nonprofit ERP software and how these systems can help you work remotely.
Real-time fund management: Effective fund management is at the heart of every successful nonprofit. With funds constantly coming and going, nonprofit directors and employees need to stay on top of their cash flow in order to make smart financial decisions. A nonprofit cloud ERP system compiles and organizes all relevant information including expenses, investments, and grants to give nonprofits a complete and accurate overview of their financial picture. This accessibility improves the accuracy of estimates, the speed of decisions, and the efficacy of your firm’s fund management overall.
Dynamic grant management: An effective grant management strategy is critical for nonprofits to find funding for their continued operations. When working on-site, it’s easier to share pertinent information between employees without getting disorganized because they’re working side-by-side and can communicate much easier. However, this balancing act between disseminating information while keeping it all together is made significantly harder when working remotely. Instead of allowing important documents such as applications, grant letters, and contracts to get lost in the shuffle, nonprofit ERP software can act as an online document management system within the grant management software, allowing nonprofits to keep all important information and data in one place. All employees granted access to this section of the ERP system can easily submit, edit, share, and add documents at any point.
Remote access from anywhere: A prerequisite for any nonprofit cloud-based software is accessibility. If not all employees in a nonprofit can access a management system, then it’s practically worthless. Fortunately, reputable nonprofit cloud ERP software allows any number of employees to access the system from anywhere in the world at any time. This makes it possible to work around both geographic and time barriers without sacrificing efficiency, organization, or security.
Why Nonprofits Should Consider Investing in Nonprofit ERP Software for Improved Remote Capabilities: A Quick Rundown
- All businesses, no matter their size, industry, or budget, can benefit from having a centralized and organized management system in the cloud.
- Working remotely helps reduce some major costs, such as rent, parking space, and utilities, that might be holding a nonprofit back from growing.
- Nonprofit cloud ERP makes it possible to widen your pool of potential employees to find more talent.
- Unforeseen events sometimes require nonprofits to work remotely for certain periods of time and effective nonprofit cloud ERP software makes it easier to handle this transition.
- Nonprofit ERP software puts all of a nonprofit’s important information in the cloud where it can be accessed anytime, anywhere, and from any device. Everything from budgets, grant applications, time cards, and more is stored in one place for improved organization, easier access, and enhanced security.
At NonProfit+, we can help your nonprofit organization work remotely using cloud ERP software tailored to your needs. If you would like to learn more, contact us or take a free product tour. Pricing starts at $8,700 per year for 5 users. We look forward to connecting with you to provide greater efficiency, accessibility, and productivity.
Written by: Bill Dean
