Steps for Rolling Out Nonprofit Technology Systems

Implementing a new accounting software in #nonprofits can be both transformative and painful at the same time. Here are 7 best practices to ensure a smooth transition: Assess Organizational Needs: Understand your specific requirements and choose a software that aligns with your financial management goals and mission. Involve Key Stakeholders: Engage finance staff, management, and board members in the selection process to ensure the software meets everyone's needs. Plan for Data Migration: Develop a detailed plan to transfer existing financial data accurately and securely into the new system. Provide Comprehensive Training: Invest in thorough training for all users to maximize the software’s functionality and ensure effective usage. Customize for Non-Profit Use: Tailor the software to track donations, grants, and program expenses, reflecting your unique accounting needs. Ensure Integration Capabilities: Choose software that integrates seamlessly with other tools and platforms you use, such as CRM and payroll systems. Monitor and Evaluate: Continuously monitor the software’s performance and gather feedback to make necessary adjustments and improvements. I've implemented Sage Intacct into two of my previous roles and have learned a lot about what to do, but more importantly, what not to do. Adopting these best practices will help your nonprofit leverage new accounting software to enhance financial management and support your mission. #NonProfitFinance #AccountingSoftware #CFO #NonProfitLeadership

I’ve led several implementations (HRIS, payroll, benefits etc), and if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s this: vendors sell you a vision, you’re the one who has to make it real. If you're about to roll out a new system, from my experience, these are 7 common (and costly) pitfalls to avoid, plus tips to get it right from the start: 1. Believing the demo = your reality. 🔍 Pitfall: Vendors will often show you a polished flow that glosses over limitations. ✅ Tip: Walk into demos with real use cases and ask: “Can you show me exactly how this works for our org structure/policy?” 2. Not reviewing legal + order forms closely (trust me, this one has saved me a lot of times). 🧾 Pitfall: Hidden fees, vague SLAs, and missing features are often buried in the fine print. ✅ Tip: Treat the MSA and order form like project-critical docs. Loop in legal or procurement. Ask, “What happens if…?” (delays, bugs, compliance issues, etc.) 3. Skipping internal alignment. 🤝 Pitfall: You pick a tool that IT, Finance, or Legal can’t support—or that doesn’t align with internal policy. ✅ Tip: Bring in key stakeholders early. Make sure the tool meets your data, security, and compliance needs. 4. Forgetting the less glamorous stuff. 🧠 Pitfall: The flashy dashboards are great, but no one talks about backend admin struggles. ✅ Tip: Request a full admin walkthrough. Understand what’s manual, what’s automated, and where support is needed, what features are in the pipeline, what will be implemented in the next couple of months if you choose to go with the vendor. 5. Assuming integrations will “just work”. 🧩 Pitfall: APIs might be outdated, undocumented, or simply incompatible. Seen this happen too many times. ✅ Tip: Ask for technical docs up front. Share with IT to confirm feasibility before signing anything. 6. No clear success metrics. 🎯 Pitfall: You launch… but can’t prove impact. ✅ Tip: Define KPIs for each stakeholder group before implementation. I want you to think: adoption, time savings, ticket volume, fewer errors, improved employee experience and many more. 7. Underinvesting in change management. 📣 Pitfall: You train the People Team, but forget everyone else. ✅ Tip: Build guides, host Q&A sessions, and roll out in phases. Treat this like a product launch, because it actually is. 🎁 Bonus Tip: Vendors will highlight what works. It’s your job to uncover what doesn’t. If you're gearing up to implement a new system and want to avoid these traps, feel free to DM me, I’m happy to share templates or rollout strategies. #PeopleOps #HRTech #SystemImplementation #HRIS #ProjectManagement #DigitalTransformation #ChangeManagement #LessonsLearned

Implementing new tech can be challenging. My Change Management process from start to finish in 7 steps to help increase employee adoption and reduce distraction. 1️⃣ **Assessment:** Evaluate current workflow. Actually write it out…what is your teams current process, what will the process be once new tech is in place, what are the clear benefits to your employees. You have to paint a very clear picture. Ambiguity is what scares people. 2️⃣ **Team Alignment:** Ensure teams understand the benefits and impact. This is all about how the new tech will benefit THEM not you. People care about themselves. How will this allow them to make more money, do less work, save time etc. Just an email won’t cut it, spend time walking through this with your team. 3️⃣ **Training:** Provide tailored training for each role. Good news is the you should be able to expect this from your tech provider. If you can’t, or they want to charge you for it then you should RUN. 4️⃣ **Communication:** Foster open dialogue, address concerns, and provide regular updates. If there are hiccups (because there will be) address them head on, track them, and work together on an action plan to correct them. Keep your team involved in the process. 5️⃣ **Run Pilots:** Test the tech with your team in a pilot with the vendor. Treat the pilot as if you just made the full financial commitment and track the before and after outcomes. 6️⃣ **Iterative Feedback:** Gather feedback, make adjustments for continuous improvement. Establish a meeting cadence that you follow religiously, never cancel. Within those meetings have a pre established agenda that you follow. 7️⃣ **Full Rollout:** Gradual implementation with ongoing support that is tailored to each role. Admins need different support then users, data teams need different support than front line managers. Have your planned support be tailored to the roles of each individual person. That's the process I’ve used when implementing Tabi Connect feel free to use it for future tech implementations. Enjoy!