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Accounting Software Shakedown -- best for non-profit research institute

Hi everyone,

I'm looking for some opinions on the best accounting package out there for a non-profit academic research institute that is entirely grant-funded. Since we are not a business, a lot of the packages have features that are, at the very least, irrelevant to us, or even worse, an obstacle.

Has anyone had any experience with software that might be suitable for an organization that doesn't have typical revenue streams as we might? I should note that we're in Canada and do some fund accounting by CICA standards.

We've been looking at Quickbooks and Simply Accounting, but neither is ideal. Our granting agencies could be set up as "customers," but it is messy. Any other packages we should look at? What about more "open-ended" packages that lack the turnkey nature of QB or SA. Something that would require a lot of work to set up initially, but would be extremely flexible.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Reply to
dbideshi
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Simply can handle that and has a template for non-profit to get you started.

No, you would not setup granting agencies as customers... you will not be billing them.

You will setup revenue accounts into which the funding will be received on the books.

I'm willing to be Quickbooks offers something similar, but I'm not familiar enough with it to say for certain.

Reply to
Joe Canuck

You might check with Peachtree. They have started bundling vertical apps, they have a NonProfit version. You can download the 2007 version, with limited use but can convert if you buy.

One thing I like about Peachtree is that set up can be done with uploading info from CSV files. You would do the chart of accounts, then the AR customers, the Vendors, then the Employees. Then you upload transactions to each of these modules.

They do have demo company files you can "play with". TK

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Reply to
TKnTexas

Peachtree nonprofit version...

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Reply to
Joe Canuck

Extremely helpful, thanks! We have been looking heavily at QB and SA, but neither were a good "fit." Peachtree looks promising, I will check that one out. I haven't really looked at the NFP version of Quickbooks yet either.

Reply to
dbideshi

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