GovCons: Which Accounting Software Is Right for You?

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Rose Report: Issue 62

By Ted Rose, CEO, Rose Financial Solutions

When it comes to building efficiency, selecting accounting software is among the most important decisions business leaders make. Why? The right solution can enhance the entire organization’s operations. Given the number of options available, choosing the right software for your government contracting business can be daunting. To help you with your search, here are a few factors to consider.

DCAA Compliance
Often, government contractors are under the impression that they must use a specific accounting software package to be deemed Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA) compliant. For financial and accounting software to be compliant, it must follow the latest DCAA recommendation and regulations; however, it is important to note that your documented policies and procedures are just as important as the accounting software when evaluating compliance. All of ROSE’s client systems have been approved by the DCAA when audited—100 percent of the time, regardless of the accounting software used.

Cloud-based Software
Cloud-based accounting software has become increasingly popular in recent years. If you are utilizing desktop accounting software, it may be time to consider moving to the cloud. A cloud-based accounting system provides comparable functionality as your desktop system, but it also offers additional benefits such as real-time updates and access to financial and accounting information from anywhere at any time, which is especially useful in today’s remote work environment.

Accounting Software
For many startup government contractors, QuickBooks can be a good option. It’s user-friendly, simple, and for smaller organizations, cost-effective. QuickBooks is excellent at handling routine accounting functions for small businesses, such as accounts payable and receivable, payroll, and preparing financial statements. Keep in mind that QuickBooks will still need to be properly configured and paired with a DCAA compliant time-tracking system. PROCAS and Unanet are good options for small- to mid-sized government contractors who require project management capabilities. As organizations grow, operations may be complex enough that they quickly end up with a half dozen disparate systems, none of which are in sync with each other. Overseeing so many different systems and having to enter data in multiple systems manually can cause considerable problems for any company. If the organization’s sales automation system isn’t connected to its accounting software, its books can get out of alignment. And most importantly, the time employees have to spend ensuring that all the systems are up to date and in sync would be better spent improving the business. Fortunately, more comprehensive software solutions are available as an organization evolves. As a contractor scales, takes on multiple cost-plus contracts, and its compliance needs increase, a system like Deltek Costpoint will be better equipped to manage project costs and administration.

How We Can Help
ROSE specializes in providing government contractors with accounting, finance, and compliance solutions at a fraction of the cost of hiring in-house staff. Whether you need to fill in the gaps, replace your existing system, or start off ready to grow, we are equipped to be a powerful strategic partner in your development.

Our leading-edge platform, Easby®, supports most accounting software systems. With our Finance as a Service (FaaS) solution, not only will your DCAA compliance be enhanced, but you’ll also gain the functionality that is found in an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system. Please schedule a meeting below to learn more about our cost-effective and scalable solution.

This content is for information purposes only and should not be considered legal, accounting, or tax advice or a substitute for obtaining such advice specific to your business.

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By Matthew Scroggs January 10, 2024
Issue 72 - Data Driven and AI Enablement Strategies for 2024
By Matthew Scroggs January 10, 2024
Recent findings from Pigment’s Office of the CFO 2024 survey highlight a critical issue for business leaders – the prevalent use of inaccurate data in their decision-making processes. The survey reveals that a staggering 89% of finance leaders are basing their decisions on incomplete or faulty data. The foundation of successful business strategies depends on the quality and accuracy of the decisions made. As businesses navigate expansion and heightened competition, the reliance on data-driven insights has become critical. Harnessing the transformative power of accurate, reliable data enables informed and effective decision-making. Businesses with financial clarity will outpace companies that struggle with flawed data. Financial visibility will help businesses avoid common pitfalls while shaping a future oriented strategic vision. Why Is Most Financial Data Flawed? Financial Data often ends up flawed due to several factors. Disparate systems and fragmented processes within an organization can cause increased inaccuracies over time. The lack of standardization of data within an organization introduces complexities and leads to inconsistencies in data handling. Nomenclature and connectivity issues further compound the problem, making it challenging to establish a framework for data organization. When these issues persist, they pave the way for flawed data, hindering accurate analysis and decision-making. Improving Financial Data with a “Single Source of Truth” Addressing the complexity of inaccurate financial data requires a strategic approach. Streamlining systems and processes and implementing standardized, data-oriented procedures across departments can mitigate inaccuracies stemming from disparate systems and fragmented processes. Moreover, establishing a unified nomenclature and resolving connectivity issues are pivotal to ensuring data integrity. By instituting a cohesive framework for data organization and management, businesses can tackle the root causes of flawed financial data. Establishing a single source of truth consolidates data into a single data structure. This allows for the streamlining of processes, reduction of complexity, standardization of nomenclature and improved connectivity. In essence, a single source of truth reduces errors by ensuring everyone in an organization refers to the same accurate information. This unified data hub speeds up decision making and lays the groundwork for integrating AI into future financial operations. Enter Easby, a system of engagement that standardizes financial activities and data while improving data integrity. As a CFO Co-Pilot, Easby streamlines data handling and reporting, allowing leaders to make better decision based on better information. Easby reduces administrative activity and promotes data-accuracy, improving decision-making and driving companies toward success in our competitive business environment. Easby connects with your accounting system of record to become a “single source of truth”, centralizing data and refining processes. By streamlining data collection and reporting, Easby empowers leaders to refocus their efforts on strategic growth initiatives. To discover how Easby can become your CFO Co-Pilot while fortifying the future of your organization, we invite you to schedule an introductory call with Rose Financial Solutions (ROSE). Schedule an Introductory Call
By Matthew Scroggs January 10, 2024
Technology, Data and Automation are transforming decision-making, especially with the democratization of Artificial Intelligence (AI). This transformation is especially pronounced within finance, where AI's emergence is influencing financial system strategies, placing a premium on structured data for AI-driven initiatives. However, the ability to utilize AI effectively heavily relies on data organization and security. Organizing data includes data consolidation, categorization, and tokenization. This organization can help establish the groundwork for your company to benefit from the full potential of a wide-range of AI-driven use-cases. Consolidating Diverse Data for Unified Insights Data consolidation includes merging and unifying diverse data sets from multiple sources into a single source of truth. Let’s consider a corporation that operates across various states. Each division might maintain financial and operational records, such as sales figures, payroll, operational expenses, and inventory in disparate systems. Data consolidation in this scenario involves merging these diverse datasets from different divisions into a singular, centralized system. For instance, combining sales data from different regions, integrating it with payroll and inventory records, and aligning financial reports across divisions creates a comprehensive overview of the company's overall performance. This consolidated data allows for better analysis of revenue streams, cost optimization strategies, and more accurate forecasting across the entire organization, aiding in strategic decision-making for the whole company. Enhancing AI Precision through Categorization Categorization involves sorting data into specific items or categories based on various parameters or attributes. It's about organizing and labeling data in a structured manner. For example, in accounting, data categorization refers to sorting expenses into a variety of dimensions, such as general ledger codes, department codes, project codes, etc. These codes are normally broken down into logical categories that help users and AI understand that certain vendors are related to travel and others are related to office supplies, or utilities. In AI-driven strategies, categorization is paramount for contextualizing and organizing information effectively. By classifying data into relevant categories or items, AI systems can understand the nuances of different data sets. This categorization allows for more precise analysis, facilitating the extraction of actionable insights and comparisons that are crucial for decision-making. Tokenization for Advanced Data Efficiency and Security Tokenization is the segmentation of complex data into smaller, more manageable units known as tokens, each representing individual pieces of data or information. This process primarily focuses on maintaining confidentiality when inputting data into AI systems. Its core objective is safeguarding sensitive data by substituting identifying information with distinct tokens or representations. By implementing tokenization, organizations create a protective barrier around sensitive information, like personal or financial data, thwarting AI from associating the data from a specific entity. Tokenization ensures that AI algorithms work with transformed data. For instance, tokenization involves converting sensitive data, like vendor names, into random tokens in financial transactions. This not only enhances security by safeguarding sensitive information but also streamlines data analysis by reducing the complexity of the dataset. In AI strategies, tokenization is a critical step. By segmenting data into tokens, AI algorithms can more effectively identify patterns, trends, and correlations within the information, ultimately enabling more accurate predictions and insights, all without providing the AI with sensitive information. Leveraging Integration Opportunities with AI Consider a company working to streamline its accounting processes. The organization creates a unified database through data consolidation and tokenization. The integration of AI technology allows for the use of machine learning to automate transaction coding, a move that significantly reduces manual workload while improving processing accuracy. Other examples of AI integration include automating graphic analysis and categorization creation. For instance, AI-driven tools can autonomously generate visual representations of complex datasets. Moreover, within categorization, AI systems excel at continuously refining and automating the sorting of diverse data sets into specific categories or segments, ensuring accuracy and efficiency in data handling. Finally, AI-driven tools leverage historical patterns to track and analyze financial behaviors. For instance, by examining past expenditures, these systems identify trends, anomalies, and potential cost-saving opportunities. This level of insight allows businesses to make more informed decisions regarding budget allocation, identifying areas for optimization and possible financial risks. Scaling Efficiently Through AI-Driven Strategies By merging AI-driven strategies with data management, businesses gain adaptability. This agility powers informed decisions, intelligent resource allocation, and proactive risk management. This approach isn't just about navigating competition; it's about efficient scaling and strategic growth, representing a shift towards growth while benefiting from financial clarity. This strategic combination empowers businesses to thrive, evolve, and seize opportunities in a constantly changing business environment. Schedule an introductory call with us today to explore how optimizing your data strategy can enhance your adaptability, drive informed decisions, and propel your business towards scalable growth. Schedule an Introductory Call
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