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Area Agency on Aging of Southwest Arkansas: MIP Accounting Success Story

"Being a nonprofit that is federally and state funded, we must have a secure program that can track each grant separately. MIP was recommended by our auditors and several other area agencies use it as well."
Cindy Lewis
CFO
Products
Key Features

General Ledger

Accounts Payable

Payroll

Bank Reconciliation

Accounts Receivable Reporting

Data Import Export

Direct Deposit

Grant Administration

SVC Multitenancy

RestAPI

HR Management

12

Counties in Southwestern Arkansas

24

Senior centers

5,000

Individuals monthly

“The auditors came in, and they said, ‘Oh no.’”

It was not an auspicious start when CFO Cindy Lewis joined the Area Agency on Aging of Southwest Arkansas (AAASWA) as a bookkeeper in June 2009. A new auditor came to examine their finances, and the organization’s fund accounting system was underequipped. Lewis and her team were even writing out some checks on a typewriter.

“I don’t remember the name of [our old fund accounting program] because it causes nightmares,” Lewis said. “It was a program that was not user-friendly. You’d input the information into the computer and then we typed checks on a typewriter.”

Challenge & Solution

AAASWA had just changed auditors at the time, and when the new auditors arrived, they said, “Oh no.” Lewis knew AAASWA needed a change. Four of the other area agencies were already using MIP Accounting®, and they suggested AAASWA do the same.

“Being a nonprofit that is federally and state funded, we must have a secure program that can track each grant separately,” Lewis said. “MIP was recommended by our auditors and several other area agencies use it as well.”

The board approved it, and their MIP implementation was underway.

Results

AAASWA began using MIP in March 2010 using MIP as its accounting solution. They serve 12 counties in Southwestern Arkansas, overseeing 24 senior centers and serving about 5,000 individuals monthly.

From providing in-home meals to seniors or to providing them in a community setting, to hosting social events, to in home personal care, case management, legal services and providing transportation to and from senior centers, the AAASWA exists to help senior citizens retain their independence and to assist them with the problems that arise.

When it comes to AAASWA’s finances, MIP helps to manage the variety of funds that are managed and administered, ensuring essential operations like payroll are done correctly and on time. The end result? Accurate reports that demonstrate their agency’s impact to their board and external stakeholders.

“With EWS, employees now log their hours in the system and supervisors approve them online. There’s no manual entry required, and the data is automatically shared with MIP,” says Terry. “EWS saves the Payroll team a day and a half worth of time every single pay period. EWS allows mileage reimbursements to be entered as well, to be paid through payroll.”

The HR modules have also helped CFHC streamline the management of work scheduling, giving supervisors visibility into clinic-by-clinic coverage, and benefit elections and tracking. In addition, the team has integrated Aatrix, which automatically pulls data from MIP for e-filing tax forms, including W2s and 1099s.

Lewis couldn’t imagine what life without MIP, or its support services could be.

“We have Gold Support, so we have a dedicated support person,” Lewis said. “Whenever something comes up, we’ll say, ‘Well, we have to call [oursupport person].’”

AAASWA manages several funds and sends regular reports to the Arkansas Department of Human Services in Little Rock, with MIP managing their funds and creating those reports is effortless.

“I love being able to go in and pull a report,” Lewis said. “If we need to see how much we’ve spent with these different funds, I’ve set them all up as programs, and because each fund is different, we have to report them [differently.] I like being able to customize the reports. If I just need to see how much we’ve spent in Title III C1 for this amount of time, I like being able to pull that up without needing several different reports.”

In the midst of the pandemic, Lewis decided to migrate to MIP Cloud.

“We started looking at the cloud, and saying, ‘You know, we may really need to look at this as an option,” Lewis said, and AAASWA did. In early March 2022, they officially signed on to migrate to MIP Cloud. Having the ability to access their data anywhere securely was one of the biggest reasons AAASWA moved to a cloud environment.

From typewriter to on-premise, and now to the cloud, as AAASWA works tirelessly for the state’s senior citizens, MIP is accounting for their future.

About Momentive Software

Momentive Software amplifies the impact of over 30,000 purpose-driven organizations in over 30 countries. Mission–driven organizations and associations rely on the company’s cloud-based software and services to solve their most critical challenges: engage the people they serve, simplify operations, and grow revenue.

Built with reliability at the core and strategically focused on events, careers, fundraising, financials, and operations, our solutions suite is bound by a common purpose to serve the organizations that make our communities a better place to live.

About the organization

Area Agency on Aging of Southwest Arkansas (AAASWA)

The Area Agency on Aging of Southwest Arkansas serves as the visible regional focal point for older adults and persons with disabilities for advocacy for public policy, which effectively addresses their needs, the dissemination of pertinent information, planning, development, funding, implementation, operation, technical assistance and evaluation of a service system which is responsive to individual needs and assists service recipients to live at their maximum levels of independence in the least restrictive environment.

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Solutions
Key Features

General Ledger

Accounts Payable

Payroll

Bank Reconciliation

Accounts Receivable Reporting

Data Import Export

Direct Deposit

Grant Administration

SVC Multitenancy

RestAPI

HR Management

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