1. Accounting Process
Improvement Seminar
Seth Zarny – Partner
Buu-Linh Tran – Manager
Jeremy Taro – Business Development
Thrive. Grow. Achieve.
February 25, 2014

2. WHAT’S ON TAP
 INTRODUCTIONS & AGENDA
 CATALYST FOR CHANGE
 EVIDENCE THAT PROCESS IMPROVEMENTS ARE NEEDED
 DO WE NEED A NEW ACCOUNTING SYSTEM?
 WHAT ARE THE PROCESS IMPROVEMENT METHODS?
 BEST PRACTICES - PROCESS IMPROVEMENT
RECOMMENDATIONS
 LEVERAGING YOUR CURRENT SYSTEM (GP & INTACCT)
• Financial Reporting
• Cost Allocation
• Grant Management
• Revenue/ Expense Deferral
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3. INTRODUCTIONS

YOUR ORGANIZATION
• Overview
• Size – Employees
• Current Accounting Solutions
• Challenges

RAFFA
• Overview
• Seth Zarny
• Buu-Linh Tran
• Jeremy Taro
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4. CATALYST FOR CHANGE

INTERNAL INITIATIVES

NEW TECHNOLOGIES

NEW SENIOR MANAGEMENT/ CFO

NEW STRATEGIC GOALS

BOARD DIRECTIVES

TIME FOR A CHANGE
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5. EVIDENCE THAT PROCESS
IMPROVEMENTS ARE NEEDED
 SIMPLE TASKS TAKE TOO LONG
 TOO MUCH TIME VALIDATING DATA
 EMPLOYEES COMPLAIN ABOUT SYSTEM INEFFICIENCIES
 SUFFICIENT RESOURCES BUT LITTLE OUTPUT
 TOO MUCH PAPER
 SIGNIFICANT BACKLOGS
 SIGNIFICANT DATA ENTRY
 DATA EXISTS IN MULTIPLE SYSTEMS (RECONCILIATION
NIGHTMARE)
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6. EVIDENCE THAT PROCESS
IMPROVEMENTS ARE NEEDED
 INFORMATION IS NOT EASILY ACCESSIBLE
 HAVING TO ACCESS INFORMATION IN MULTIPLE PLACES
 SENIOR MANAGEMENT INFORMATION REQUESTS RESULT
IN CONSTANT FIRE DRILLS
 TAKES TOO LONG TO PRODUCE REPORTS
 DATA INCONSISTENCY
 EXCESS USE OF SPREADSHEETS
 SYSTEM WORKAROUNDS
 EXCESSIVE MANUAL EFFORT
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7. DO WE NEED A NEW ACCOUNTING
SYSTEM?
 REVIEW CURRENT OPERATIONS
 IS SOFTWARE VERSION OLD? INCOMPATIBLE WITH EXISTING
TECHNOLOGY?
 REVIEW AVAILABLE SYSTEM FEATURES
 IDENTIFY 3RD PARTY ADD-ONS
 NEW ACCOUNTING SYSTEM IMPLEMENTATION
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8. KEYS TO RESOLVING PROCESS ISSUES
 ADDRESS END TO END PROCESSES




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Meet with individual process owners (ask why/ don’t
assume)
Follow the data and/or paper trail
Address the processing procedures (include
exceptions/ workarounds)
Review the processes with internal departments
Identify processes that include external sources
Identify all the inputs and outputs (manual entry,
invoices, etc.)
Identify systems that store/ process the data
(spreadsheets, databases, etc.)
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9. KEYS TO RESOLVING PROCESS ISSUES
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Identify one-off process / exceptions
Identify system automation (identify processes the
system does and does not do & what the system
should do)
Does the current process adhere to policies and
procedures?
Identify desired requirements/ outcome
Should current key processes be documented?
Develop future state (document key future steps/
requirements)
Presentation Title / Page 9

10. PROCESS IMPROVEMENT
RECOMMENDATIONS
 UTILIZE SYSTEM SELF-SERVICE FUNCTIONALITY
 LEVERAGE SYSTEM TO AUTOMATE TASKS
 CENTRALIZE DATA IN APPROPRIATE SYSTEM/ AVOID DATA IN
MULTIPLE SYSTEMS
 INTEGRATE SYSTEMS
 REPLACE PAPER WITH ELECTRONIC SOLUTIONS
 TRAINING THAT INCORPORATES BOTH TECHNOLOGY AND
PROCESS
 TRAINING SHOULD BE DEVELOPED WITH PROCESS OWNERS
 TIMELY ACCESS TO DATA
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11. PROCESS IMPROVEMENT
RECOMMENDATIONS
 UNDERSTAND REPORTING REQUIREMENTS
 DEVELOP USER MANUAL TO ADDRESS THE ENTIRE
PROCESS AND NOT JUST HOW TO USE THE SOFTWARE.
 MANUAL DATA SHOULD BE KEYED IN ONCE
 ELIMINATE MANUAL FORMS
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12. MICROSOFT DYNAMICS GP
 REPORTING




Smartlist
Excel Report
Management Report
SSRS (self servicing)
 COST ALLOCATION

Variable vs Fixed
 GRANT MANAGEMENT

Financial vs Nonfinancial data
 REVENUE / EXPENSE DEFERRAL
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13. INTACCT
 REPORTING / DASHBOARD

Financial

Custom

Standard
 GRANT MANAGEMENT

Financial vs Nonfinancial data
 RECURRING BILLING
 COST ALLOCATION

Fixed
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14. QUESTIONS
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15. THANK YOU!
Seth Zarny
Direct: 301-279-6500
E-mail: szarny@raffa.com
Buu-Linh Tran
Direct: 301-279-6511
E-mail: btran@raffa.com
Jeremy Taro
Direct: 301-279-6504
E-mail: jtaro@raffa.com
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