With over 18 years in senior finance roles across the public and nonprofit sectors, Jennifer now helps other nonprofit leaders build strong, scalable systems from day one.
We don’t just work with nonprofits. Many of us came from them. Jennifer is now a Pre-Sales Consultant at Sparkrock, but her journey with the company started long before she joined the team.
She previously served as Director of Finance at a School Division, then at a large nonprofit supporting children, youth, and families through community-based programs. At both organizations, she worked with Sparkrock’s ERP solution as a client, gaining hands-on experience with the system from the nonprofit side.
READ: See Sparkrock in Action | Day in Jennifer’s Life
No ERP system will align perfectly with how you work today and that’s okay. It means change is coming, and with it, a chance to improve.
When evaluating systems, you have two options:
Customizing a generic ERP software often leads to hidden costs. Every platform update requires testing, and each customization adds risk. Over time, those changes become a burden to maintain and a cost you didn’t plan for.
Instead of bending a generic ERP to fit your needs, choose one built for them. You’ll avoid hidden costs and make long-term maintenance simpler.
Purpose-built ERP solutions are also often faster to adopt. They include built-in features tailored to nonprofit workflows, such as fund accounting, multi-funder reporting, and dimensional budgeting. With less need for customization, your team can focus on getting value from the system sooner.
You’ll also benefit from:
Need help defining the core requirements of your ERP software? Read Meg’s post: How to Build an ERP Evaluation Framework for Nonprofits.
Software alone does not drive change. People do. Without dedicated time and support, even the best tools will fail to deliver results.
Implementation often struggles not because of the system itself, but because teams are already at capacity. Adding a system rollout on top of day-to-day responsibilities leads to delays, frustration, and missed opportunities.
To set the project up for success, make sure the following are in place:
Involving top-performing HR and finance staff is essential. These team members understand current workflows, pain points, and compliance needs better than anyone. Their insight helps avoid poor design decisions and ensures the system supports real work. While their schedules may be full, bringing them into the process early prevents rework later and increases the likelihood of adoption across departments.
The strongest implementations have visible champions, and a focused evaluation team committed to the outcome.
Need help assembling yours? Read Meg’s post: How to Build an ERP Evaluation Framework for Nonprofits.
Staff who interact with the system daily, such as entering time, coding expenses, and submitting requests, must be involved from the start. If the ERP feels confusing or disconnected from their responsibilities, adoption will suffer.
When frontline users are excluded from planning or testing, the system may meet leadership requirements but still fail in practice. Key workflows break down, and teams revert to manual workarounds.
Frontline staff manage the details that keep operations running. Their input helps surface real bottlenecks and shape workflows that actually function. Including them early builds trust, improves design decisions, and reduces frustration. Role-specific access, simplified interfaces, and guided actions help eliminate confusion and lower the need for ongoing support.
To drive adoption and reduce resistance:
When staff feel included and supported, they are more likely to adopt the system and use it effectively. Early involvement also turns skeptics into advocates who help others succeed.
Too many demos make it harder to compare systems. After the third or fourth presentation, features start to blur, and teams lose track of what matters. Decisions shift from evaluating fit to reacting to surface-level impressions.
Sitting through five or six back-to-back demos doesn’t lead to better decisions. It leads to confusion, disengagement, and missed priorities. The most effective evaluations start with a clear shortlist and stay grounded in specific criteria. To stay focused:
Choosing the right ERP is a major decision but it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. By avoiding these common pitfalls, your team can stay focused, make informed choices, and avoid costly missteps.
To recap, here are the four pitfalls to watch for:
Avoiding these traps helps ensure your new system supports both your mission and your team. And if you need a clear, proven structure to guide your ERP evaluation from start to finish, Meg’s post has you covered.
Read next: How to Build an ERP Evaluation Framework for Nonprofits
This guide walks through five steps: reflecting on internal needs, assembling the right team, defining success criteria, creating an ERP Fit Assessment Grid, and scheduling and scoring demos with confidence.
Choosing the right ERP isn’t just a technology decision. It’s a people decision. And the right process makes all the difference.
If this is your first time evaluating ERP software, you're not alone. Most nonprofit teams go through this process only once every decade or more. Here’s how it typically works with Sparkrock:
This process is flexible and based on your team’s needs. The goal is to focus on what matters most to your organization, not overwhelm you with features you won’t use.
Reach out for a personalized demo to see how integrated nonprofit payroll and finance software can help your organization thrive.