Reporting is critical for K12, from funder and government reporting, to day-to-day ad hoc analysis. However, this important task is often time-consuming and frustrating, with finance teams spending hours and days – sometimes evenings and weekends – to gain confidence in the numbers. The status quo is unsustainable for staff, but what does the alternative look like?
Imagine being about to pull complex reports with the push of a button. It’s more than a dream. The right technology means you can set up a library of reports that are standardized and able to be run as often as needed.
This reduces the need to have people adding and maintaining data in spreadsheets, which can increase the risk of errors. Instead you have data integrity you trust because you’re not relying on static data. The reports you pull are real-time and comprehensive, not requiring any combination, rekeying, or reformatting of data.
Additionally, this type of development is good for your team, which doesn’t need to spend hours on these administrative tasks. Instead, encourage them to focus on strategic analysis, guiding organizational decisions based on important data trends.
Sometimes you don’t need a full report, you just want one number. Maybe you just want to know how many staff are on leave and in what positions, or need to know how many outstanding purchase orders are on file and what’s due for payment. These shouldn’t be complicated hurdles for your team to get to the truth, but we often see them taking significant time and effort to answer because the numbers don’t match nor align with the data from your system. If you have to pull a full report, or even more than one, to get this type of data then your team is spending too much time on these clerical tasks.
The latest reporting interfaces are intuitive and easy to use, with customizable views so you can see at a glance the numbers that matter most every day. Simple data visualization, such as different types of charts or graphs, empower you understanding of with insights and trends so you can make data-driven decisions.
As with standardized reporting, this type of reporting pulls directly from the database, meaning there’s no manipulation or moving between systems and therefore a much lower risk of error. Better data integrity means you can trust the data you see every day.
The future of K12 reporting lies beyond any one function or department. The right system can give you a cross-functional view, letting you draw important connections between spend and student outcome, for example.
Advanced dashboards draw the latest data from finance, HR, procurement, and SIS to empower you with deeper understanding of how these areas interact and influence each other.
This is the next phase of reporting – when you can draw trends from multiple areas together into market and organizational insights that help guide strategic planning to improve overall performance.
From standardized reporting to ad hoc data to cross-functional insights, the future of K12 reporting is streamlined, efficient, and helps you run a more effective organization.
Teacher shortages create more than just an empty classroom. When an educator submits their resignation letter, they create a pressurized system. Staff members who stay have to fill in the void until administrators find a replacement. But what happens when they can't fill the position? According to NPR, there's roughly a shortage of 300,000 teachers and staff across the nation, and only 128,961 public and private K-12 schools - supply needs to meet demand here. When districts can't fill positions, it wreaks havoc on the remaining staff, perpetuating an endless cycle of teacher burnout, absenteeism, and turnover.
It's obvious why burnout in education exists:
People continuously ask how they can support teachers, but it's also important to consider how to support the administration as they navigate this unfamiliar landscape. As administrators take these challenges head-on, it's important for them to stop operating in silos. If district leadership isn't collaborating to address teacher shortages, how can they expect the rest of their schools to do the same?
Every time a teacher resigns from a position, it costs schools anywhere between $20,000 to $30,000 dollars. The amount of time and energy expended just to find a replacement makes the job of filling teaching vacancies that much harder.
Separated systems hinder Human Resources from doing their jobs more effectively, riddling them with unproductive tasks. When HR lacks the functionality to generate reports, they lose the capacity to find qualified candidates.
Teaching candidates are a rare commodity. To keep school districts afloat and prepared, it's vital to have systems that work together.
School administrators keep their entire district and network of staff members operating at high levels. With the guidance of the Superintendent, each administrator oversees their area of specialty. Whether it's the:
…these folks and their systems play a key role in a school district's operations. This is why integrating each separate system enables optimal levels of management and efficiency.
Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) helps integrate finances, human resources, and payroll systems, to name a few. Here are some of the benefits to your school district:
HR needs help getting to the root cause of staff shortages to keep their teachers engaged. According to McKinsey & Company's quantitative analysis, employees across all industries value "interpersonal relationships and interesting careers." After the novelty of teaching wears off, what can educators do to craft a fulfilling career? HR has the ability to proactively address stagnancy with thoughtful upskilling. Using systems to track qualification and training management, teachers can find new exciting career pathing for greater retention. This helps to quell burnout and maintain engagement.
Education only offers upskilling for teachers if it involves costly schooling. However, the school administration has a large pool of highly talented individuals with special interests and strengths. In need of professional development for your high population of English language learners? Instead of hiring externally to train staff (who have no relationship with the school district), HR can track teachers with ELL students in their classrooms. Then, the Director of Curriculum can pay them to work with the district's ESL teacher and/or supervisor to craft compelling training. With intuitive tracking, HR has the potential to help their staff reignite their passions with career pathways.
HR can save time, especially when it comes to teacher recruitment. In March of 2022, there were 44% of teaching vacancies in public schools, according to National Center for Education Statistics. These vacancies equate to cut-throat competition in filling these holes. And their time could be more productive if HR didn't have to manually input data, extract it, or connect disparate systems. With an ERP, a Director of HR can add, modify, and approve job requisitions to streamline the hiring process. This saves the school district's precious time and resources in finding and, more importantly, placing the right candidate, saving them money long-term.
With high volumes of teaching vacancies across the country, an ERP system helps HR. ERPs create a centralized database of candidate information. This includes current teachers' resumes and qualifications. When it's challenging to fill vacancies, HR has the potential to use its existing staff to alleviate these voids. While not a long-term solution, this database gives HR a sense of relief, especially during times of high turnover. They have a whole pool of current staff members to turn to in these trying times.
A streamlined standard procedure enables a teacher's smooth exit every time a teacher resigns. While administrators want to fill teaching vacancies quickly, they'll need to understand why the employee left in the first place. Otherwise, teacher resignations have more significant potential to repeat themselves.
With an ERP system, HR has the power to improve teacher retention rates. The centralized data, coupled with an exit interview, helps districts with forecasting and long-term planning.
For example, with an ERP, school administrators can generate real-time data on teachers' workloads, schedules, class sizes, and student performance. These metrics help HR, Directors of Curriculum, and superintendents make informed decisions when it comes to offering authentic support and professional development. Backing an exit interview's qualitative data with tangible metrics helps district leaders defend their budgeting proposals during challenging economic times.
Every time a teacher resigns from a position, it leaves a gaping hole.
The director of Human Resources and HR specialists must fill the void as quickly and compliantly as possible.
Before they can even post the teaching vacancy, they need to know the district's codes and policies and how they align with Federal and state regulations. With an ERP, HR has the power to run reports and ensure compliance for every job posting, application, interview, and hire.
Not only that, an ERP system helps bridge communication tools from an IT perspective. HR can share critical personnel information with the Director of Technology to ensure they have access to email, grading portals, and other online resources.
With an ERP, Human Resources can automate contracts, benefits, and payroll. Additionally, ERP software can integrate and streamline document management when districts secure new employment. They can share and save important information and documents, saving many headaches in the future.
District-level management systems create a trickle-down effect in schools. Disorganized, separated systems foster miscommunication, inefficiency, and low morale. When school administrators merge their systems into one source of truth, they're better able to handle the challenges in education with data-driven insights, especially when it comes to curbing teacher turnover.
To help plan your next technology investment, read the in-depth guide to our product, Sparkrock 365 for K-12 Educational Organizations. Let us take you through the benefits of a fully-integrated, single platform for Human Resources, Scheduling, Payroll, and Financial Management and the key features we've built to help K-12s thrive.
Data is the gold standard of today's modern world. It plays a critical role in decision-making for many organizations but is especially helpful for nonprofit organizations.
Adopting a data culture can help nonprofits improve their efficacy and efficiency and better position them to make a lasting impact. Nonprofits are nothing without their mission. They work tirelessly to bring about change and help those in need, but things can get murky when they don't have the right data to make informed decisions. With a systematic, data-driven approach, they can quickly deliver key insights to board members and constituents.
Often underfunded and understaffed, nonprofits struggle financially. They're competing against other organizations for the same limited pool of resources. And when employees manually handle payroll, workforce management, human resources, and other administrative tasks, they waste time, energy, and funding. Switching to an enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution can help nonprofits access better data and insights, making it easier to demonstrate their worth to the public.
When nonprofits leverage a data-first approach, they reap many benefits, such as:
Data metrics help create definable goals while eliminating the superfluous. Since nonprofit budgets are always tight, a data culture provides an extra layer of protection.
Access to data can help nonprofits improve their funding outcomes. With the right systems in place, organizations can get access to data that helps them better understand factors that influence fundraising initiatives, like:
Often, nonprofits will integrate their ERP system with their CRM. This software helps track all communications with donors while segmenting them based on demographics and interests. This segmentation allows nonprofits to build solid relationships and personalize their fundraising initiatives. Instead of sending a one-size-fits-all fundraising campaign, nonprofits can easily create messaging that will resonate with each sub-group.
When integrated, a CRM and ERP system can provide a holistic view of an organization's operations, enabling staff to manage donor relationships more effectively while streamlining core business processes. This integration can lead to increased efficiency, better communication, and improved outcomes for the nonprofit.
Nonprofits that use data from both systems to understand their fundraising efforts yield the highest outcomes. As a result, organizations can create thoughtful campaigns and add more surplus.
Nonprofits are constantly vying for the same small pool of funding sources. The competition is steep, and proposals for grants aren't always accepted. Most struggle with their success rate and verifiable outcomes. According to The National Center on Charitable Statistics, nonprofits' failure rate is over 30% within the first 10 years. Without quantitative data, funders lack the confidence to provide support. But, with a data culture, nonprofits can weave their success rate into their mission, creating a compelling, stand-out story in an oversaturated space.
With an ERP system, nonprofits can fix performance issues and inefficient procedures. Inaction and financial mismanagement kill organizations, but a data culture helps build a seamless infrastructure. Nonprofits can use data to communicate more efficiently with directors, volunteers, and board members by sharing important procedures and operations such as:
Nonprofits founded in data culture avoid wasting resources on undesirable programs or initiatives. Without this excessive waste, nonprofits can focus on programs that drive more impact. Moreover, data can help nonprofits streamline manual and redundant processes saving them even more time and money.
Imagine a small 501c3 collecting donations from various sources for different causes, and the organization needs something to automate or streamline donation collection or tracking. They're likely managing multiple lists on multiple platforms and exporting and importing spreadsheets for every donation and donor.
Time is money, and this is not time well spent. Moreover, manual labor alone results in energy depletion and leaves room for errors. With a data culture, nonprofits have a consolidated view of their donors and can easily create cost and labor-saving systems.
An ERP system allows nonprofits to track and report on important operational metrics easily. These might include:
Form filling and fundraising plans are essential to bringing money into nonprofits, but applying for those much-needed grants requires the right dataset. With an ERP, nonprofits can leverage key insights to clearly define their roadmap and strategic plan one year ahead and five or even ten years.
Nonprofits must have an upstanding reputation and always promote transparency and accountability.
With data-driven decision-making, nonprofits can easily communicate their programs' results and impact to their stakeholders. This level of transparency allows nonprofits to build trust with their donors, supporters, and the communities they serve and demonstrate the value of their work.
Data culture helps nonprofits achieve their goals and make a lasting impact. With an ERP, Nonprofits can use data to prioritize their infrastructure by:
Embracing a culture of data guides nonprofits with insightful decision-making so they can continue doing the crucial work of helping others.
Choose An ERP Solution Today To Help Build A Data Culture
An ERP platform can make all the difference in any nonprofit organization's day-to-day operations. And while many solutions are on the market, Sparkrock's innovative ERP software is designed with nonprofit organizations in mind. With Sparkrock 365 and Microsoft, you can access integrated data capabilities, AI, and machine learning to enable organization-wide data connectivity. Contact the Sparkrock 365 team today to learn more about our services and see what our software can do for your nonprofit.
While teachers are the heart of education, school budgets are the backbone. That's because it impacts every aspect of the school system.
These include things like:
This significance makes planning and implementing school budgets a daunting task. Mistakes have dire consequences for students, staff, and the entire school community. With a growing recession, geopolitics, and teacher shortages, having a clearly outlined budgeting tool is necessary to navigate these challenging times.
School districts have a lot on their plates - managing finances, delivering quality education, and complying with government regulations. With so much at stake, they need the right tools to stay on top of their spending. That's where an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system comes in.
No two years are the same, which only adds to the complexity of budget planning. But an ERP system can help streamline the process, providing a comprehensive solution to plan and implement school budgets. With its finely-tuned ecosystem, a school system deserves nothing less than the highest level of safeguards when it comes to budgeting.
Make budget planning less of a headache and more of a breeze. With an ERP system, administrators can confidently manage their finances, deliver quality education programs, and stay ahead of the curve.
Central administration often functions separately from schools themselves, but their goals intertwine, especially when it comes to budgeting. Siloed systems can dismantle core operations and wreak havoc on budget preparations. An ERP system integrates various aspects of a school's operations, including finance, human resources, student information, and inventory management. These systems will also give the board a centralised and real-time view of all financial transactions, which helps them to manage budgets effectively with each district.
Schools have a lot of expenditures, and having a centralised platform enables administrators to manage all financial transactions in one place. Schools can track expenses, revenues, and cash flows with an ERP giving administrators a real-time view of their financial position. As a result, schools are better equipped to make informed decisions about budget allocations and avoid overspending.
An ERP system automates many manual accounting processes that administrative staff perform, such as invoicing, accounts payable, and accounts receivable. It's a massive benefit for school administrators because this reduces workload and improves the accuracy of financial reporting. Automated accounting processes also help to streamline the budgeting process, making it easier for schools to forecast future expenditures and revenue.
Many administrators cite the challenges of manual reporting - it's a tedious, terrible use of time. But with an ERP system, schools can use advanced financial reporting tools and allow the administration to generate customised reports and visualisations. Then, K-12 schools can identify their spending patterns and potential cost savings. Customised financial reporting also helps schools to comply with government regulations and guidelines by providing a clear and detailed audit trail.
Each school district must allocate resources properly, especially when more obvious student needs are within their schools. An ERP solution can provide detailed information about staff and student enrollment, course numbers, and facility usage. This information helps schools identify areas where resources are underutilized or over-utilized and adjust accordingly. For example, if a school has a large classroom rarely used and an influx of students with special needs, they may decide to convert it into a resource centre or a study space. This strategy can help with overall budgeting because they're avoiding excess spending.
An ERP system helps school districts plan their budgets more effectively by providing real-time financial data and forecasting tools. Administrators can identify potential budget shortfalls and enable school districts to take corrective action before the end of the fiscal year. Budget forecasting can also help identify opportunities for cost savings, such as consolidating services or negotiating better vendor contracts.
Having a centralized platform for purchasing and inventory management streamlines procurement processes. School districts can use an ERP solution to automate procurement workflows, such as purchase orders and invoicing, and track inventory levels in real-time. Therefore administrators can reduce procurement costs, improve inventory management, and ensure they have the necessary resources to support teaching and learning.
School districts must comply with government regulations and procedures by providing detailed financial reporting and audit trails. ERP software can help with this compliance by keeping essential documents in one place.
Schools must also manage compliance requirements for grants and funding programs since their province predetermines their budget. An ERP solution helps keep detailed, data-driven records. For example, suppose a school receives funding for a specific program. In that case, they can use an ERP system to track expenditures related to that program and provide detailed financial reporting to the funding agency.
Knowing how money is spent within schools creates a foundation of trust. Real-time financial data and reporting tools provide better financial transparency. As a result, administrators can help stakeholders understand the allocation of resources and make informed decisions about budget priorities. Financial transparency helps win not only trust from the outside community but also improves public support when schools face challenges in the future.
Working with systems that require manual data entry is entirely unnecessary for schools today. An ERP system helps central administration create automated workflows and streamline their processes giving staff a more holistic view of their school's financial health. District leaders are better equipped to make insightful and informed decisions when planning and creating budgets.
School administrators who combine their systems into one can operate more efficiently during the budget season because they have the most up-to-date, data-driven insights.
To help plan your next technology investment, read the in-depth guide to our product, Sparkrock 365 for K-12 Educational Organizations. Let us take you through the benefits of a fully-integrated, single platform for Human Resources, Scheduling, Payroll, and Financial Management and the key features we've built to help K-12s thrive.
Every company needs systems in place to run efficiently, big or small, public or private.
Systems maintain order within organizations. They help stakeholders carry out their duties with the most up-to-date insights and data.
Crown corporations are no different when it comes to running their business with efficiency. These government-owned entities provide essential services to the public. Therefore, they need to operate at the highest level of integrity and transparency to preserve Canadians' trust.
One tool that can help crown corporations achieve these goals is an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solution. ERP systems help gain public support and confidence through greater accountability and credibility.
Government-owned entities need to maintain their financial transparency. With an ERP solution, board members, ministers, directors, and other stakeholders can oversee their strategic direction while protecting resources. This type of system enables organizations to monitor and report on their entire operation accurately.
A centralized database easily stores all financial information, including revenue, expenses, and assets. This data is accessible by different departments within the corporation, external auditors and regulators. The transparency provided by an ERP system can help prevent fraud and other financial irregularities, as all transactions can be tracked and audited.
Take, for example, Bombardier, a multinational aerospace and transportation company. It has received significant government support over the years. This company faced numerous challenges, including financial losses, delays in delivering major projects, and allegations of corruption. These issues have eroded public trust in Bombardier and raised concerns about the effectiveness of government support for the company. Without being able to produce accurate records, guilty or not, the lack of transparency makes for a tarnished public perception.
But with streamlined tracking systems, an ERP system can help corporations like Bombardier with financial planning and budgeting. Financial management determines a corporation's ability to perform services and fulfill mandates. But it also influences public opinion, so finances must be crystal clear.
Procurement is critical for crown corporations since they rely heavily on third-party vendors to provide goods and services. Because of this, they need to have transparency in their acquisition process. ERP software can provide a centralized database for all procurement-related information, including things like:
Furthermore, this information can be easily accessed and tracked, allowing for greater transparency in the process. As organizations build their systems from one source, they demonstrate greater credibility.
Though crown corporations may enjoy more autonomy and freedom than other government departments, that doesn't exempt them from complying with federal and provincial regulations.
Whether the corporation is 100% government-funded or financially self-sufficient, all crown corporations get audited yearly. That means there need to be standard procedures to improve this process. ERP software provides a singular system for storing important documents like permits, licenses, and certifications. These systems greatly benefit crown corporations because they can increase their accessibility and tracking. Better tracking and operational planning lead to better decision-making and increased accountability.
Hydro-Québec is a provincial crown corporation that provides electricity to Quebec residents. The company has faced many criticisms over the years, specifically its handling of environmental issues. Recently, Hydro-Quebec released a statement about their "duty to adopt best practices on ethics." The company plans to "integrate sustainable development into its governance, as well as into its various activities and projects." In other words: greater compliance.
Corporations must report their operations to various stakeholders, including government agencies, shareholders, and the public. An ERP solution can remove barriers to retrieving financial statements, regulatory filings, and performance metrics. This information can be easily accessed and reported on, allowing for greater transparency in the reporting process. ERP systems also enable organizations to plan their reporting procedures proactively for better performance outcomes. Because there's so much data to share, advanced reporting features can reduce friction and promote transparency.
With so many stakeholders: customers, employees, suppliers, and the public, there must be a way to streamline feedback.
An ERP solution builds out a system to contain things like:
These valuable insights enable corporations to plan strategically by analyzing their strengths and weaknesses.
Crown corporations play an important role in delivering essential services to Canadians, but they're not immune to challenges that impact their credibility. Addressing these challenges requires a commitment to transparency, accountability, and continuous improvement, ensuring they can continue to serve Canadians effectively and earn the trust and confidence of the public. But the only way to instill public trust is through open communication. An ERP solution can enable that communication to be more effective.
We want to help you prepare for your next audit and are happy to share what we've learned about your industry. Let us take you through the benefits of a fully-integrated, single platform for Human Resources, Scheduling, Payroll, and Financial Management and the key features we've built to help crown corporations thrive. Reach out to us here.
Artificial intelligence is the defining technology of our time. AI tools and technology are already having an enormous impact on education and nonprofit organizations.
Microsoft recently shared its plan to embed artificial intelligence into all of its products. By building these features into their product lines, they hope to:
At Sparkrock 365, we believe that Enterprise Resource Planning systems are crucial tools for organizations to streamline their operations and make data-driven decisions. AI features will make ERP systems more efficient, accurate, and user-friendly.
Here are five ways AI-enhanced ERP solutions will benefit your organization:
The typical error rate for manual data entry hovers between 1-4%. The risk of errors due to oversight is significantly reduced by removing the need for human intervention.
AI can reduce human error by:
AI-powered systems can automatically capture and input data from various sources into an ERP system. This reduces the time and effort required for manual data entry, minimizes errors, and improves the accuracy and completeness of data.
Routine tasks can be a total time sink. Almost 60 percent of workers surveyed estimate they could save 6+ hours a week if the repetitive functions of their jobs were automated. This is nearly an entire workday that can be spent on more important tasks.
AI features can help automate repetitive and time-consuming tasks. These tasks can include:
By automating these routine tasks, employees can now focus on higher-value activities like data analysis and decision-making. This is both a time and cost savings, which will ultimately improve the efficiency of your organization.
Artificial intelligence tools can analyze data at a scale and rate significantly more than an independent human can. AI algorithms can analyze historical data to identify patterns, trends, and anomalies and use this information to predict future outcomes.
For example, AI tools can be used to:
AI can make these forecasting models more accurate and efficient by analyzing large data sets in real-time. This can help companies make better decisions, optimize resources, and avoid complex problems.
When human-technology interaction is negative, it results in poor product usage. Today more than ever, providing an intuitive product experience is necessary.
AI can improve employee communication and ERP systems by enabling natural language processing (NLP). NLP is how computers understand and generate human language. In turn, it allows ERP systems to understand and interpret human language, such as:
NLP allows employees to interact with ERP solutions using voice commands or chatbots. It can be used to interpret the meaning of a user's typed or written words to improve the user experience. It can also improve accessibility by making products and services easier to use.
The addition of NLP will help companies enhance their communication with employees, which will subsequently improve their user experience.
Employee happiness is a key factor in attracting and retaining quality talent. AI features can be used to deliver a personalized employee experience that sets your organization apart.
Artificial intelligence can help create personalized user interfaces for employees based on their roles, preferences, and past behaviors, improving user adoption and engagement with ERP systems.
AI can be used to:
Improved user experience will directly impact employee satisfaction, but it will also improve client experience.
AI can use data on individuals to personalize their experience within the ERP solution. By integrating AI-powered chatbots and voice assistance into ERP systems, organizations can provide more personalized and efficient services, such as:
A better user experience will increase both client and employee retention and loyalty, improving your organization's outcomes.
Artificial intelligence features can help organizations use their ERP systems better by improving efficiency, accuracy, and decision-making capabilities.
Over time, AI can help ERP solutions become more personalized and user-friendly, providing organizations with a competitive advantage in today's fast-paced business environment.
As the leader in AI, Microsoft has invested hundreds of millions in helping drive innovation in this area for its customers. As a Microsoft partner, Sparkrock will dedicate further resources to expand our AI capabilities within Sparkrock 365, our premier ERP product. As one of the few Microsoft partners focused on delivering modern ERP solutions for nonprofits, human services, and K-12 organizations, Sparkrock is committed to helping our customers achieve the best outcome for their organization. If you're ready for digital transformation, contact us to get started today.
School administrators face infinite challenges:
As you can imagine, there's never a dull moment in the world of education. And let's be honest; it often feels like there aren't enough hours in the day to get everything done.
Because of this, the use of Enterprise Resource Planning systems has become increasingly popular in the education industry. ERP solutions provide schools with comprehensive platforms to:
With the integration of generative AI and OpenAI programs, ERP systems can further enhance their capabilities to benefit school administrators across different roles.
Due to fierce debate over the ethics of AI-generated content, many education professionals view ChatGPT as the latest dragon to slay in the name of academic integrity. However, like most technology tools, district leaders can leverage ChatGPT and generative AI in several beneficial ways.
All district administrators can benefit from asking generative AI questions about improving their processes, analysis, and decision-making. Let's take a look at how:
As a superintendent, you manage the district's operations and meet its strategic goals. Daily tasks can be overwhelming and exhausting without the right tools. ERP solutions can provide clear access to the information you need. In a survey by the Data Quality Campaign and AASA, 98% of superintendents said they would be more confident in their decision-making if they had better access to information.
One question on the minds of many district leaders is, "How can we implement cost-saving measures without compromising the quality of our educational programs?" Generative AI in ERP systems can help answer these questions by providing access to real-time data analysis to help make better decisions faster. Because these decisions are backed by data, it empowers school leaders to take decisive and confident action that will drive school performance.
Curriculum coordinators are responsible for developing and implementing instructional programs across all grade levels. They must keep track of curriculum standards and ensure that educational plans meet the needs of students and comply with regulations. One of the most significant issues for curriculum coordinators is limited resources to meet the needs of a diverse array of students.
A curriculum coordinator might ask generative AI, "What are the most effective ways to allocate our school budget to improve student performance and engagement?" AI-enhanced ERP solutions can assist the curriculum coordinator by streamlining access to student performance information, which would help them assess program effectiveness. They can use this data to decide what programs are worth the investment and which programs to trim from the budget line.
The duties of payroll and HR are numerous - and high stakes. Payroll and HR are critical functions in any organization, and schools are no exception. They manage employee information such as hiring, onboarding, compensation, and benefits.
Asking generative AI, "Can you help us develop custom reports and analytics to improve our HR and payroll workflows?" will help these departments streamline their processes. They can automate tasks like attendance tracking, benefits administration, and payroll processing, which saves time and reduces errors. It also improves employee satisfaction, which is critical during an unprecedented teacher shortage.
Schools are constantly looking for ways to do more with less in today's economic climate. The business administrator manages the school district's financial operations, including budgeting, purchasing, and accounting. Generative AI could assist the business administrator by providing real-time updates on budget expenditures and revenue projections, helping monitor the district's financial health.
A business administrator looking for innovative ways to utilize existing resources might ask generative AI, "What are some effective strategies for optimizing school resources?" The response could help the business administrator make informed decisions about resource allocation and budget choices, balancing the needs of students with the bottom line.
The content supervisor's responsibilities are to evaluate new programs, align content to curriculum standards, and ensure teachers have access to high-quality instructional materials. As the "middle man" between teachers and central administration, they have many demands on their time and only so many hours to meet them. A recent Gallup survey found that K-12 workers experience higher rates of burnout than any other profession. It doesn't need to continue this way.
Content supervisors would benefit from leveraging AI-embedded ERP systems to lighten their workload. For example, a content supervisor could ask generative AI, "What are the latest trends and best practices in education that we should consider to stay ahead of the curve?" Generative AI could help the content supervisor by recommending new resources and providing feedback on existing materials, saving time and energy on research to focus on solutions.
Student problems. Teacher problems. Parent problems. The building principal role often feels like putting out small fires all day. ERP systems already assist building administrators in many ways, from data analysis of attendance, discipline, and performance to scheduling and organizing professional development.
Building principals could benefit from using generative AI to complete the many small tasks that take precious time from doing more meaningful work. Some examples of how building principals can use generative AI include "Draft a newsletter to update parents and staff; Create a clever social media post about the upcoming book fair; Generate student performance reports for semester two" By leveraging generative AI as a tool to accomplish necessary, but not critical, tasks, it allows building principals to focus on more important issues.
As technology continues to evolve rapidly, schools will need to find solutions. The concerns about ChatGPT and AI-embedded tools in education are valid. Strong opinions about the principles of AI-generated work and the impacts it will have on schools have educators scrambling for answers.
Instead of doubting this technology, let's embrace it. Integrating generative AI into an ERP system can give school administrators a powerful tool for managing their responsibilities.
With its ability to:
Generative AI can help school districts operate more efficiently and effectively in the years ahead. At Sparkrock 365, we're committed to driving the future of work forward with our investment in a cutting-edge AI-enhanced ERP solution. If you're interested in learning more about what we have planned, please get in touch with us directly. We would be thrilled to share our vision with you.
To help plan your next technology investment, read the in-depth guide to our product, Sparkrock 365. Let us take you through the benefits of integrating HR management with finances, payroll, scheduling, and the key features we've built to help K-12s thrive.
Nonprofits start with an idea.
Twenty years ago, one founder witnessed resilience in war-torn Eritrea as a group of children kicked around a shirtball together.
Today, Right To Play educates and empowers over 1 million children a year to rise above adversity using the power of play.
Team Rubicon began after Haiti experienced a devastating earthquake in 2010. Now the organization mobilizes veterans globally to continue their service amidst disasters.
Polycultural Immigrant And Community Services started by helping Polish refugees in 1973. Today the organization assists over 10,000 immigrants as they adjust to their new life in Canada.
These successful nonprofits started from one idea and now help many individuals. Their expansion is the result of passion, dedication, and efficiency.
At the very core of all nonprofits is their mission to help. Whether it's to serve, to provide, or to protect, nonprofits drive social impact. Unfortunately, these organizations need more than just a mission; they need fast-tracked, interpretive solutions to achieve their goals.
How can nonprofits sustain their mission long enough to grow in today's world?
Artificial Intelligence has the potential to redefine the ways organizations operate. Microsoft made an exciting announcement to install artificial intelligence into all of its products. This enhancement will help nonprofits thrive in an oversaturated, competitive landscape, sharpening their efficacy, decision-making, and innovation.
Without funders, nonprofits can't continue doing their important work. And without thoughtful planning, these organizations can get cast aside for their lack of clarity and transparency.
A stronger system of inputs can assist in yielding better outcomes. Accelerating their mission requires nonprofits to manage several incoming resources, such as:
With an AI-enhanced ERP solution, nonprofits can achieve maximum productivity in fundraising, proposals, strategic planning, and the bottom line.
Fundraising is essential for the sustainability of nonprofits. However, identifying potential donors and tracking donations can be challenging. With smarter technology, organizations can automate their fundraising efforts. AI, for instance, can quickly analyze past donation data and identify trends to determine potential donors. Without the use of AI, executive directors and administrative assistants need to complete this labor-intensive task on their own. Instead of spending time on reporting, AI predictions can free up executive directors' time to spend on more important tasks, such as building relationships with their donors to maximize donor retention rates. Studies show that "nonprofits that boast a high retention rate have loyal supporters who come back year after year to donate to the organization." Without repeat donors, nonprofits must scour new financial opportunities to stay afloat.
Additionally, AI can help nonprofits automate their donor stewardship efforts. By analyzing donor behavior and preferences, nonprofits can customize their communication to increase engagement and build stronger relationships. This level of personalization can include recommendations for specific amounts to donate or suggestions on campaigns that match the donor's interests.
Grant writing is a necessary avenue for raising money in the nonprofit space, but unfortunately, writing plays only a small part in getting the actual grant. Grant approvals have many factors, including:
Before the introduction of AI capabilities, many of these factors were out of nonprofits' hands. While there's no concrete formula for getting grant approvals, AI can help organizations strengthen their positioning.
Grant writing's complex process requires thorough research and analysis. This is a considerable time investment for a fickle and, at times, fruitless outcome. With AI enhancement to an ERP, nonprofits can simplify the grant writing process. AI can analyze past successful grant applications and identify the key factors contributing to their success. It can also recommend potential grant opportunities based on the organization's focus areas and past grant history.
AI can also help nonprofits tailor their grant proposals to fit specific requirements. By analyzing the application guidelines and the organization's past performance, AI can provide recommendations on structuring the proposal and highlighting the organization's strengths. While it can't promise grant monies, AI can reduce the time spent creating proposals.
Strategic planning is essential for nonprofits to achieve their goals and maximize their impact. Unfortunately, there are challenges in gathering and analyzing the necessary data to inform strategic decisions. AI can help nonprofits mine data to inform their strategic planning efforts. This technology plays a significant role because it reduces the time it takes to analyze complex data sets. According to Deloitte, it also offers organizations "continuously monitored strategic plans," which helps constituents make better decisions and take swift but informed action.
ERP solutions that utilize AI capabilities can quickly analyze past performance data and pinpoint areas where the organization can improve. This will ultimately reduce potential risks since AI's predictive software can provide recommendations on how to mitigate them. By analyzing external factors, such as economic trends or changes in the political landscape, this modern technology can help nonprofits adjust their strategic plans to adapt to changing circumstances.
If economic conditions worsen in 2023, already declining operating reserves may continue to shrink. According to BDO's survey data, 38% of organizations had over 12 months of operating reserves in 2021. These reserves continued to drop to 27% in 2022 as federal stimulus funding that once boosted liquidity depleted and market conditions changed.
With uncertain economic times, budgeting continues to be a critical aspect of nonprofit operations. Unfortunately, it can be arduous to forecast revenue and expenses with accuracy. With an AI-powered ERP solution, streamlined budget automation can help organizations make more knowledgeable decisions.
AI can analyze past financial data and key trends to help nonprofits forecast revenue and expenses precisely. It can also provide recommendations on where to allocate resources to maximize impact. For example, if AI could identify programs with a higher return on investment, it can recommend an organization to increase funding for that program.
AI can transform nonprofit operations and help organizations achieve their goals. With the integration of this technology in systems like ERPs or CRMs, nonprofits will be able to:
By using AI to streamline their operations, nonprofits can focus on accelerating their mission and maximizing their impact.
Nonprofits must arm themselves with modern solutions to succeed during these economic times. A comprehensive ERP system designed specifically for nonprofits like Sparkrock 365 can help streamline operations, reduce the risk of errors and delays, and improve decision-making.
Microsoft continues to support its customers through innovative solutions like AI. They've invested billions into the OpenAI platform that powers technology like ChatGPT. Sparkrock 365 will adopt and integrate that same technology with our Microsoft-powered ERP solution. We're excited to share that vision with our customers and encourage you to connect with us for a chat.
Are you ready for digital transformation? Reach out to a Sparkrock 365 representative today.
When it comes to the objectives that define your organization's ethos, the primary aim of most nonprofits today revolves around their mission to deliver reliable and high-quality programming and services. Financial sustainability is inextricably linked to that mission, so it should be easy to recognize that an organization with a sound financial plan is more likely to achieve that goal. What isn't so obvious, however, is the steps needed to achieve that success, especially given the changes the world experienced in the last three years.
A financial plan aimed at growing revenue for your organization while maintaining continuity, and forecasting for the future, is crucial. If your nonprofit organization needs a gut check on its financial health or steps on how to assess your organization's economic sustainability, here's a list that will help you get realigned.
The unprecedented repercussions of COVID-19 caused nonprofits everywhere to rethink their plans, and strategy shifts reflect our post-pandemic world. Although this new way of thinking presents challenges, nonprofits skilled at strategic financial planning are better equipped to handle surprises - good or bad. While we can't predict the future, the act of planning - based on historical data, results analysis, and financial health assessment - serves as a healthy foundation upon which an organization can base its programming. Strategic financial planning should be at the root of your organization's mission and a guiding light for measuring growth. Without it, it's impossible to measure when or whether you have met this goal.
As you audit and optimize your existing plan, consider asking the following questions:
Incorporating an ERP software built specifically for nonprofits can dramatically improve your organization’s ability to plan strategy, communicate across the entirety of the organization, and then measure whether or not progress is being made. Enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems offer an all-in-one solution that enhances operational efficiency by streamlining business processes like project management, inventory management, and financial management. These ERP solutions help nonprofits manage multiple entities and multiple programs, from donor management to fund accounting, all under a unified platform.
The best ERP softwares for nonprofits also include features for cash management, project accounting, human resources, and more. This allows nonprofits to track expenses, generate financial reports, and manage assets effectively.
Growing your nonprofit organization's revenue is contingent on the specific factors that support your overall mission, including assessing your organization's financial health. Creating a sustainable financial ecosystem should be central to your organization's decision-making process.
A financial health assessment will inform what growth looks like by:
The hierarchy will inevitably differ depending on the structure of your organization specifically and overarching goals.
Nonprofits gain the majority of their revenue from charitable contributions or tax appropriations and measure the efficiency and effectiveness of their operations by the success of achieving their social mission. However, they can face challenges when it comes to operating in a fiscally responsible manner.
With this in mind, the goal of financial sustainability for nonprofits is to maintain or expand services within the organization while developing resilience to occasional economic shocks in the short term (for example, short-term loss of program funds or monthly variability in donations). Good questions to ask when conceptualizing this are:
How you divide your funding sources and channels has an enormous impact on your nonprofit's future and sustainability. Not only can revenue diversification help you mitigate risk, but an intentional plan for it can allow you to engage new donors or investors and deepen your current donor/investor relationships.
In the face of economic downturns and unprecedented challenges like COVID-19, nonprofit organizations have had to reassess their strategies for generating donations. With diversified revenue streams, these organizations have had to evaluate the effectiveness of each source, considering factors such as return on investment (ROI), staff time, and administrative overhead.
An efficient ERP system can facilitate donor and grant management, which is crucial for nonprofits. It helps in creating donor profiles, documenting donor history, and managing grants. This leads to improved financial planning and better control over restricted funds.
For a nonprofit with diversified revenue streams, the economic downturn, COVID-19 shutdowns, and in-person event cancellations have been challenging but have also presented an opportunity for them to reassess how they generate donations and the importance of each source.
Tip: Consider ROI as you evaluate which sources are less effective for your nonprofit. Not every revenue stream is created equal, especially when you consider your staff's time and administrative overhead. Major gifts and capital campaigns are inexpensive from a cost-per-dollar-raised perspective, and special events can get very costly.
If there's one thing we've learned over the last three years, it's that catastrophes can happen; and if they happened once, they could happen again. With this knowledge, we are empowered to make smarter choices with the possibilities that the future can bring. Some organizations establish an operating reserve by keeping cash on hand in addition to their regular bank balances in case the steady cash flow is disrupted.
Since nonprofits depend on multiple sources of income to support their operations, it's essential to plan for financial stability by setting aside additional funds. Reserves can allow an organization to weather serious bumps in the road, such as a sudden decrease in revenue or an unexpected expense and buy them time to implement new strategies.
Since operating reserves are most valuable if they are reliable, an important factor in using these funds is having a realistic replenishment plan. In addition to monitoring regular bank balances, nonprofits should include a line item in their budget for adding to reserves. As circumstances change, such as when income or expenses become less predictable due to internal or external factors, nonprofits should adjust their reserve goals accordingly to ensure they have sufficient cushion.
When it comes to achieving financial sustainability for your organization, thoughtful planning and creating a model for survival and growth are key. By establishing a proactive plan and leveraging practical tools, your organization can reach its goals. Sparkrock can help you achieve this by providing software that enables your organization to thrive. Learn more about how we can support your nonprofit in achieving its financial sustainability goals. Download our guide to Sparkrock 365 for nonprofits.
"This program is not user-friendly; it's difficult to navigate, and there are too many layers to reaching the information we need."
"It feels like we are left to our own devices to figure this system out, and it's onerous."
"The support team is not set up to handle anything beyond one-off issues."
How often has your organization adopted a new system that left you with more questions than answers? Shep Hyken, author and expert on customer service, says, "Customers don't just buy a product; they invest in the support that comes with it. The quality of support determines the value they truly receive." Unfortunately, not all support teams are built the same.
When school districts invest in a product to help them, they aren't just throwing money at a solution. They're looking for a partnership. They want a company that adds value to their operations and makes their job easier. So, the support embedded within any ERP solution should be a given-not an afterthought.
There's little worse than purchasing a product at a high cost and then also having to figure out how to use it on your own. Initial training sessions are great, but additional support layers are required after a project has gone live to maximize system usage and mitigate risk. That's where meaningful user support plays a critical role.
User support refers to the services and assistance provided to individuals using a particular product within your organization. It should be designed in a way that helps users resolve issues, answer their questions, and ensure a positive experience with the product or service. High-quality user support can provide the following results:
Adopting and using an ERP system requires some degree of technical aptitude. But with any new system, learning and understanding its uses takes time. That's why effective and timely customer support is critical. Unfortunately, ERP users can face many challenges in their support journey. But it's not just the technical issues themselves; it's not getting the help they need when they need it most that is the bigger problem. Here are some of the most common challenges across finance and HR teams:
Nothing's more frustrating and disruptive than when a customer waits a long time for a response or resolution. They can only proceed once they receive the necessary help to resolve the issue. This causes obstacles for users, hindering progress in completing their work.
Delayed responses don't just impede someone's work, it impacts critical areas like payroll, for example. It causes more than just frustration; it affects people's livelihoods. Imagine being unable to pay staff on time because payroll is waiting for an issue to be fixed.
High-level customer support requires deep product knowledge and expertise. Unfortunately, some ERP companies struggle to adequately train their support teams, so they cannot offer effective troubleshooting and guidance to their customers. As a result, customers feel underserved and think their software provider does not truly understand their needs.
ERP companies might outsource their support to shave off costs to the end user. While outsourcing support functions can offer cost advantages, it can create:
This can make it difficult for customers to get help, exacerbating their frustration even more.
ERP systems can be quite complex depending on the system and the level of customization. Customers often need help with technical issues, and insufficient support can hinder their ability to use the system to its fullest extent.
Many individuals cite needing advanced technical knowledge to leverage the full breadth of the system. The lack of documentation and support post-go-live can leave customers unprepared to navigate and make the most of their ERP system in the long term.
The quality of support can vary within the ERP industry. Certain companies offer excellent support during the initial stages. But, as customers' needs evolve or more complex issues arise, their customer support vanishes.
Without access to knowledgeable support personnel, customers can't:
Once again, a lack of ongoing customer support prevents districts from using and deriving value from their investment.
ERP systems often require heavy customization to align with the specific needs of K-12 and nonprofits. This is typical because most solutions are designed for the for-profit industry (think manufacturers, distributors, or other revenue-generating businesses). To avoid this, find software optimized for education that gives you access to critical features upfront. You should be able to easily remove what you don't need as well, saving you time and valuable resources on the project.
That said, some K-12s may still have requirements unique to their district and nonprofits to their sectors, which software providers should anticipate. Unfortunately, many of them offer little to no support for customizations after a project has gone live. Whether you're a district or organization of 500 or 5,000, having the flexibility to customize your ERP solution can help things run more smoothly. Your software provider should be able to support those customizations throughout your journey.
It's also not uncommon for customer support teams to prioritize the needs of larger districts over smaller ones, limiting the level of support you may receive, especially when they hear "customization."
When users have to contact customer support, a heightened level of frustration mounts after a ticket is left open for some time. Nobody wants to get passed from one representative to another, be on lengthy holds or, the worst offense: lose their connection.
Customers need clear escalation paths and processes when dealing with complex or critical issues. These are necessary to reach the proper support personnel or resolve their problems promptly. Delays or miscommunications prolong issue resolution times and diminish customer satisfaction, which, unfortunately, is a common recurrence with many software providers out there today.
When it comes to ERP software, many solutions on the market can be less intuitive than one might expect. They need a considerable amount of setup and customization to perform essential functions. That's why there are so many benefits to going with a familiar platform like Microsoft. If you've already used products like Microsoft Word or Excel, you'll find ERP systems like Sparkrock 365 a lot more intuitive than others.
"I believe in the fundamental principle that the triumphs of our products and technologies depend on the accomplishments of those who use them. It is our responsibility to equip, assist, and enable our customers to achieve more."
-Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft
Sparkrock seeks to provide its users with unparalleled customer support. No matter their size, each organization deserves a partner to aid them in their daily work. When districts choose Sparkrock 365, they feel supported by an end-to-end solution.
Sparkrock excels in providing cloud-based ERP solutions specifically designed for nonprofits and K-12 education organizations. Powered by Microsoft Dynamics, it delivers purpose-built ERP software tailored to meet the unique needs and business processes of these sectors. It's an all-in-one solution, managing multiple entities, project accounting, inventory management, human resources, and donor management among other features.
Here are just a few things that Sparkrock 365 users can expect from the get-go:
In addition, accurate tracking of bug-related cases enables their software development team to identify and address issues more efficiently, reducing the risk of recurring problems while prioritizing critical issues. With enhanced traceability, Sparkrock is better equipped to make product improvements, enabling K-12s to stay ahead of trends in education technology.
When a school district invests in an ERP system, they need to understand how it's working for them. Sparkrock support provides organizations with a monthly snapshot and status report of each support case and shares performance indicators related to the quality of their service.
Their customer-centric approach helps by:
Customers who adopt any ERP system deserve a commitment to excellence, guidance, and support. Are you ready to partner with a more supportive ERP solution? Contact us today to get started!