Streamlining Operations with a Modern ERP System
Incompass Human Services modernizes its financial and operational workflows, improving efficiency, compliance, and transparency.
As the multi-service health and human services agency grew, despite its longstanding success, Incompass recognized the need to innovate to stay ahead of the evolving demands of the industry. Like many other large health and human services providers, the agency faced operational challenges, such as managing multiple disparate systems, navigating complex and delayed reporting, and handling diverse contract and project structures. Additionally, the complexity of managing various funding sources, each with its own compliance and reporting requirements, highlighted the opportunity to improve efficiency. With manual processes and siloed financial systems slowing approvals and complicating reporting, Incompass sought a solution to enhance decision-making and streamline service delivery.
To find a way to work smarter, not harder, Incompass CFO Adam Shuster turned to AAFCPAs for support in selecting and implementing a new system that would streamline their processes, improve compliance, and enhance overall operational efficiency.
The Challenge
As Incompass expanded its programs, the complexity in managing various funding sources and internal processes grew. Legacy systems were inefficient and unable to provide the necessary integration between financial, operational, and compliance functions. The lack of real-time data visibility and automated workflows created bottlenecks in crucial tasks such as invoice approvals and budget tracking, resulting in delays and an increased risk of error.
Incompass needed a system that could consolidate its financial and operational functions, provide real-time insights into spending, and ensure stronger internal controls. It needed to be scalable and able to streamline processes without disrupting day-to-day operations, ensuring the team could focus more on their mission and less on administrative tasks.
“The idea behind bringing AAFCPAs in was that, while they might not be experts in our specific organization, they have deep expertise in the system selection process and implementation,” explained Adam Shuster, CFO of Incompass Human Services. “That was incredibly valuable. When we kicked off the project, I told them my biggest concern was my failure to imagine what was possible. And I was relying on them to challenge my assumptions and help me understand what we could really do, because I knew our organization but they knew the systems and their capabilities. They did just that. A perfect example was the Chart of Accounts. Early on, I decided that we needed to rethink the entire approach—I wasn’t going to be tied to the old structure. When I shared my initial revision with AAFCPAs, they encouraged me to think about it differently. I did. And with AAFCPAs’ input, the end result was a much better design.”
The Solution
Incompass partnered with AAFCPAs to evaluate and implement a new enterprise resource planning (ERP) system tailored to its needs. The process began with a foundational business process assessment to identify inefficiencies, define new system requirements, and clarify organizational priorities. AAFCPAs engaged staff across departments to gather feedback, ensuring the new system would address operational challenges and compliance needs.
Building on these insights, AAFCPAs then guided Incompass through a structured system selection process. This included documenting specific requirements, facilitating vendor demonstrations, and analyzing how potential ERP solutions could support their goals. By evaluating factors such as automation capabilities, user-friendliness, scalability, and compliance features, AAFCPAs helped Incompass select Sage Intacct—a leading cloud-based ERP solution known for its flexibility and ability to provide trusted insights across financials, planning, HR, and payroll.
AAFCPAs then guided the Incompass team through the implementation, assisting with system configuration decisions to meet Incompass’ unique requirements and ensuring a smooth transition. Features such as automated approval workflows, embedded internal controls, and real-time spend management tools directly addressed the organization’s pain points. Beyond implementation, AAFCPAs continues to support Incompass by helping them fully leverage Sage Intacct’s capabilities to optimize performance and achieve their long-term goals.
With Sage Intacct in place, Incompass has automated invoice approval processes, ensuring timely and accurate transactions. Embedded internal controls reduce the risk of human error, while real-time tracking of contract and budget spending enhances financial transparency and reporting accuracy.
The Result
Implementation resulted in measurable improvements across the board.
- Streamlined Workflows. Automated approval processes and integrated functions reduced administrative burden, freeing staff to focus on more critical tasks.
- Improved Internal Controls. Automated workflows ensure transactions are approved according to internal policies, minimizing errors and improving compliance with financial regulations.
- Enhanced Reporting. Enhanced and flexible reporting tools provide the ability to generate accurate, real-time reports, improving decision-making and strategic planning. The ability to track spending against budgets and grants in real time has significantly improved financial transparency.
- Paperless Document Management. Electronic storage of supporting documents within Intacct has been a significant benefit. This has allowed Incompass to be paperless, kept everything in one place with ready access, and eliminated the need to retain thousands of separately stored PDF files.
The following highlights Incompass’ remarkable transformation from their old process and systems to the new.
“Incompass is now operating with much more efficiency,” Adam explained. “Automating approval processes alone has saved us countless hours. What used to take hours now happens in minutes. And the best part is we’re seeing far fewer errors. It’s made a huge difference in our day-to-day operations, freeing our team to focus more on supporting our staff and clients and less on the back-end paperwork.”
Another key benefit has been the improvement in financial reporting. With Sage Intacct’s flexible reporting capabilities, Incompass can generate accurate, real-time reports with ease. The system has provided greater visibility into operational performance, allowing leadership to make data-driven decisions that align with the organization’s long-term goals.
Intacct has not only addressed immediate operational inefficiencies but also positioned Incompass for future growth. With a solid foundation in place, Incompass is now better equipped to scale its operations and continue providing high-quality services to individuals in need.
Listen to Adam Shuster’s account first hand in our full one-hour webcast, recorded live in November 2024, or read our blog summarizing the key takeaways from the webinar.
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