How non-techies can drive integration with QBO/QBOA

Transcription

1 How non-techies can drive integration with QBO/QBOA Donny C. Shimamoto, CPA/CITP, CGMA 11/16/17 WiFi: QBConnect Password not required

2 CPE Process CPE Credit In order to receive CPE credit Be sure to sign in or scan your badge for this session You must stay in the session for the duration of the training This session is eligible for 1 hour of CPE CPE certificates are ed directly to you within 4 weeks of the conference date to the same address you used to register CPE credit administered in coordination with 2

3 About today s speaker Donny is the managing director of IntrapriseTechKnowlogies LLC, an advisory-focused CPA firm specializing in organizational development and business process outsourcing for small businesses, middle market organizations, and nonprofits. Donny is a recognized thought leader and educator in the Accounting Technology, IT Risk Management, and Performance Management fields; his dedication to helping accountants and organizations leverage strategic technologies while proactively managing their business and technical risk is paramount. Donny also serves as an outsourced IT & Innovation Partner and advisor for local & regional firms and internal audit departments who lack in-house IT leadership and IT audit expertise; He helps with IT risk assessments and IT advisory services, development of the firm s innovation strategy, streamlining of internal firm operations, and increasing staff proficiency with IT tools supporting client engagements and service delivery. Donny C. Shimamoto, CPA/CITP, CGMA Donny is a past chairman of the AICPA s Information Management and Technology Assurance Executive Committee, and former member of its Governing Council, Assurance Services Executive Committee, and numerous other AICPA committees and task forces. Donny was recognized as one of the Top Thought Leaders in Public Accounting by CPA Practice Advisor from 2012 to 2017, Top 100 Most Influential People in Accounting (2013 & 2014 & 2017) by Accounting Today, received the President s Award from the Hawaii Society of CPAs, was named to CPA Technology Advisor s 40 Under 40 list in 2007 & 2009 & 2014, and was also a Hawaii Top High Tech Leader in

4 Audience polls Demographics Organization Type/Size? Sole Practitioner Small Firm (2-10 people) Medium Firm (11-50 people) Large Firm (51+ people) Business, Industry, Gov t Role at the Organization? Lead Executive Executive Leadership Dept Director/Manager Dept Staff Consultant/Vendor to Firms Primary Practice Area? Admin/Practice Management Audit/Attest Bookkeeping/Client Accounting Consulting (non-audit/tax) Information Technology (IT) Tax Polls are at: Choose one from each set of options that best matches how you view your organization and your role at work. 4

5 How non-techies can drive integration with QBO Visualizing Your Accounting Solutions Accounting Solutions Challenges Developing Your Intraprise Architecture Selecting Your Business Solutions Information System Selection Criteria Information Systems (Apps) Strategy Optimizing Your Business Solutions Integration Options Integrations in Action 5

6 Visualizing your accounting solutions The accounting system is no longer just one software (the general ledger) There are many specialized solutions that can be integrated with the general ledger with both broad and specific application 6

7 Accounting solutions challenges Group Discussion : What is your preferred general ledger software? What are your favorite GL add-ons? What are your top 2-3 current challenges with your overall solutions? 7

8 Developing your intraprise Architecture Understanding how you process transactions and measure the execution of services is important Use an Intraprise Architecture model to visualize the processing and flow of information in your organization 8

9 Visualizing business processes & information flow Use the Board Oversight Performance Management CPM Management Oversight Intraprise Blueprint for Performance Management as a base model to understand the flow of processes and information needed to improve overall performance. e-ap e-ap Budgeting & Forecasting Commitments Management Accounts Payable Cash Disbursements ExtNet CPM CPM QBO QBO Budget Budget & Forecasts Plan Estimates & Intentions Soft Commitments Hard Commitments Cash Flow Projections Actual Expenditures General Ledger QBO Financial Budget Corporate Strategic Plan Goals & Targets Program Strategic Plan Goals & Targets Plan Program Goals & Targets Contract Goals & Targets Other Quantitative Targets Actual Actual performance measures Actual outcomes measures Payroll Non-Financial PR T&A Timekeeping SMS Intranet Contract Administration Operational Reporting Case Operations DWFM ODS SMS Program Management Quality Assurance Constituent Management Intranet SMS CRM Note: The Social Services Nonprofit performance management model is shown. Customize the right side of model to the industry you are working with. Fiscal Corporate Expense Reporting P-Card e-exp Employee Expense Reporting SMS HR DMS Case Document Management SMS Case Collaboration CPortal 2015, 2017 IntrapriseTechKnowlogies LLC 9

10 Visualizing business processes & information flow Capture major business processes (rectangles), supporting systems (cylinders) and flow of data (arrows) 10

11 Visualizing business processes & information flow Look at management needs, including the non-financial info needed to improve program management and achieving of outcomes/impact 11

12 Visualizing business processes & information flow Obtain an understanding of the flow of information needed to optimize the organization s performance. Present an integrated view of financial and non-financial information to help drive better decision-making for optimizing performance. 12

13 Visualizing business processes & information flow An Intraprise Architecture model allows you to see the entire organization on one page Use it to analyze the current state of the organization Use it to visualize the future state of the organization Identify the functional needs of the organization and the systems supporting those needs Identify which areas may not be optimized or have complexity Assess the impact of any system/app changes to business processes and information flow Identify system/app and information integration needs Develop a holistic and integrated view of information on financial and non-financial performance 13

14 Intraprise Blueprint for performance management Board Oversight Performance Management CPM Management Oversight Budgeting & Forecasting Commitments Management Accounts Payable ExtNet CPM CPM Budget Budget & Forecasts Plan Estimates & Intentions Soft Commitments Hard Commitments Cash Flow Projections Actual Expenditures Financial Non-Financial Budget Corporate Strategic Plan Goals & Targets Program Strategic Plan Goals & Targets Plan Program Goals & Targets Contract Goals & Targets Other Quantitative Targets Actual Actual performance measures Actual outcomes measures Intranet Contract Administration Operational Reporting DWFM Program Management Quality Assurance Intranet e-ap QBO ODS SMS Cash Disbursements General Ledger Payroll Timekeeping Case Operations Constituent Management e-ap QBO QBO PR T&A SMS SMS CRM Corporate Expense Reporting Employee Expense Reporting Case Document Management Case Collaboration Fiscal P-Card e-exp SMS HR DMS SMS CPortal 2015 IntrapriseTechKnowlogies LLC 14

15 Intraprise Blueprint for accounting services 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017 IntrapriseTechKnowlogies LLC 15

16 Using the Intraprise Architecture (exercise) Customize the Intraprise Blueprint for your firm or for a client Do at Least the client accounting and practice management areas (firm) or accounting (client) Excel and Word are sometimes systems too Add systems to the diagram if needed Add additional processes that you think may be needed to complete the picture Create your current state ( as-is ) 16

17 Selecting your business solutions ( apps ) Business solutions are driven by end-user needs; compared to the accounting system which is driven by accounting needs Each process in the Intraprise Architecture has different types of solutions supporting it; some systems support multiple elements. 17

18 Information systems selection criteria There is no correct system for every organization or every function. Selection criteria is driven by a variety of factors: Mission Information Needs IT Strategy Information System Selection Criteria Information Architecture 2013 IntrapriseTechKnowlogies LLC 18

19 Information systems selection criteria App selection should be driven by Type(s) of data you need to manage Who needs access to the data How you want them to access the data The business processes the data supports Consider transaction processing needs versus decision support needs Availability of information at the point of action Timeliness of information for decision support IntrapriseTechKnowlogies LLC

20 Information systems (app) strategy Single vendor / product suite Pros: tightly integrated (data flow and security), single support contact Cons: usually generic functionality usable by many, harder to leave vendor Best of breed Pros: best functionality for each need, deeper functional understanding by vendor Cons: data and security not integrated (must be done by you or pay consultant), multiple vendor contracts to manage, multiple support contacts IntrapriseTechKnowlogies LLC

21 Information systems (app) strategy Deep functionality vs. broad functionality Source: Idealware via NTEN Technology Leadership Academy 21

22 To customize or not to customize Customization is often a bad word In general customization results in higher total cost of ownership over the long run Differentiate between: Custom configurations works within the built-in functionality of the vendors system (e.g. custom fields and macros) Platform customizations works within the vendor s application platform to add tables or functionality to the purchased system Custom development adding functionality developed from scratch and integrated into or along side the purchased system 2013 IntrapriseTechKnowlogies LLC 22

23 Tie back to Intraprise Architecture Map your information systems strategy and customization decisions back to your Intraprise Architecture to validate the big picture 2013, 2015 IntrapriseTechKnowlogies LLC 23

24 Optimizing your business solutions ( apps ) Data Integration focused on moving master data (e.g. Chart of Accounts) and transactional data between systems Workflow Integration focused on moving a transaction or master data through a process 24

25 Start with the Intraprise Architecture Arrows: if source and target process are supported by different apps = integration may be needed Multiple apps supporting same process may also require integration 2015 IntrapriseTechKnowlogies LLC 25

26 Integration options - Data Manual Usually via batch export and import using Excel or CSV file Automated point-to-point Direct system to system usually using APIs, web services, or back end database triggers Automated synchronization tool Intermediary tool connects to various systems usually for pre-defined data exchanges Automated hub & spoke Data warehouse with master data or transactional data serves as hub, and spoke systems report changes to and query changes from the hub 2013, 2015 IntrapriseTechKnowlogies LLC 26

27 Integration options - Workflow Built-in workflow Usually moves data along a pre-defined process within same app Automated app-to-app Direct app to app usually part of custom configuration of app External workflow app Not actually an integration, but can help to lead staff from app to app to complete a particular process External trigger/event-based app External app with access to master data or transactional data that can work off events or triggers to take an action either within an app or between apps IntrapriseTechKnowlogies LLC

28 How non-techies can drive integration with QBO Develop an Intraprise Architecture model for you and your clients Visualize your processes, apps/systems, and information flows Develop your as-is / current state Identify the business solutions needed by the end-user and for accounting Develop your to-be / future state Identify integration needs What data needs to move from app to app? What workflow needs to be orchestrated to complete a process from start to finish? 2015 IntrapriseTechKnowlogies LLC 28

29 Thank you for your attention and participation! Donny C. Shimamoto, CPA/CITP, CGMA IntrapriseTechKnowlogies LLC voice: (866) x

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31 Questions?

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