“Now that we can properly use the functionality in Microsoft Dynamics GP, I can close out monthly reporting in 15 days, compared to the 60 to 90 days it used to take me.”

Berry Sethi, Chief Financial Officer, Truist

Business NeedsHeadquartered in Washington, D.C., Truist is a provider of technology services that make it possible for companies to conduct workplace-giving campaigns through donations and volunteerism. The company works with corporations to set up giving campaigns on their websites instead of using paper-based pledge forms. Around the world, Truist facilitates more than U.S.$2.5 billion in contributions to charitable organizations, and its products and services enable close to 3,000 giving programs.

Truist acquired Microsoft Dynamics GP to help manage its complex business. However, after two years with Microsoft Dynamics GP, Truist was not reaping the full benefits of the solution. “My controller didn’t know how to use the software and my accountant only knew the very basics of the solution,” says Berry Sethi, Chief Financial Officer of Truist. “We were paying for something we weren’t even using.”

Because Truist is a for-profit organization involved with not-for-profits, the company tracked two sets of books and had multiple, separate systems in place to manage them. Within this complex environment, Truist performed manual reporting of its financials and account receivables. Data processing for each month’s reports took between 60 and 90 days. By that time, the information was usually outdated and no longer useful in supporting the company’s financial management.

Truist needed a partner whom it could trust to help take its thriving business to the next level. Sethi recalls, “We realized the direction we were headed with our solution provider was not one we could endure much longer.”

SolutionIn 2009, Truist began searching for a new solution provider of Microsoft Dynamics GP and found SSi Consulting, a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner. SSi is a trusted Microsoft Dynamics partner for many customers, one of which provided a referral to Truist.

SSi Consulting assisted Truist in setting up the reports it needed and provided thorough training, enabling all Truist employees to become proficient with the solution. Truist can now report and analyze data in many different ways. For example, employees have a complete dashboard view of revenue by customer, an area where they lacked insight in the past. Consulting and support from SSi Consulting enabled Truist’s controller and accountant to become expert users of Microsoft Dynamics GP. Says Sethi, “The team at SSi Consulting is excellent. Lisa Armstrong, for example, our consultant for on-site training, is very responsive and an absolute pleasure to work with.”

BenefitsWith Microsoft Dynamics GP helping to support more streamlined business processes, Truist has grown its business by 10 percent year-over-year. Says Sethi, “With assistance from SSi Consulting, Microsoft Dynamics GP helps us work more efficiently and productively by drawing on the extensive, timely reporting and business intelligence we now have access to.”

Streamlined Financial ManagementProper use of Microsoft Dynamics GP made Truist employees’ lives easier in several ways. They previously entered invoices into Microsoft Excel and then manually reentered that same data into

Customer: TruistWebsite: truist.comCustomer Size: 55 employeesCountry or Region: United StatesIndustry: Professional services

Customer ProfileTruist provides technology solutions to connect nonprofits, companies, and individuals to facilitate effective giving programs.

Software and Services Microsoft Dynamics− Microsoft Dynamics GP

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Microsoft DynamicsCustomer Solution Case Study

Technology Services Provider Optimizes Business Management, Accelerates Growth

receivables management in Microsoft Dynamics GP. Now that all team members know how to use Microsoft Dynamics GP, they can enter the information once into Microsoft Dynamics GP. By using the solution, the company can report and share the data flexibly throughout the organization.

Truist also takes advantage of the ability to streamline tasks with Microsoft Dynamics GP by uploading information to the solution. Employees can upload Excel spreadsheets into Microsoft Dynamics GP and quickly print out the invoices prompted by that upload, saving them time and eliminating manual error.

Truist has also introduced significant improvements into the invoicing process. In the past, employees did not always invoice in a timely manner. Truist then had to follow up with clients, sometimes three months after the company delivered a service, causing questions and delayed payments. Today, employees use Microsoft Dynamics GP to create invoices and send them out automatically. Truist managers can easily review invoice details, such as date sent or to whom, and set up dates for payment reminders to clients. This automated process makes it easy for the company to collect funds when they are due, because clients remember the services they received and can apply invoices to their current budgets.

Efficient Reporting and Timely Decision MakingBecause Truist provides services to not-for-profit organizations and for-profit corporations, the company’s reporting needs are complex. Truist provides the software for corporations to enable them to make donations to not-for-profits and ensure appropriate distribution of donations. By using Microsoft Dynamics GP, Truist can see when a collection took place

for a certain client, what the amount was, and when it received payments from each organization. This capability gives Truist full control of its operation. In some cases, Truist’s clients also match a percentage of the funds their employees donate in giving campaigns. With Microsoft Dynamics GP, the company has complete, accurate data to show that the proper charity received the right funds in a timely manner.

By using Microsoft Dynamics GP, employees generate in-depth reports of Truist’s financials showing year-over-year and month-over-month costs in relation to revenue. Fully aware of the company’s financial performance from day-to-day, Truist managers can make timely and accurate decisions. “Now that we can properly use the functionality in Microsoft Dynamics GP, I can close out monthly reporting in 15 days, compared to the 60 to 90 days it used to take me,” says Sethi.

With full insight into vendor expenses and purchase orders, Truist finds it easy to keep payables up-to-date. The company’s business relationships are not at risk, because it can provide prompt payment to its trusted partners. Karla Gammon, Marketing Manager at Truist, says, “It’s much easier for me to work with vendors since they’re getting paid on time. It has made a huge difference with our relationships across the board.”

Improved Budgeting and PlanningTruist’s marketing department also realizes benefits from using Microsoft Dynamics GP. In the past, Gammon often had to wait two weeks to find out what her current marketing budget was in relation to current total spending for the year. Now, it only takes five minutes for her to find out her budget.

With Microsoft Dynamics GP, Truist has optimal business analysis capabilities. The

marketing department can see exactly how many clients Truist has and how they use the company’s services. For example, Gammon can review the total amount of donations Truist collected and distributed, or review a percentage breakout of funds distributed to specific charities. This information is readily available and of great practical benefit when Truist plans marketing activities. Says Gammon, “By using Microsoft Dynamics GP, we can easily assess current financial performance and see what funds we should expect.”

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Document published March 2011