APDA NetSuite Optimization
American Parkinson Disease Association is a nationwide grassroots network dedicated to fighting Parkinson’s disease and helping the approximately one million people with PD in the United States live life to the fullest. Founded in 1961, APDA has invested more than $252 million in patient services, educational programs, public awareness, and research.
Client snapshot: Industry: Nonprofit. ERP: NetSuite. User base: 35. Total employees: 50+.
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The Challenge:
APDA needed to recover value from NetSuite after a difficult post-implementation experience.
APDA implemented NetSuite to gain the organizational benefits of an ERP system. Post implementation, the organization encountered usability, configuration, reporting, training, security, manual-process, and support challenges that hindered day-to-day operations.
System Configuration:
- Insufficient approval workflows when recording financial transactions.
- Lack of dashboards for end users.
- Lack of customized reports to monitor financial performance.
Manual Process:
- Full manual entry of budget into the ERP system, line by line.
- Manual payroll journal entries.
- Offline bank reconciliation.
- Recording A/R via journal entry and tracking offline.
- Manual credit card entries.
- Manual data entry from CRM system.
User Training:
- Lack of training on basic functions of the system.
- Not utilizing accounting period management functionality.
User Security:
- All end users transacting under the Administrator role with the ability to delete and edit all transactions.
Lack of ERP Vendor Support:
- Vendor support did not meet client expectations in terms of ad hoc support and response to support tickets.
The Approach:
Wiss focused on optimizing operational efficiency and improving financial management capabilities through process review, configuration, automation, reporting, training, security, and day-to-day support.
- Streamlined approval workflows and procure-to-pay processes.
- Built custom dynamic dashboards.
- Created custom reports with tailored views.
- Automated conversion of Excel budget to importable CSV file.
- Integrated payroll provider with NetSuite.
- Set up BAI2 file importing for faster bank reconciliation.
- Customized invoice form and aging report, and provided A/R training.
- Assisted with AMEX integration.
- Created an import template for CRM data into NetSuite.
- Trained end users in system navigation, report building, import utilities, and financial period management.
- Created step-by-step documentation.
- Built custom roles that provide access only to information needed for each job function.
- Served as primary support contact for day-to-day issues or concerns.
Project Timeline
Technology Support From Start to Finish
The Impact:
The optimization work helped APDA streamline processes, strengthen security, improve user confidence, and increase efficiency across the organization.
- Multi-day data entry process reduced to minutes.
- Implemented role-based user security and reduced organizational risk to sensitive company information.
- Faster bank reconciliation process utilizing NetSuite functionality and transaction imports.
- Improved employee confidence in NetSuite.
- Increased day-to-day efficiency of all processes.
- Integrations established for credit cards, payroll provider, CRM, and more.
- C-suite, senior leaders, and general users can now access targeted data in real time via customized reports and dynamic dashboards.
- Added structure to month-end close process through built-in system checklist and period management.
