Cloud based accounting software for nonprofits

Unlike the costly and complicated backup maintenance in traditional accounting software, cloud accounting software backs up all your data automatically. You can set up a dashboard displaying important financial information like who owes you money, what bills are due, in what state is your cash flow, and so on.

Being one of the most secure ways to store information, cloud security encrypts your financial data online on highly secure servers. So, even if your laptop gets stolen, no one will be able to access the data without your password as the data has no contact with any hardware.

By creating strong and random passwords with the help of the best password generators , you can only strengthen the already foolproof data security system of cloud accounting software. Also, if you invite users to view your data, you can control the levels of access as a much safer method than the old-fashioned email sending and USB storing.

Also known as online or web-based accounting software, cloud accounting software is an accounting software hosted on a remote server where the users send data to the cloud, where the data is processed and returned to the user. The accounting applications can be accessed by the user via the internet or other networks through a cloud application service provider. There is no need for you to set up individual desktops for using the software because everyone in the company can access the cloud on their devices, which allows the remote teams and branches to access the same data and the same version of the software.

Data backup and disaster recovery are usually included in all cloud accounting plans. Zoho Books is an affordable cloud-based accounting solution with a smooth user interface and robust mobile apps through which you can manage, collaborate on, and track your finances while delegating user access and negotiating deals. While Zoho Books does serve a good deal for small businesses, equipping them with in-depth records and transaction forms, our pick for the best small business, cloud-based accounting software goes to QuickBooks Online.

Intuit's QuickBooks Online has been the most frequently used cloud-based accounting software for small businesses with easy inventory tracking, fully customizable reports, complete payroll support, and much more you can access through their mobile app. For large enterprises searching for the full cloud-based accounting package, Quickbooks will help you create professional-looking invoices, help you oversee inventory management, monitor eCommerce sales, upload receipts, respond to clients and vendors directly through the app regardless of the size of your company.

While Oracle's NetSuite covers all aspects of business development with its versatile suite of apps and Sage 50cloud will cover you if you have sophisticated inventory needs, Quickbooks is our choice for the best cloud accounting software for large and enterprise businesses. If you want a well-rounded, intuitive, attractive double-entry and financial accounting experience supporting invoices and estimates, expenses, time tracking, and projects, there are a few better accounting software than Freshbooks for anticipating and addressing the needs of smaller businesses and freelancers than Freshbooks.

If you are running a service-based or consulting business and you need excellent time tracking capability, or you are on a tight budget but you want to find a free plan with unlimited invoices, ZipBooks might be your best option. Finally, our pick as the best overall cloud accounting software for businesses of all sizes is Intuit's Quickbooks Online that allows you to effortlessly collaborate with your bookkeeper or an accountant and get the most out of your alliance.

Easy to use, well-designed, and deep, Quickbooks Online will equip you with the most effective accounting tools while being uninhibited by internet speed and cost effectiveness.

Martin loves entrepreneurship and has helped dozens of entrepreneurs become more successful. He performs in-depth software reviews and tests to help small business owners make an informed software buying decision to grow their business faster. September 5, by Martin Luenendonk. Read on, and find your best cloud-based accounting solution.

Sage 50cloud. Source: Fool. Source: Softwareadvice. Zoho Books. Source: Getapp. Intuit QuickBooks Online. Source: Nsula. Source: Quicken.

Source: Techcrunch. Source: Zipbooks. Source: Netsuite. Source: Pinterest. Source: Machow2. Source: Freshbooks. Source: Zoho. Source: Capterra. What is cloud accounting software? Larger nonprofit organizations will need enterprise level software with advanced accounting features with large donor management databases.

Forecasts will be far more important to predict the health of your organization into the following year. Unlike the accounting needs of similarly sized for-profit organizations, larger NPOs put a heavy focus on fundraising campaigns and customer relationship management CRM to ensure continued support of satisfied donors in the long run. As pictured below, the dashboard has mentions of profit and loss, sales, and other terms not commonly used in nonprofit environments.

Intuit previously offered an industry-specific version of QuickBooks built exclusively for nonprofits. However, as software solutions have migrated into the cloud, Quickbooks no longer offers a specific standalone piece of nonprofit accounting software.

Current versions of Quickbooks must instead be customized to enable nonprofit-specific functionality. Many NPOs instead look to adopt new nonprofit accounting software solutions that work out of the box.

For organizations set on sticking with what they know, Intuit has been recommending QuickBooks Online as the accounting system to have for nonprofits. Talk with a Software Expert…. Nonprofit Accounting Software Get the best nonprofit accounting software for your organization.

Get a free consultation from an independent system expert. Get Recommendations. Popular Products No products found. Price Range. Your organization is used to making miracles happen. You work long hours and serve multiple constituencies with heroic efforts to be transparent and impactful.

There are…. Sage Intacct is a web-based, SaaS accounting and financial management software system designed for use by small and mid-size organizations. Sage Intacct was built by finance professionals, for finance professionals, providing powerful automation of…. Blackbaud Financial Edge NXT is a total cloud accounting solution designed to meet the unique needs of nonprofits and government entities.

Accounting software for non-profits, municipalities and other government agencies is the specialty of AccuFund. For example, MoneyMinder offers a free plan, but this plan only includes budgeting, calendars, and membership tracking. Sparkrock is a great nonprofit accounting software for charter schools because it is one of the only programs to offer K board management. Responses are not provided or commissioned by the vendor or bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the vendor or bank advertiser.

Then how important is an accountant to a really small non-profit if we have a solid member providing their time using one of the suggested software? You are not legally required to have an outside accountant or bookkeeper for your nonprofit and can have one of your members do the accounting for you. The peace of mind may be worth hiring an expert. Your email address will not be published. Comment moderation is enabled. Your comment may take some time to appear. Please read the " User Review and Comment Policy " before posting.

Our unbiased reviews and content are supported in part by affiliate partnerships, and we adhere to strict guidelines to preserve editorial integrity. The editorial content on this page is not provided by any of the companies mentioned and has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. The vendors that appear on this list were chosen by subject matter experts on the basis of product quality, wide usage and availability, and positive reputation.

Each staff reviewer at Merchant Maverick is a subject matter expert with experience researching, testing, and evaluating small business software and services. Check our help guide for more info. Advertiser Disclosure: Our unbiased reviews and content are supported in part by affiliate partnerships , and we adhere to strict guidelines to preserve editorial integrity. Best for small nonprofits that want an easy-to-use accounting solution.

Best for nonprofits with multiple users. Best for church management. Best fund accounting software for small nonprofits. Pros Excellent feature set Numerous integrations Easy to use Good mobile apps. Cons Can be expensive Fair customer support.

Cons Learning curve Must use integrations for nonprofit-specific features. Pros Affordable Easy to use Supports unlimited users. Cons Not traditional accounting software.

Pros Free nonprofit modules Numerous accounting features Free plan available Easy to use. Cons Not suitable for large nonprofits. Pros Competitive pricing Numerous nonprofit-specific features Excellent public reputation. Cons May not be suitable for larger nonprofits. Pros Numerous integrations Customizable Suitable for large organizations.

Cons Expensive. Pros Numerous accounting features Customizable. Pros Excellent reporting features Numerous accounting features Customizable. Pros Numerous features Medicaid and foster care solutions Strong security. Cons Expensive Not suitable for nonprofits that need payroll. Pros K12 board management Unique nonprofit-specific features Suitable for large organizations. Pros Easy to use Free version available Affordable. Cons Lacks advanced features. Pros Customizable Suitable for nonprofits of any size All-in-one solution.

Cons May be expensive. Which is the best nonprofit accounting software? What is the best nonprofit accounting software for churches? What is the best accounting software for small nonprofits? Is there a free nonprofit accounting software? What is the best nonprofit accounting software for charter schools? Bio LinkedIn Latest Posts. An expert in accounting, finance, and point of sale, Erica has been researching and writing about all things small-business since Erica's insights into personal and business finance have been cited in numerous publications, including MSN , Real Simple , and Reader's Digest.

She is a graduate of Limestone College. View Erica Seppala's professional experience on LinkedIn. Latest posts by Erica Seppala see all. Show more. Show less. Read Next. Slow-Paying Customers? Leave a comment 5 Comments Responses are not provided or commissioned by the vendor or bank advertiser. Angie August 8, at am. A common problem with accounting and accounts payable is paper chasing.

Avidxchange helps address this problem with automated invoice processing. Your AP team no longer needs to deal with an endless and chaotic pile of paper documents since all your invoices can be automatically coded, passed on to the appropriate workflow, and sent electronically for approval. One of the notable features of AvidXchange is integration.

The platform has more than integrations with leading ERP and accounting systems, which means your nonprofit can continue using your current accounting system of record while creating new custom approval workflows. The software consists of four modules, which offers a lot of flexibility for companies and organizations when it comes to choosing apps they would like to implement in their AP processes.

For example, the utility bill payment module is suitable if you are looking for a way to reduce the burden of capturing, receiving, and paying utility invoices. It has automated consumption analytics and payment processing so your AP staff can take some of the manual and repetitive tasks off their shoulders. All-in-one document gateway Rossum is a platform built to help teams collect their documents in a secure and unified inbox for easier processing.

It comes equipped with self-learning AI technology and cognitive data capture to make it easy to record transaction information. What makes this document management tool unique is that it has a highly configurable interface that allows users to use it for accounts payable processes. Once you set Rossum up for your accounting workflows, you can then use its notification systems and custom approval rules to optimize your processes. You can also integrate the platform with your ERP and RPA systems so you can further streamline your accounting processes.

Aside from the abovementioned, Rossum also comes with an analytics and reporting system. With this, you can easily access audit trails and keep tabs on who has access to your accounting files. Rossum is available on a by-quote basis. Make sure to get in touch with the vendor to get more information on their pricing tiers. Completely web-based, the app makes it easy for users to access their data wherever they may be.

Nonprofits stand to benefit from the numerous features that accompany the tool. Using Bill. It can be configured to schedule one-time or recurring donations on a monthly, quarterly, or annual basis.

It even comes with bank account management tools that make it easy to keep tabs on all transactions with donors and sponsors. All nonprofits generally face problems when it comes to recording expenses. Luckily, Bill. It also comes with ePayment processing tools that make it easy to facilitate transactions as securely as possible.

Last but not least, the platform has a robust reporting module that lets users gain insight into their company data. Should you need to extend the functionalities of the platform, it comes with API capabilities and has native integrations with a number of third-party business systems. All subscriptions are priced depending on the features that a user requires. Yooz is all about providing nonprofit organizations a state-of-the-art accounting solution to handle the complexity of grants and donations from the campaign activities generating them.

A powerful AI Deep Learning algorithm churns any number of data generated by these campaigns quietly while a user-friendly interface ensures that users are not intimidated by the platform. Nonprofits can generate more than their share of paper trail or digital forms, but Yooz is designed to handle all of them.

Yooz provides nonprofits the unmatched simplicity, mobility, and traceability that it is known for. It allows users to capture data seamlessly and automatically syncs with the master data, eliminating the need for manual updates that are also prone to human error. Internal controls are overseen by powerful robotic process automation RPA technology for additional safety to nonprofit organizations.

DocuPhase is a multi-application automations software. Its main use is for accounts payable automation, which can assist nonprofit entities in keeping track of their dues. This can also assist them in sending payments to their vendors or suppliers on time to maintain profitable relationships.

The software enables nonprofits with tools and technologies such as Optical Character Recognition. With it, DocuPhase can read the contents of scanned documents and use the information it gathered to fill forms.

As a result, there is no need to manually enter data on the end of the user. Because of this feature, nonprofit organizations can automate payments to their suppliers based on the information from invoices. Additionally, DocuPhase can make audits easy for the organization. Its enterprise document management system can store the necessary financial information that you can pull up when the auditors come knocking. You can also request a quote so that you can begin considering whether it is what your organization needs.

Zoho Books also caters to nonprofits. It is a smart system that is easy-to-use and provides you with total control over your finances by helping you make sound business decisions.

Key Zoho Books features include invoice creation and facilitating online payments so that you get to accelerate the payment process. The system is highly intuitive that you do not need to possess accounting experience to use it. It is easy to navigate as well with its simple but visually appealing dashboard, from which all needed accounting tools can be accessed. It can manage contributions the way it does for businesses.

It keeps a record of all your sponsors and the amount that they have contributed to your cause. In case you need to, you can also manage taxes associated with donations. All sponsors are automatically treated as contacts and are stored by the system and can be added to your account.

While not wholly an accounting suite, SignRequest can bolster your accounting process. It provides another layer of security to the movement of funds, for example. You can make secure your bank accounts and allow only authorized individuals access to those. Apart from that, you can bar the use of cash-on-hand or petty cash unless you have given authorization through a document signed via the application. And while the tool itself provides security for various workflow processes, it also tightens the security measure around your signatures and documents.

It has bit SSL encryption that prevents unsanctioned access or editing of files. SignRequest has a free plan, making it an attractive tool for charities. However, if your organization has more complex requirements than what the free package offers, the paid subscriptions are affordable still and would not break the bank. Expense monitoring and tracking app Zoho Expense brings the gift of automation to all processes relevant to expense management. It automatically records all transactions and even converts your receipts into expenses, which can be used in report generation.