[Gay]

I am considering conversion to FE from BEST (formerly MIP and formerly some name I no longer remember). Have used a separate software for G/L for many years. I am concerned that using RE and FE gives too much control of what revenue is posted where, to my front office. Any comments?

Any recent conversions from BEST to FE or vice-a-versa, conversions from FE to BEST? Why?

Thanks,

Gay

[JoeSullivan]

Gay,
Sorry I missed this post. I don't know if you've made your decision or not but if you haven't yet, here is my two cents.

We also were using a seperate software for G/Lfor many years and just this last year converted to FE. You will be happy to know that FE reamains a completely seperate application and database from RE. The integration is really just in how you set up the General Ledger in FE and the Funds in RE and you don't even have to "connect" the systems. All connecting them does is allows you to automatically post giving in RE to FE but you don't even have to connect them if you don't want to. We actually have created our own posting procedure outside of FE or RE. I would say if anything the two systems err more on the side of being TOO seperate from each other.

We converted from MS Great Plains to FE and the biggest issue we had was moving to a fund accounting system that we are still trying to navigate since our old system did not really balance within specific funds by design. I don't know anything about BEST so can't really help you out there. I will say that if not for the abiltiy to customize using the VBA and API I'm not sure we would have had much of an advantage in converting but I really don't know your current situation.

Hope this helps!
Joe Sullivan
Great Commission Ministries

[Gay]

Thanks, Joe,
You mentioned two terms I have heard and am not sure I know the meaning of and hope you can explain them. VBA and API -- In my world API is accounts payable invoices!
Gay

[JoeSullivan]

Gay,
Haha. Sorry about that. I certainly didn't mean accounts payable invoices! VBA (Visual Basic for Applications) is a way to interface with blackbaud applications through code within the scope of the Blackbaud application. The API (Application Programming Interface) is very similar except that it is a way to interface with Blackaud applications from outside the application. Blackbaud offers two packages. One that is just the VBA and the other that includes both the VBA and the API. Both are used to customize and automate tasks within Blackbaud products.

Joe

[Gay]

Thanks, I knew that I sort of knew what VBH was. Thanks again.