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    I have an amazing expense management software tool that I’ve seen in action and know that EVERY nonprofit can benefit from using it! I've been in the trenches with several of my consulting clients on implementing a solution for managing their expenses called RAMP. This solution has blown my mind and I just wanted to share a little bit about this with you because I believe this is an essential tool for helping any nonprofit manage their expenses effectively.

#1  Low-friction Distributed Accountability  

    The first reason I love this software is that it creates low-friction distributed accountability. What does that mean? Well, it’s often the case that the finance person, (or the bookkeeper or accounts payable clerk) feels hated throughout the organization because they're the one constantly having to say things like: 

•  Give me your receipt. 
•  I'm missing your receipt.
•  The totals don't match. 
•  Where's this charge? 
•  Who made this purchase? 

     There's a level of friction that naturally happens between staff members when this accountability is face-to-face. 

     Instead, RAMP fills this function by promptly obtaining credit card receipts by text or email, depending on your settings. So it's closer to the moment the purchase is made. When receipts are automatically requested  closer to the transaction, people are more likely to remember what it's for. 

RAMP also allows you to submit the receipt through multiple easy methods including: 

•  Email forwarding to a custom receipt email
•   Convenient upload via mobile app 
•   Uploading a PDF receipt on the RAMP website.

So, between the flexible submission options and the automatic reminders from RAMP, it truly does create low- friction distributed accountability. 

#2  Faster Monthly Closings

     The second thing that I love is how this tool is decreasing the amount of time it takes to close the books at the end of the month! One of my clients who started using this tool was habitually still trying to get credit card receipts reconciled and it would hold up the month end close and reporting process 10-15 days after month end. By, implementing RAMP, they quickly closed their credit card receipts and were actually able to do financial statements in five days! What a mind blowing improvement! Faster monthly closing is the second reason why I love RAMP! 

#3  Increased Mission Impact From Your Current Staff

     The third way RAMP is boosting the impact of the nonprofits I work with is by helping organizations determine where to staff to further impact their mission. Don't get me wrong, I'm not advocating for decreasing staff by letting technology replace a person's position. That's not the goal.  But, nonprofits do have limited resources and this tool allows us the ability to work smarter, not harder, by getting these accounts payable jobs done faster. 

     After implementing RAMP for credit cards and accounts payable, one of my clients was actually able to move their part-time accounts payable person into some other more mission-focused functions. They didn't cut the position, but they redirected the human resource to be used in a more ministry impactful way. 

#4  Decreased Opportunity for Nonprofit Fraud

 The last reason I want to leave you with actually stems from a quote from one of my clients that just implemented ramp: 

“Do you know what the relief was for me? I am no longer, as the accounting person, the only one seeing everything. Now everyone is seeing what I do too.”

      The accountability mechanisms are baked in! There is a tremendous amount of benefit inside of RAMP where you can assign approval processes and have people outside of the accounting process that can see the designated transactions. That really puts someone in the accounting seat in a place of safety. 

    Of course, I don't really want to talk about fraud, but here's the deal: Sometimes the person managing the money is the only person doing it, which can create a place of opportunity, if there ever was a motivation that someone could succumb to. So, I love RAMP because it increases the level of accountability, helps people in the finance position feel safer, and helps the organization share the accountability about what's happening financially. 

     Well, there you have it! Those are my four reasons that I want to encourage you to check out RAMP. If you're interested or you'd like to just have a little conversation with a human being like me, you can schedule a 15 minute conversation with a member of my team to talk about what your current struggles are and how RAMP might be a viable solution for you. I look forward to talking with you!