2017 Review of Denali FUND Nonprofit Accounting

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From the July 2017 Reviews of Nonprofit and Fund Accounting Systems.

Denali FUND Nonprofit Accounting from Cougar Mountain Software is well suited for small to mid-sized nonprofit organizations and government entities. A modular system, Denali FUND is scalable, so even the smallest nonprofit can utilize the product and scale up if necessary.   Currently, Denali is offered in three versions; Basecamp, Ascent, and Summit, with each subsequent version offering more modules and functionality.

Denali now offers Denali Nonprofit Cloud, that offers the same functionality of its popular desktop application, with the added benefit of anytime/anywhere accessibility.

Denali supports unlimited funds, with users able to create a unique fiscal calendar and chart of accounts for each fund set up in the applications. Denali offers a flexible chart of accounts structure, with up to six segments and 50 characters available for use when setting up funds. Denali utilizes batch processing, which some may prefer for security reasons, but others may find burdensome.

The product easily handles multiple transaction types, such as general journal entries, customer and vendor management including bill payment and receipt posting, with the product supporting electronic payment options as well. Payroll, order entry, and inventory modules are also available for nonprofits that may need these options.

Denali also offers an excellent Budget Management tool, that allows users to easily import and export budget details as needed. The product also supports multiple budgets, with users able to create budgets based on a variety of criteria, including fund, year, or a specific period. The budget grid makes it easy to manage multiple budgets, and users can manage each budget for up to five years. Integration with Donor Express, a third-party application, allows nonprofits to easily manage donor history, along with campaigns, pledges, and other fundraising activity.

The structure of Denali’s chart of accounts allows users to easily manage each grant received as a separate fund, with its own dedicated account structure, fiscal year, and calendar. Users can set up an allocation code to allocate expenses to multiple accounts, with the ability to make allocation adjustments as well. Denali FUND also includes a Due To/From function that helps to ensure that all funds set up in the product remain in balance.  

Denali offers multi-level security, using user-based roles to ensure that those accessing the product only have access to necessary features and functionality. The product also contains powerful audit trail functionality that prevents adjustments or edits to any transaction records.

Denali FUND offers a solid selection of reporting options, with over 100 standard reports available. All reports can be customized as desired, and those using Ascent or Summit also have access to Denali Reports, which offers integration with Crystal Reports for additional report creation and customization capabilities. Along with standard financial reports, Denali FUND also offers nonprofit specific reports such as Statement of Cash Flows, Statement of Financial Position, and Statement of Activities. Users can also run reports by fund, so grant managers can produce grant specific reports for internal use and for funders. All Denali reports can be exported to both Excel or to Crystal Reports as needed.  

Denali FUND is a modular system, with all modules designed to integrate. The application offers GL, AP, AR, Bank Reconciliation, Cougar Dtails, and Bank Reconciliation modules in the Basecamp version of the application, with modules such as Inventory, Order Entry, Denali Reports, Purchase Order, and Payroll available in the Ascent and Summit editions of the application. Cougar Mountain also offers a variety of add-on modules such as ecommerce Integration, Tsheets Time Tracking, Job Cost, and Denali eDelivery, along with a Forms module.

Denali also offers integration options with a variety of partners, including Avalara, Aatrix, Applianz, MAX Giving, and Business Objects. Excellent importing and exporting capability to Excel, as well as other third-party applications is beneficial as well.

Denali FUND offers users excellent Help functionality throughout the product, with help options found in each module. The Cougar Mountain Resource Center servers as the headquarters for user tools such as demo videos, webinars, whitepapers, and a searchable help function. Various training options are also offered, including online, onsite, and training at Cougar Mountain’s headquarters. Users can choose from a variety of support plans when purchasing the product, with basic support options (two hours of support) available. A priority support plan is also available for those that desire an expedited response. And the Software Assurance Plan offers both software upgrades as well as 20 hours of online/telephone support.

Denali FUND Nonprofit Accounting is a good fit for the small to mid-sized nonprofit managing multiple funds and programs. Pricing starts at $1,999.00 for a single user, with pricing available upon request for versions. Additional modules, as well as product support and maintenance plans are priced separately.  

 

2017 Overall Rating: 4.5 Stars