Accounting
2019 Review of GMS – Grants Management Systems
Apr. 16, 2019
From the 2019 reviews of nonprofit accounting systems.
GMS Accounting and Financial Management/Reporting System is designed specifically for nonprofit organizations and public entities that require specialized accounting for grants, contracts, and other related program activities. This makes it a good fit for organizations that receive funding exclusively from grants or contracts.
GMS is designed to be deployed as an on-premise application, though the product can also be installed on a cloud-based virtual server if cloud access is desired.
GMS offers a recently enhanced user interface that was designed to make system navigation more straightforward. The product uses a standard 5-digit chart of accounts system for asset, liability, equity, revenue, and organizational expenditures, while a 6-digit account is used to track program and grant related elements, as well as track cost centers.
GMS handles a variety of system transactions including standard accounting journal entries, cash receipts, cash disbursements, and document management. A variety of add-on modules called supplements are also available that are designed to seamlessly integrate with the core product, including AR, Direct Deposit, Fixed Assets, Financial Reporting, and Purchase Orders. Also available is the Cutdown General Ledger, which offers GL and financial reporting capability for organizations that do not need core product functionality.
GMS can maintain five different types of budgets; Program Budgets, Fringe Benefit Budgets, Indirect Cost Budgets, Year-to-Date Budgets, and Year-to-Date Timesheet Budgets, which help track employee time for each grant, contract, or program. An organizational budget is available as well, and the document management function allows users to attach documentation to any budget created.
GMS has a concentrated focus on grant and contract management, making it unsuitable for organizations that have a need for fundraising or donor management capability. Users can create a separate budget for each grant entered into GMS, and the product also handles cost allocations including both general and administrative costs, common cost, and both direct and indirect costs. GMS also offers a variety of add-on supplements that offer more in-depth allocation capability, including Salary, Leave and Fringe Detail, Shift Indirect Costs, Cost Allocation Locks, and Monthly Cost Center Allocations.
GMS offers multi-level security, with administrators able to assign a specific security level to each system user. Users can be assigned access independently or be added to a group that shares the same access levels. Read-only rights can also be assigned to employees that may need access to budgets and reports, but do not have the authority to add, edit, or change any data.
GMS reports are automatically created as a PDF, making it easy to share reports via email or save a created report for future access. A decent selection of reports is available in the application including standard financial reports such as Balance Sheet, Trial Balance, and Revenue and Expenditures by Program or Project. A good selection of allocation reports is also available including Leave Rate Computation and Analysis, Fringe Benefit Rate Computation, and Analysis. Timesheet reports are also available and the product includes a Report Writer for easy report creation and customization.
GMS offers a strong core application which includes GL, Cash Receipts, General Journal, Budget Preparation, Cost Allocation, AP, Payroll, Timesheet Accounting, Financial Reporting, and Security features. There are also a variety of add-on modules or supplements that can be purchased separately from the core product, with all supplements designed to integrate with the core application.
Third-party integration is limited to data export using a CSV format, Microsoft Word and Excel. Users can also export data to Crystal Reports for more extensive report customization.
All GMS users can contact support through the client portal, which is included in the application. Users can also purchase forms or supplements through the client portal as well. Support is accessible via toll-free telephone support or email, and all new system users are required to purchase a one-year, unlimited service program along with a training package. The service program can be renewed after the first year, or users can opt to pay for support on a per-incident level.
GMS is designed for nonprofits and other organizations that manage multiple grants, contracts, or programs. Pricing for GMS is based on the number of system users, with a 1-2 user system running $3,500. Both 3-4 user and 5+ user systems are also available. There are also a variety of supplements available starting at $1,200.00 per supplement. Those interested in GMS can request a demo, which is performed by GMS staff and can be viewed online.