Choosing the right financial dashboard can seem as complicated and time-consuming as finding “the one.” But, with an idea of the qualities you’re searching for in a financial dashboard, you can have a clearer idea of your “type,” narrowing down the field to only the true contenders for your organization.

During the recent AICPA Not-For-Profit Industry Conference in Washington D.C., Joan Benson, senior product marketing manager at Intacct, spoke on several key things to look for when selecting a financial dashboard for your organization.

Selecting financial software with the necessary modules for your organization creates greater accessibility and allows greater ease of access. In her session titled “Utilizing Financial Dashboards for Mission Critical Fundraising Effectiveness,” she brought up several valuable points.

* Choose a financial dashboard that emphasizes collaboration and connectivity within your organization by choosing a program with real-time communication;
* Look for a program that has inputs available for multiple funding streams and can be installed on multiple systems in different locations;
* Some of the basics a good financial dashboard should include are different access dependent on user, drill down to find source documents, point and click functionality, and highlighting important data;
* Your financial dashboard should also allow for high-level visibility for key stakeholders involved with your organization;
* Choosing a program with a fundraising digital board book allows users to view data relevant to your cause without the clutter of less relevant information; and,
* Information should be customized based on user, with a “view only” option for auditors or board members.