Item: MIP Fund Accounting
Rating: 8
Author: Paulette Rabsatt Simmonds

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

MIP is the accounting system used across the entire organization and includes the general ledger, accounts payable, encumbrances, and the recently purchased human resources module (still in test). Other modules owned but not fully implemented are Budget, Import/Export, Purchase Order and Fixed Assets. The expectation is all these modules will be implemented within the fiscal year perhaps sans Import/Export., which may exceed that timeline.

Pros and Cons

Flexibility in Reporting; ability to generate reports as of any given day of a month.
Appreciated the recent merger of Accounting and Administration modules into one application--truly improved efficiency in use of the system.
Flexibility in the system's ability to simulate closings and not have to actually perform period close functions.
Ability to include or exclude encumbrances as expenditures.

Incorporate fields in the vendor maintenance section to track whether a W-9 form is on file for the vendor and the date received.
Recognizing that they’re exporting from a database that is using the field names, and there may be nothing that can be done about that--the header names of the exported fields (to Excel) are a bit cryptic at times and may not always be readily identifiable to a relatively new user; but having the export functionality is awesome.
Export function to Excel is still using the 2003-2007 Excel platform; would like to see that upgraded to accommodate larger amounts of data.

Return on Investment

This organization implemented MIP Fund Accounting in 1997 and has maintained use of the product as it's meeting the needs at this time.

Effectiveness at Managing Multiple Fund Sources

As noted, this organization has maintained MIP as its primary accounting system for the last 19 years, and successfully manage two separate databases that are consolidated monthly, while managing various funding sources of the organizations.

Abila Partner Used

Like in any situation, we would like immediate support when we're in a bind, and especially when it's a peak period. I find that the support from MIP over the years has been relatively good over the years.

Alternatives Considered

I was not party to the original acquisition of MIP; as this system was acquired prior to my joining the organization.

Likelihood to Recommend

MIP has partnered with other vendors to facilitate on-line front-end processing of requisitioning and accounts payable, and that front-end function is an area not well suited; hence the third-party associations. However, having experience with limitations of reporting in other systems, I can truly appreciate some of the flexibility in reporting that MIP provides--although I have colleagues with experience in other systems that have concerns about MIP. So it's certainly based on experiences and exposure to other software.

Just My Experience

Overall Satisfaction with Abila MIP Fund Accounting