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Introduction to ERPNext

ERPNext for nonprofits (NPOs) is tailored to meet their needs. It includes features that could help an NPO manage their finances, manage grants and monitor program outcomes.It provides the necessary tools to ensure long-term growth and success, by providing transparency, control and scalability.

Note: Today, NPOs also face some of the problems that large enterprises do. One of them is planning and managing their resources. They face similar complexities but have limited resources to deal with them.

Features of the tool

  • API
  • Accounting 
  • Activity dashboard
  • Billing & invoicing
  • Bills of material
  • CRM
  • Customer database 
  • Customizable reports 
  • Distribution management
  • Document management 
  • Enterprise asset management 
  • Financial analysis
  • Financial management
  • HR management
  • Integrated business operations
  • Inventory management
  • Inventory tracking 
  • Multi-Location 
  • Order Management 
  • Payroll Management 
  • Project Management 
  • Purchase Order Management 
  • Real Time Data 
  • Reporting/Analytics 
  • Supply Chain Management 
  • Task Management 
  • Third Party Integrations 
  • Time & Expense Tracking 
  • Workflow Management

Benefits of Nonprofits

  • Affordability: ERPNext is a free and open source software that can be downloaded and installed for free. 
  • Customisation: It is straightforward to incorporate extra fields or functionalities into the existing system.
  • Resourcefulness: A single system and database that is shared across multiple users, allowing them to simultaneously record and access data.

Why Nonprofits can use ERPNext

  • It's an open source tool.
  • Ease of use.
  • Simple Interface.
  • Customizable. 

Supported Database

ERPNext allows you to easily connect and explore data stored in multiple databases and data warehouses.

The following databases are officially supported by ERPNext Open Source:

  • MariaDB
  • PostgreSQL
  • MySQL
  • Microsoft SQL Server
  • MongoDB

Integration

ERPNext has a host of built-in integrations that helps  NPOs to take-off faster.

  • Paypal
  • Dropbox
  • Razorpay
  • Slack
  • Google
  • Exotel
  • AWS

Graphical Representation

Fig. 1. ERPNext Dashboard.

The dashboard interface is a great tool to quickly and easily track operations. It provides an overview of the organisation's financial performance, allowing managers to quickly identify areas that need improvement and allocate resources accordingly. It can be customised to display financial and performance metrics, making it easier to identify areas for improvement.

Fig. 2. ERPNext Kanban interface.

Kanban interface can help better manage finances, as it will provide an organised view of financial data. It provides an easy-to-use interface for visually tracking projects and tasks, making it easier to stay organised and up to date on progress. This can help to support better decision-making and increase efficiency.

Fig. 3. ERPNext Point of sales interface.

It can help streamline a wide range of processes. For example, it will allow organisations to quickly and easily track sales, donations, and inventory levels without the need for manual data entry. Additionally, ERPNext POS interface can be used to generate real-time reports, allowing them to quickly access information on their performance and track their progress.

Fig. 4. ERPNext User Management interface.

ERPNext's User Management interface is a powerful tool to manage user accounts, assign user roles, and customise access to data and permissions. It provides insights into user activity, such as who has logged in, when, and from where. It also provides an understanding of how users interact with their data, helping to make more informed decisions about data security and access. All in all, ERPNext's User Management interface is a powerful tool to better protect data.

Fig. 5. ERPNext Project interface.

Project Interface allows NPOs to manage multiple projects and tasks in an organised manner, assign resources, and track progress. This provides a powerful platform to help effectively manage their resources, track their performance, and reduce operational costs.

Fig. 6.  ERPNext Sales order interface.

ERPNext Sales Order Interface is an invaluable tool, as it makes it easier to manage and track sales orders. This user-friendly interface can help to streamline the organisation’s sales process, while providing real-time visibility into the status of orders.

Limitations

  • Lacks intuitive user interface 
  • Offers limited integration capabilities 
  • Lacks robust technical documentation 
  • Lacks proactive support team 

Conclusion

Organisations can benefit greatly from ERPNext, as it provides all the necessary tools to manage complex operations while reducing costs and improving efficiency. The features, such as accounting, budgeting, and reporting, can help NPOs streamline their workflow and get the most out of their resources. Additionally, the tool is designed to be user-friendly, meaning that employees can quickly learn how to use the system and get up and running quickly. This can help organisations save time and money in the long run by eliminating the need for costly IT support.

 

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