I need to speak with an organization using Raiser's Edge in conjunction with QuickBooks.  Our guild (volunteers raising funds primarily through events) maintains QuickBooks for their financial records but seems intent on also utilizing it rather than Raiser's Edge. I have only worked on the fundraising side (never on the finance side) and am trying to understand how I can explain the importance of utilizing RE rather than QuickBooks as their information resource.  Any and all thoughts/comments are GREATLY appreciated.

Pamela Paquette, Director of Development, Women's Center

We use both QB and RE. It does require the data to be entered twice, but also serves as part of our check and balance to be certain all monies are handled properly. We balance QB to RE as part of our monthly reconcilliation. It is critical that what ever is entered in QB today be entered in RE TODAY. This allows our fundraisers to know what is happening with their projects, since it is inappropriate to allow them access to QB. If this process is not followed, they raise all kinds of cane about it. The only tme it presents aproblem is when there a lot of small (say 100 or more $2 and $3 checks) to enter and acknowledge. Note, that with a small staff, timing is critical. Otherwise we like the dual system.

 Frank Butler, Director of Operations, Arkansas Prostate Cancer Foundation, 501-748-1249