Does anyone know how to add departments to one of the funds, to segregate an activity? If this is the best way. I'd like to set up depts. within the operating fund to track activity for the year but to keep separate income/balance sheet report totals which roll into a "total operating fund". Thanks...Im not that familiar with this system and I don't find it too user friendly.

We did it through our chart of accounts structure. xx-xxxx-xx-xxx The first two digits are the fund, such as 01. The next four digits are the account code, such as Advertising, Supplies, etc The next two digits are the department, such as Early Education and Care, or Family and Youth Issues. The last three digits are the program within the department, such as Subsidy, Quality, Family Counseling, etc. We make the first digit in the program code match the first digit in the department code. For instance, if the FYI department code is 30, then Family Counseling Program might be 300. To make it even more consistent, we also use the Project module. To continue with the example above, a Project in Department 30, Program 300 would have a 4 digit Project Code such as 3011. In our world, that would represent a restricted funding source to be used only in the FYI Department, Family Counseling Program. All costs associated with the fundign source would include the account code, the department code, the program code and the Project number. The reporting module follows all of this easily by using filters to get the report you want. This works in Financial Edge or Accounting for Non-Profits.

We use a very similar process within our account code. xxx-xxxxxx-xxx-xx The first set is our fund; unrestricted, temp. restricted, perm. restricted. Second set is account number such as supplies, consulting, installation. Third set is our subfund which is how we track our restricted donations and expenses by purpose, designation, or endowment. Fourth set is our department; administration, finance, building and grounds, curatorial, exhibitions, etc. We also use the project module as an extra level of breakdown for each exhibition, program, grant, or anything else we need another layer of detail for. Basically we would track all of exhibition costs in a department, then add a project code to determine specific costs per exhibition within that department. This has been very useful since our exhibitions continually change. Of course in the beginning we had many complaints for the length of the account information from the departments, but they really like the reports they can get. Kim Aufdencamp Controller Columbus Museum of Art