Modern cloud-based financial management platforms, like Sage Intacct, are game changers for nonprofits, which historically struggled with fund accounting systems that offered minimal integration with other organizational tools.
By centralizing and integrating data across departments, Sage Intacct solutions provide numerous benefits, including the dimensional chart of accounts. Unlike traditional general ledgers, dimensional structures enable organizations to easily tag, sort and analyze financial data across programs, grants, locations and more — without relying on cumbersome spreadsheets or manual workarounds.
The Power of Your Chart of Accounts
A chart of accounts is the backbone of a nonprofit’s general ledger, an organized list of all accounts used to record financial transactions.
The chart of accounts defines how your accounting system categorizes and aggregates data for financial reporting. Its structure shapes how transactions are entered and how insights are extracted.
Because it underpins your entire financial framework, the chart of accounts influences nearly every task your finance team performs, including:
- Powering every financial transaction
- Driving reporting and analysis
- Supporting strategic planning
- Enabling transparency and stewardship
- Scaling with your organization
However, with so many stakeholders relying on timely, accurate information, you are likely spending too much time searching for data, formatting reports and juggling spreadsheets.
The difference between a traditional chart of accounts and a modern, dimensional one is significant when it comes to ease of use and functionality.
Legacy systems rely on rigid, hard-coded account structures that can balloon into thousands of unique account numbers. For example, tracking five funds, four grants, three programs and one restriction could require 60 separate general ledger accounts for every natural account. That means a lot of setups, numerous codes and more room for errors.
This complexity makes reporting slow, error-prone and difficult to scale. Many nonprofit finance teams find themselves buried in spreadsheets, spending more time formatting reports than analyzing the data.
A Modern ERP Approach With Sage Intacct Dimensions
Modern enterprise resource planning (ERP) financial platforms, including Sage Intacct, take a different approach. A dimensional chart of accounts lets you tag transactions with attributes like program, department, grant or location — without creating new account codes for every combination. You can slice and dice data instantly, generate reports with just a few clicks, and adapt your structure as your organization evolves.
The result is a streamlined chart of accounts that’s easier to manage, more flexible and built for real-time visibility.
Sage Intacct is built on a modern, table-driven architecture that organizes financial and operational data using logic-based dimensions. This flexible structure empowers nonprofit finance teams to “tag” transactions with multiple attributes, including:
- Program
- Department
- Location
- Fund, Grant or Project
This functionality makes it easy to analyze and compare data across the organization.
Customize Reporting With Flexible Account Codes
Instead of relying on rigid account codes, dimensions allow you to customize reporting around your activities. You can drill down into details or compare performance across categories with just a few clicks. Whether you're working in the general ledger, accounts receivable, accounts payable, revenue management or fixed assets, dimensions add context without complexity.
With Sage Intacct, adding context is simple: select from dropdown menus, apply the relevant dimensions and you’re done. This streamlined approach reduces the number of account codes, minimizes errors and saves your finance team valuable time.
Simplify Your Data Entry and Analysis
Dimensions in Sage Intacct simplify both data entry and analysis while adding powerful context to every transaction.
Take the example of an organization managing multiple funds, grants, programs and restrictions. In a traditional chart of accounts, you would need separate account codes for each natural account to track multiple combinations. With Sage Intacct’s dimensional structure, you only need one natural account because dimensions let you tag each transaction with relevant attributes like fund, grant, program and restriction.
With Sage Intacct’s dimensional chart of accounts, you can slice, dice and drill into your data using intuitive point-and-click functionality. Whether you're comparing performance across programs or diving deep into a specific grant, dimensions let you organize financial information in ways that matter most to your mission.
Automate and Spend Less Time With Spreadsheets
Automated reporting means less time spent wrestling with spreadsheets and more time delivering insights. Instead of manually aggregating data across Excel files, you can generate real-time reports with just a few clicks.
Dimensions also support both crosstab comparisons and hierarchical drilldowns, so when a stakeholder calls with a question, you won’t need to get back to them. You’ll have the answers at your fingertips.
Dimensions in Sage Intacct empower you to simultaneously and effortlessly analyze financial data across multiple attributes.
Gone are the days of pulling separate reports, exporting them to Excel and manually stitching together data streams to answer a single question. With dimensions, you can view performance across programs, grants, funds and restrictions all in one place.
Gain Visibility Into Your Financials
One of the most powerful advantages of Sage Intacct’s dimensional architecture is the visibility it brings to your financial and operational data. Users can drill down to transaction-level details and attached documentation with just a few clicks.
With dimensions, you can capture granular details tailored to your nonprofit — tracking not just dollars, but the story behind them. Whether it’s program performance, grant utilization or fund allocation, Sage Intacct lets you layer financial data with outcome metrics for richer, more meaningful reporting.
This level of insight empowers everyone, from program managers to executives, to spot trends and make smarter decisions. You can also control spending by giving program leads real-time access to budget versus actuals. Maybe you need to secure more funding. Sage Intacct enables you to show grant managers the true cost of impact and build compelling cases for new donations. Sage Intacct delivers dashboards and reports that are always up to date, providing instant answers, deeper context and the confidence to act quickly when opportunities or challenges arise.
Connect to Measurable Outcomes and Elevate Your Mission
As a nonprofit financial leader, you understand that storytelling is essential, but it’s not just about words. Building the narrative of your business requires connecting your impact to real, measurable outcomes. Donors want to know their contributions are making a difference, and Sage Intacct helps you show them exactly how.
With cloud-based accounting, you can deliver real-time access to financial and operational data.
And as your mission evolves, Sage Intacct evolves with you. Add new dimensions to track what matters most — whether it’s a new program, initiative or funding source — so that stakeholders always see the value behind every dollar.
A dimensional chart of accounts empowers you to use it strategically to advance your mission. It enables dynamic, real-time analysis, allowing you to be more agile and respond to emerging needs.
Get Started on Your Sage Intacct Journey
Revamping your chart of accounts is just one of many powerful ways that Sage Intacct helps streamline and enhance your organization’s operations. Connect with a Cherry Bekaert ERP Consulting advisor to explore the many ways that Sage Intacct can transform your organization, from real-time visibility and streamlined operations to elevated stewardship.
