Nonprofit finance teams know the reporting struggle all too well.
Data lives in multiple systems. Reports require countless spreadsheet workarounds. By the time everything is reconciled and formatted for leadership or the board, the numbers are already outdated.
In the second webinar of our “Less chaos, more clarity” series, Sikich and Sylogist explored how modern nonprofit organizations can eliminate these reporting headaches and move toward faster, more reliable financial insights.
Instead of wrestling with spreadsheets, nonprofit organizations can leverage Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, Sylogist Mission ERP, and the Microsoft ecosystem to streamline finance reporting and deliver real-time visibility into financial performance.
Watch the webinar
Below is the full recording of the session.
Why reporting is such a challenge for nonprofits
When we asked webinar attendees about their biggest reporting challenges, the results were familiar.
The majority cited too much time spent in Excel, followed by issues like pulling data from multiple systems and a lack of real-time visibility.
These challenges often lead to:
- Spreadsheet chaos and version control problems
- Manual workarounds to meet board or grant reporting requirements
- Time-consuming reconciliations across systems
- Delays in decision-making because reports are outdated
For nonprofit finance teams already stretched thin, reporting can easily consume time that should be focused on the mission.
The good news: modern ERP and analytics tools can dramatically simplify this process.
A modern reporting foundation for nonprofits
The solution highlighted in the webinar combines three key components:
- Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central
A cloud ERP platform used by more than 45,000 organizations worldwide. - Sylogist Mission ERP
A nonprofit-specific solution built on Business Central that provides functionality tailored to nonprofit accounting and reporting needs. - The Microsoft ecosystem
Including tools like Power BI, Excel, Teams, and Copilot that integrate seamlessly with the ERP platform.
Together, these technologies create a reporting environment where data is connected, accessible, and easy to analyze.
Ad hoc reporting without exporting to Excel
One of the most powerful features demonstrated in the webinar was how Business Central enables live, ad hoc analysis directly inside the ERP system.
For example, finance teams can:
- Drill from summary balances into individual transactions
- Filter data by program, fund, grant, or fiscal year
- Investigate discrepancies instantly
- Access supporting documents tied to transactions
Instead of exporting data into spreadsheets to analyze it, users can interact with their financial data in real time.
This approach dramatically reduces the manual work required to answer everyday financial questions.
Built-in analysis tools for faster insights
Business Central also includes built-in analysis capabilities that allow users to create pivot-style views of financial data directly within the system.
With these tools, organizations can:
- Analyze transactions by program, department, or grant
- Compare financial activity across initiatives
- Identify trends or anomalies quickly
- Create personalized views for frequently asked questions
These capabilities bring the power of Excel-style analysis directly into the ERP environment, reducing the need for external reporting workarounds.
AI-assisted reporting with Copilot
Another emerging capability highlighted in the webinar is Microsoft Copilot integration.
Using natural language, users can ask the system to generate analyses or summaries of financial data.
For example, a user could request:
- A summary of activity by account
- A breakdown of debits and credits
- Segmentation of financial data by program or grant
Instead of manually configuring reports, users can simply describe what they want to see.
This type of AI-assisted reporting lowers the technical barrier to accessing financial insights and helps finance teams move faster.
Standard financial reporting for nonprofits
While ad hoc analysis is valuable, organizations still need traditional financial reports for leadership, boards, and auditors.
Business Central provides configurable financial reports that support common nonprofit reporting needs, including:
- Statement of activities
- Statement of financial position
- Statement of functional expenses
- Budget vs. actual comparisons
These reports can be customized with flexible row and column definitions, allowing organizations to structure reports exactly how they want them presented.
Because these reports pull directly from the ERP system, they maintain consistent data and eliminate the need to rebuild reports manually each reporting cycle.
Power BI for executive dashboards and board reporting
For broader analytics and visual dashboards, organizations can connect Business Central to Microsoft Power BI.
Power BI enables nonprofits to:
- Combine data from multiple systems (ERP, payroll, fundraising platforms, etc.)
- Create interactive dashboards for leadership and board members
- Provide mobile access to reporting for field staff
- Visualize trends and performance metrics across programs
This capability ensures that stakeholders across the organization can access the insights they need—without requiring direct access to the ERP system.
Expanding reporting with specialized tools
Some organizations may also benefit from advanced reporting solutions such as:
- Solver
- Cosmos
- Jet Reports
These tools connect directly to the ERP data and provide additional capabilities for financial planning, analysis, and complex reporting scenarios.
For organizations with sophisticated reporting requirements, these platforms can extend the reporting ecosystem even further.
Turning reporting into a strategic advantage
When reporting processes become faster and more reliable, nonprofit organizations gain more than operational efficiency.
They gain the ability to:
- Provide faster, more accurate board reporting
- Improve transparency for grant and donor reporting
- Make more informed operational decisions
- Free up staff time to focus on mission-driven work
Modern ERP and analytics platforms transform reporting from a monthly burden into a strategic capability.
Ready to simplify nonprofit reporting?
If your organization is spending too much time reconciling spreadsheets, exporting data, or piecing together reports from multiple systems, it may be time to modernize your ERP and reporting environment.
Sikich helps nonprofit organizations streamline financial operations with Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central and Sylogist Mission ERP, connecting finance, reporting, and analytics in a single platform.
If you’re currently running Microsoft Dynamics GP or another legacy system, we can help you understand what a move to the cloud would look like.
Start with a free GP-to-cloud assessment
Dynamics GP to cloud assessment helps nonprofit organizations evaluate their current GP environment, identify reporting and data challenges, understand migration options to Business Central, and build a practical roadmap for modernization. This no-cost assessment provides clarity on effort, timeline, and opportunities to improve reporting, analytics, and operational efficiency.
This publication contains general information only and Sikich is not, by means of this publication, rendering accounting, business, financial, investment, legal, tax, or any other professional advice or services. This publication is not a substitute for such professional advice or services, nor should you use it as a basis for any decision, action or omission that may affect you or your business. Before making any decision, taking any action or omitting an action that may affect you or your business, you should consult a qualified professional advisor. In addition, this publication may contain certain content generated by an artificial intelligence (AI) language model. You acknowledge that Sikich shall not be responsible for any loss sustained by you or any person who relies on this publication.
