Guides

Finance software evaluation checklist

If you’re weighing up different finance systems, this checklist makes the process easier. Use it to line up vendors side by side, focus on what really matters, and make a confident choice for your organisation.

Preparing for implementation

Prepare for a smooth implementation by ensuring all stakeholders understand expectations, securing genuine buy-in from your team, and committing sufficient time and resources to configuration, testing, and training from the outset.

The breakup conversation

Understand your contractual obligations and data rights before parting with your old vendor, learn how to navigate "right to use" licence demands, and decide how much historical data you genuinely need to extract versus what you can safely leave behind.

Putting it in writing

Learn how to craft a concise, compelling business case that addresses stakeholder concerns, calculates the cost of doing nothing versus the investment required, and presents both financial and strategic benefits to win approval.

Conducting the search

Master the seven-step process for selecting accounting software - from deciding whether you need external help and conducting effective gap analysis, to running productive vendor demos and weighing value against price while avoiding common pitfalls.

Getting the board on board

Discover how to build a compelling business case for change by understanding your stakeholders' concerns, quantifying the hidden costs of inefficient processes and demonstrating both the financial and strategic benefits of modern finance software.

The FD's definitive guide to switching software with confidence

Learn to recognise the warning signs that your accounting system is holding you back - from endless month-ends and manual workarounds to risky on-premises servers - and discover how to calculate the true cost of doing nothing.

Getting your board on board

This guide is written for charity finance leaders looking to win support from trustees, the CEO and colleagues for a new finance system.

AI for the charity FD: The charity finance person's sensible guide to artificial intelligence

Cut through the hype and get a practical, charity-focused introduction to what AI can do for your finance team today. Learn why starting with repetitive tasks is the smartest way in, and how AI can free you up for the work that really matters to your beneficiaries.