How moving from MIP to Sage Intacct helped Seniors First Strengthen Its Mission
The Challenge
Senior’s First was relying on an outdated MIP Fund Accounting system that required manual data entry, clunky workarounds, and time-consuming reporting. An attempted move to MIP’s cloud version provided ineffective, prompting the team to seek expert help.
The Solution
DWD Technology Group met them where they were – initially providing MIP support – then guided them through a well-planned migration to Sage Intacct. The team also supported key integrations, including Ramp for employee expenses, and helped restructure the chart of accounts for cleaner, more actionable reporting.
The Results of Sage Intacct
With Sage Intacct and DWD’s ongoing support, Seniors First has gained significant time and insight – allowing the team to focus more energy on advancing their mission.
- 200+ hours saved monthly across finance operations
- Month-end close reduced from three weeks to one
- Streamlined reporting for funders and auditors
- Eliminated need to backfill a retiring receivables clerk
Seniors First is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping low-income older adults in Central Florida live independently with dignity. Serving Orange, Seminole, and Osceola counties, the organization provides a wide range of services, including home-delivered and congregate meals, in-home care, guardianship services, and a medical equipment bank.
Location: Florida, USA
Sage Partner: DWD Technology Group
Industry: Nonprofit
How DWD Helped Seniors First Strengthen Its Mission with Sage Intacct
Seniors First supports some of Central Florida’s most vulnerable residents—low-income older adults in Orange, Seminole, and Osceola counties. With a staff of 110 and more than 350 volunteers, the organization delivers hot meals to homes and community dining sites, provides in-home services like bathing and housekeeping, runs a state guardianship program for those without family support, and operates a medical equipment bank that refurbishes and distributes donated items.
Their goal is both simple and powerful: help seniors live independently, with dignity, for as long as possible.
That mission requires efficiency, accountability, and trusted partnerships—especially in the finance office, where every hour and every dollar must support frontline programs. So, when their longtime accounting system started getting in their way, they turned to DWD Technology Group for help transitioning to Sage Intacct.
A Thoughtful Approach to Change
After more than 15 years on MIP Fund Accounting, the system was showing its age.
“MIP was clunky and difficult to use,” says Maureen Houlihan, Senior Director of Finance. “We were constantly importing CSV files, and even then, once the data was in, we couldn’t easily get it back out for reporting. It was frustrating.”
Hoping to extend the system’s life, the team tried MIP’s cloud version—but quickly discovered it was just a browser-based front end for the same outdated platform. “We didn’t even end up using it,” Maureen admits. “It was a waste of time and money.”
Still determined to make MIP work—at least in the short term, CFO David Erne searched online for help and came across DWD. “I Googled ‘MIP support,’ and DWD called me back right away,” he says. “No pressure—just helpful people who listened to what we needed.”
That willingness to meet them where they were made a strong impression.
As DWD worked with the team to resolve ongoing challenges, it became clear that the real solution wasn’t patching MIP but moving forward.
DWD introduced Seniors First to Sage Intacct, and together, they began planning a migration that would set the organization up for long-term success.
Seniors First did evaluate other systems, including Acumatica, NetSuite, and Blackbaud. However, DWD’s consultative approach and deep understanding of nonprofit accounting sealed the decision. “We did our due diligence,” notes David. “But the deciding factor was DWD. They were incredibly accessible and clearly had the right expertise.”
Confidence in the Partner and the Platform
DWD’s team brought extensive experience helping nonprofits move from MIP to Sage Intacct. That knowledge—and their familiarity with the common pitfalls—made all the difference.
“DWD walked us through the process step by step,” says Maureen. “They took every question seriously, never made us feel silly, and handled everything with grace. We’ve heard about other organizations that struggled during implementation, but we came through unscathed.”
Transforming the Finance Operation
The improvements after migrating to Sage Intacct were immediate and far-reaching. Seniors First eliminated more than 200 hours of manual work each month, thanks to intuitive workflows and automation that replaced cumbersome data entry and reporting processes.
In accounts receivable alone, the time savings equaled a full-time position—enough to absorb the responsibilities of a retired staff member without the need to rehire.
Closing the books used to take three weeks. Now, it’s done in one. The finance team reconciles bank accounts weekly instead of scrambling at month-end, compressing the close timeline and freeing time for more strategic work. “It’s changed how we operate,” says Maureen.
“We’re not just faster—we’re better. I can answer questions on the spot with real data, instead of spending hours digging through files or recreating reports.”
The upgrade also brought meaningful improvements to grant and audit reporting. With Sage Intacct’s dimensional structure, the team can isolate funding sources by location, department, project, or class and generate funder-specific reports that once took hours—if they were even possible at all. “We just had our best audit ever,” David notes. “And that was just a few months after go-live.”
Even their chart of accounts got a refresh. With DWD’s guidance, they streamlined and cleaned up legacy data, preserving history while making reports easier to run and understand. The result? More control, more clarity, and more time to focus on what really matters—delivering life-changing services to seniors across Central Florida.
Powering Better Decisions – and Better Service
With timely, accurate financial data, the finance team now supports the broader organization in new ways. They’ve invested in Sage Intacct dashboards for senior leadership and are working with DWD to expand access across the organization.
“Getting information out faster makes a difference,” Maureen explains. “We’re making decisions about funding across federal, state, and county contracts, and the timing matters. Now we have the confidence to act quickly and the credibility that comes with reliable data.”
They’ve also integrated Ramp to manage employee expenses, replacing petty cash and reimbursement requests with prepaid cards. That means more flexibility for staff in the field, whether that’s buying ink cartridges, replacing a broken coffee maker at a dining site, or picking up socks for a client in need.
“Before, people were using their own money and waiting to be reimbursed,” says David. “Now, they’re empowered to do what needs to be done. That’s huge for morale and service delivery.”
The Right Partner for the Road Ahead
Throughout the transition and beyond, DWD has remained a trusted partner. From behind-the-scenes troubleshooting to hands-on support with integrations like Ramp, they continue to show up with the same calm, competent presence.
“It’s like buying a reliable car,” says David. “You don’t need to call the mechanic often, but when you do, it’s good to know you have someone you trust. That’s DWD.”
Maureen adds, “We adore DWD. They’re down-to-earth, patient, strategic—and just really good at what they do. We plan to work with them for years to come.”
For a mission-driven organization like Seniors First, this kind of partnership is invaluable. With better tools, stronger reporting, and a more seamless experience for staff and clients, the team is saving time and turning that time into greater impact across the community.
When you are ready to take the next step and need a partner to provide trusted advisory, DWD is here to help contact us today.
About the Author: Adam Westgerdes, CPA
