Think about the reasons why bestselling authors like Dr. Seuss are prevalent and successful. Is it because of the carefully selected words that grab your child’s attention? Or could it be because of the bright, colorful images that leapt from the pages as you turned them?
In children’s books, illustrations are as central to the story as the text. They help little ones focus on the most important elements of the tale. They get readers enthusiastic about the material being read. They validate emotions and experiences; convey meaning; carry information; and help young children better understand the written words.
You may not be an Eric Carle (remember The Hungry Little Caterpillar?), but as a nonprofit or association financial professional you have an important story to tell. And, your audience – whether that’s your board, fellow executives, professional peers, donors, or other key constituents – may not want, need, or understand some of the financial complexities you deal with on a regular basis. So, providing them with data that’s presented visually will give you similar benefits to book illustrations.
Data visualization will help you, your team, and your audience:
- Focus on the information that’s most important
- Identify patterns and trends in your organization’s finances
- Illustrate cause and effect
- Pinpoint any details
- De-emphasize unnecessary/superfluous data
- Draw faster conclusions
The good news is you don’t have to be an expert in graphic or information design to effectively present your data visually. A modern true fund accounting system should do the work for you.
When considering financial software, look for a system that offers you:
- Real-time financial data, so you’re telling an up-to-the-minute story
- Dashboards that present clean, clear graphical representations of your data
- Intuitive features and tools so staff members can get up and running with minimal training and can self-serve, going forward
- Easy-to-use, drill-down capabilities for greater insight into the numbers
- Operability on mobile devices, like tablets, for on-the-go access to your financial picture
In today’s all accessible and information overloaded world, you must be an effective storyteller. And your story – as a nonprofit or association financial professional – is essential, because your financial status and agency health ultimately determines your organization’s strategic opportunities.
Welter Consulting bridges people and technology together for effective solutions for nonprofit organizations. We offer software and services that can help you with your accounting needs. Please contact Welter Consulting at 206-605-3113 for more information.
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