Dynamics 365
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Dynamics
Cloud & ProductivityModernizing nonprofit operations with D365 F&O
The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (MFAH) manages long-term exhibitions, capital projects, grants, and daily operations that span years rather than fiscal periods. Their legacy financial system, built around paper-based processes and static reporting, could no longer support modern visibility or approvals. MFAH partnered with Rand Group to modernize its financial operations, first with Microsoft Dynamics AX and later with Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance & Operations, resulting in a centralized, cloud-based platform that improves reporting, strengthens procurement control, and accelerates financial close cycles.
Client: The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
The Goal
Replace an outdated, paper-based ledger system with a modern, cloud ERP that supports nonprofit accounting, reporting, and approvals.
The Outcome
MFAH now runs on Dynamics 365 Finance & Operations, gaining real-time visibility, structured processes, and dramatically faster financial close cycles.
One of the biggest reasons we value Rand Group is the stability of the team. We work with the same people year after year, and that continuity matters. Their consistency and responsiveness have made a real difference for our organization.
The problem
Before working with Rand Group, MFAH relied on an aging financial system that had been in place for more than 20 years. Reporting came in printed green-bar paper format. Data could not be exported to Excel. Purchase orders were routed manually, leading to delays, lost paperwork, and vendors being paid late. Additionally, MFAH operates in project-driven cycles that last years. Exhibitions, installations, and events span far beyond fiscal boundaries, making short-term accounting tools unsuitable. The museum also carries complex nonprofit reporting requirements, including functional classification, grant tracking, and fund accounting—all of which were difficult or impossible to handle in their previous system.
- Paper-driven approval workflows
- Legacy reports with no Excel export capability
- No ability to track multi-year projects effectively
- Manual procurement processes with no audit trail
- Inflexible nonprofit reporting structures
- Disconnected systems for HR and payroll
- No centralized view of financial activity
Outdated systems and manual workflows
The solution
Rand Group partnered with MFAH to lead ERP evaluation and implementation, ultimately recommending Microsoft Dynamics AX for its ability to support multi-year projects and nonprofit reporting requirements, and later transitioning the organization to Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance & Operations in the cloud. The solution focused on operational control, reporting accuracy, and sustainability. Rand Group implemented core financial modules while redesigning procurement workflows and dimensional reporting to align with nonprofit requirements.
Key components of the solution included:
- Implementing Dynamics 365 Finance & Operations as the core ERP
- Configuring six financial dimensions to support nonprofit reporting
- Enabling multi-year project accounting for exhibitions and capital projects
- Automating purchase approvals via email-based workflows
- Standardizing procurement and requisition tracking
- Producing nightly data feeds to enterprise Oracle reporting
- Supporting integrations with Tessitura (ticketing) via batch uploads
- Enabling mobile-friendly expense and travel reporting
- Providing long-term support with a stable, in-house team
The result
Dynamics 365 Finance & Operations modernized MFAH’s financial operations by eliminating paper workflows, strengthening procurement control, and improving reporting structure and access. Finance leadership gained timely visibility without relying on manual report preparation, while approval workflows introduced accountability across departments. The impact was immediate—monthly close was cut in half, purchase approvals accelerated, and teams moved away from spreadsheet-driven reporting. Today, MFAH operates with more consistency, visibility, and confidence as the system continues to scale with evolving needs.
Key results include:
- Purchase approvals now complete in one day (previously three)
- Monthly close reduced by 50% and completed within three days
- Vendor payments significantly improved through traceable workflows
- Reporting now supports functional nonprofit classification natively
- Audit-ready documentation for procurement activity
- Excel-export enabled across financial data
“Rand Group has been a really great partner for us. I absolutely recommend them.” – Julia Petty, Controller
%
reduction in monthly close cycle
day financial close timeline
%
faster purchase approval process
Take the next step with Rand Group
Modernize your finance operations with a partner who understands complex organizations and long-term projects. We help nonprofits replace legacy systems, improve visibility, and build processes that scale.