Is Your ERP Software Working Against You?

You didn’t get into public service to spend your evenings untangling “mystery adjustments” and reconciling accounts on paper like it’s 1997. But when accounting and payroll tools don’t match how a small public office actually operates, that’s exactly what happens.

And then the real chaos starts: late filings, late payments, confused board members, frustrated residents, and a sinking feeling every time someone says, “Can we see the numbers?”

Here are the most common pain points that show up in situations like this—and how modern public sector ERP software (like our VIP Suite) helps you combat them.

Pain Point 1: Reconciliations that don’t… reconcile

When your current bank reconciliation software doesn't actually reconcile, your office ends up looking like this:

• Bank reconciliations are done outside the system (spreadsheets, paper packets, sticky notes)

• Accounts won’t balance without significant adjustments

• Staff are confused about what changed, who changed it, and why

How VIP helps: VIP Accounting is built to keep reconciliation work inside the system with audit-friendly tracking. And because the general ledger, cash, AP, payroll, and reporting live together, you’re not juggling disconnected balances that never agree. In fact, we have an Audit Packet that gathers all the files you'll need to send to your auditor when it's time for an audit. 

MidPointe Library Systems said this: "VIP has made the audit process much easier as the auditor can have direct access to the software and SSI has created preferred audit trail reports for testing."

Pain Point 2: Double postings and duplicate entries

Duplicate receipt postings. Double entries. Corrections that create more corrections. It’s the accounting version of watering your garden in the rain... and picking up half the water afterward. 

This often happens when:

• Processes rely on manual steps

• The system allows accidental repeats without clear warnings

• Staff have to work around the software instead of working in it

How VIP helps: VIP reduces manual re-entry through integrated workflows and consistent posting rules. And because the data model is unified across modules, you’re not re-keying the same information in multiple places.

Village of Minerva says this: "VIP offers more functions and protections than our old system. It's much more difficult to make simple mistakes that were often made with our last system. VIP is very user-friendly, and we love the new functions that make our data more accessible to our auditors."

Pain Point 3: Chart of accounts confusion

When account structures feel non-standard, reporting becomes harder, training takes longer, and even experienced staff get tripped up. But when account numbers change without warning, that's a nightmare.

Maybe some of you have experienced these scenarios with your current vendor:

• They created new account numbers without notifying you

• They did not follow a standard chart of accounts used by other municipalities

• Their customer service was unresponsive

How VIP helps: VIP is designed for public sector accounting realities, including structured, standard chart of accounts management and reporting that aligns with how you present financials. And if you ever do need a COA cleanup, SSI also offers chart of accounts renumbering services to make the transition smoother. We do not change account numbers without your approval, either.

And our customer support is award-winning, incredibly quick and responsive, and full of knowledgeable Software Consultants. 

Licking County notes: "Great product with the best customer service... We were one of the first to go live as a County Government in 2013 and it was fairly seamless. We had great support and they listen to our needs and suggestions for future developments... The system works great for all aspects of our County."

Pain Point 4: Late filings and payments that trigger downstream consequences

Late tax payments. Late retirement contributions. Late state filings. At first, it feels like a nuisance… but it can quickly become a compliance and funding problem.

In some cases, consequences for tardiness can include:

• Restrictions tied to borrowing or issuing debt

• Corrective action plan requirements

• Increased Department of Treasury scrutiny (and extra costs)

How VIP helps: VIP streamlines the month-end cycle with clearer status visibility, stronger controls, and reporting that supports timely decision-making. But the bigger bonus is that VIP reduces the operational drag that causes the delays in the first place.

Beavercreek Township notes, "Our auditors didn't have to come on-site for our most recent audit as they were able to access so much of our information using VIP!"

Pain Point 5: Limited staff with a complex system

Small teams don’t have the luxury of time. One person might wear five hats, and the backup might be… a binder. So an ERP system has to be user-friendly and quick to learn.

We've heard this about other ERP software vendors:

• Their software is poorly written and not user-friendly

• The system is too complex for agencies with limited staff

• The software lacks a standard municipal chart of accounts

How VIP helps: The VIP interface and workflows are designed to be intuitive, so staff can learn core tasks quickly. And when staff turnover hits, you can tighten controls without rebuilding your whole process. Our customer support helps you in a timely fashion so there's no time wasted. VIP also uses a standardized, public-sector-friendly chart of accounts structure.

City of Medina says this: "Everything is at my fingertips; can be set up to access from any location; able to add a lot of info and notes in employee files; quicker payroll processing than prior software; can customize reports and grids; easy to pay invoices; good support; good instructions/reference tools on website; after a phone call with support, they send a summary email of what they helped with so you can save for future reference; can eliminate paper processing by using workflow."

Pain Point 6: Bad reporting leads to bad meetings

When board members are confused about net position, corrections, duplicate entries, outstanding checks, or why balances keep shifting, the meeting stops being about future initiatives and turns into a damage control session. And because these are often public meetings, confusion turns into tension quickly.

We've heard about these scenarios:

• Monthly reporting is unreliable.

• Board members receive conflicting impressions from audit results.

• Difficulty understanding net position and corrections.

• Reports are not trusted without manual verification.

• Errors prevent timely identification of problems.

How VIP helps: VIP Accounting produces consistent, audit-ready financial reporting based on a standardized public sector framework. You can export any data grid to create custom reports on the fly, customized to your needs. There's also built-in budget-checking to ensure compliance.

The City of Van Wert notes, "What I like most about VIP is how there are so many reports available when it comes to vendor payments, payroll, and accounts. The support line is also a great help. The employees there are so nice and willing to help you out anytime. I couldn't do my job without them."

Pain Point 7: Payroll and year-end processes feel like a crisis

When payroll tools are clunky, disconnected from finance, or hard to troubleshoot, the stress compounds all year—then explodes at year-end.

This is what it can look like:

• W-2 season becomes an all-hands fire drill

• Manual reconciliations between payroll and general ledger

• Retro pay, deductions, and benefit changes that are painful to track

• Employees calling nonstop for pay stubs, tax forms, and corrections

• Fear of penalties when filings and remittances run late

How VIP helps: VIP Payroll & HR is designed to work directly with VIP Accounting, so payroll postings flow cleanly into the general ledger without manual patchwork. The system supports structured payroll workflows, reporting, and reconciliation tools that help you catch issues sooner and close out periods with less drama. And if you add VIP Employee Portal, employees can securely access pay stubs and tax forms on their own.

Lawrence County has this to say: "Being able to access your data at your fingertips, including attached supporting documentation, is one of the biggest pluses in VIP. VIP is doing the same processes in fewer steps, as many of those processes are automated. Also, with the use of imports, we have saved a lot of time on data entry on payroll, payment requests, and year-end processing. Working remotely has been a big benefit with VIP."

Pain Point 8: Support that slows you down when you’re already behind

If an ERP system is hard to use, customer support becomes the difference between finishing your tasks the same day or in a month. Then you start panicking that they haven't responded in 2 weeks... And if the support is slow, rigid, or appointment-only, teams start building workarounds. It's not ideal.

What this typically looks like is:

• Required appointments just to speak with support

• Ticket back-and-forths when the fix is unclear or takes too long

• Staff loses confidence and reverts to spreadsheets and paper

• A growing backlog of items never really goes away

• Insufficient technical support

How VIP helps: SSI backs VIP with a support and service model built around public sector responsibilities. You get a team that helps you troubleshoot fast, explain what happened in plain language, and guide you toward best-practice setup so the same issue doesn’t keep coming back.

Highland County says: "The support staff with VIP has been incredibly helpful with any support ticket I have entered and have essentially trained me in my new position."

Mill Creek MetroParks notes, "The support to us was crucial and Software Solutions’ support team is phenomenal."

Conclusion

If these pain points feel familiar, you’re not alone. And you don’t have to keep working around a company or software that fights against the way your office actually operates.

VIP Software is built specifically for local governments and public agencies, bringing accounting, payroll, utility billing, budgeting, and reporting together in one reliable, cloud-based system. By moving reconciliations, postings, reporting, payroll, and asset management into a single, audit-ready platform, you gain clearer visibility, stronger controls, and more time back in your week.

When you’re ready to modernize your ERP environment, our team at Software Solutions, Inc. is here to help you make the transition with confidence. Because we care about your success.

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