Aplos Software

Aplos Software is a privately held company that specializes in software as a service for nonprofit organizations. Their primary focus is simple software to manage the essential nonprofit tasks of fund accounting, nonprofit tax preparation and donor management for small, mid-sized, and large non-profit organizations.

History

Aplos Software was founded in 2009 in Fresno, California by Dan Kelly and Tim Goetz, a certified public accountant. Tim Goetz previously served as an executive pastor of a church and helped found two nonprofits. He couldn't find the low-cost fund accounting solution he wanted for his nonprofits, so he joined with a Fresno-based investor that shared his vision to serve the nonprofit sector with simple, affordable software and founded Aplos Software.[1]

  • After initially developing a desktop fund accounting software program, in 2011 Aplos Software launched its fund accounting software, Aplos Accounting, as an online product, also known as software as a service, tailored specifically to small and mid-sized non-profit organizations and religious corporations.[2][3]
  • The company raised over $3.4 million in funding through an angel investor to expand the development of its web-based nonprofit software suite, $2 million of which was raised in 2014.[4]
  • Aplos launched an integration with Church Community Builder, a church management platform in January 2016.[5][6]
  • In February 2016, Aplos raised $4 million in additional funding through a private venture capital fund.[7]
  • In June 2017, Aplos announced a merger with Portalbuzz, a membership management platform that specializes in software and website portals for service clubs.[8]
  • Aplos and Gusto (software), a payroll and HR platform, launched an integrated solution for payroll and reimbursements to be tracked within the accounting of nonprofits and churches.[9]

Key Areas of Development

Aplos Software focused its software on simplifying the primary back office tasks required to manage a nonprofit, private foundation, foundation (nonprofit), charitable organization or church.

Fund Accounting

Nonprofit fund accounting differs from business accounting because it is often necessary to track restricted and unrestricted funds separately. This often occurs when a donor or grant specifies that the organization must use the funds for a specific purpose. The accounting software must track how these funds were used and how much is available. Aplos first launched its online fund accounting software, Aplos Accounting, in 2011.[3][10][11] The most popular competitive accounting product for small and mid-sized nonprofits is Quickbooks[12]

In October 2012, Aplos Software launched Aplos Oversight, an online software which provides an administrator or accountant real-time access to the accounting of multiple organizations.[13]

Form 990 Preparation

In summer of 2012, Aplos Software was approved as an IRS efile provider to submit IRS tax forms on behalf of tax-exempt organizations and in October 2012 launched Aplos e-File, a tax preparation and filing software for IRS Form 990-N.[14] IRS Form 990-N is an annual electronic IRS filing for tax-exempt organizations with less than $50,000 in annual gross receipts. In 2013, Aplos added tax preparation and e-file software for IRS Form 990-EZ and its required schedules to Aplos e-File. IRS Form 990-EZ is the short form of the full Form 990 IRS tax forms and is available to organizations with up to $200,000 in gross receipts and $500,000 in assets.[15][16]

Donor Management

Aplos Software also focused on expanding the fundraising and donation tracking aspects of its software since 2012 to make it more successful for the vertical market of nonprofits. It launched a contributions management module in 2012 that tracked donations within Aplos Accounting and created contribution statements, which are annual giving receipts required by the IRS. In July 2013 it began offering a donor management module, and in May 2017 it expanded on its module to launch a stand-alone product as Aplos Donor Management.

According to the Chronicle of Philanthropy, nonprofits are increasingly creating initiatives to accept donations online and growth in online giving outpaced traditional methods in 2012.[17] To keep pace with the growing popularity and requests by its customers for an online giving platform, Aplos Software expanded its fundraising functionality in January 2014 by partnering with WePay, an online payment portal, to add the ability for nonprofits to accept online donations.[18]

See also

References
  1. "Tim Goetz, CPA - 2015 40 Under 40 Honoree". CPA Practice Advisor. September 14, 2015. Retrieved 9 March 2018.
  2. Johnson, Randy. "Aplos Software Review". AccountingSoftwareWorld.com. K2 Enterprises. Retrieved 18 July 2013.
  3. Elmblad, Shelley. "8 Free and Low Cost Accounting Software Options For Nonprofits". Financialsoft.about.com. About.com. Archived from the original on 27 March 2013. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
  4. Dillard, Gabriel (April 14, 2014). "Fresno technology firm raises $2M in investment". The Business Journal. Archived from the original on 21 May 2014. Retrieved 12 May 2014.
  5. Segedin, Andy (January 23, 2017). "Channeling the Wants and Needs of Users, What Does the Future Hold for Nonprofit Accounting?". The Nonprofit Times. Retrieved 9 March 2018.
  6. "Aplos and Church Community Builder Announce API Integration". Aplos.com. Aplos. Retrieved 9 March 2018.
  7. "Fresno software firm gets $4 million in venture capital". Fresno Bee. February 10, 2016. Retrieved 9 March 2018.
  8. "Aplos, Portalbuzz Announce Deal". The Nonprofit Times. June 26, 2017. Retrieved 9 March 2018.
  9. "Gusto and Aplos Join Hands to Build New Application for Non-Profits". HR Technologist. January 10, 2018. Retrieved 9 March 2018.
  10. Girsch-Bock, Mary (29 October 2012). "2012 Review of Aplos Fund Accounting Software". CPA Practice Advisor. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
  11. Girsch-Bock, Mary (May 14, 2014). "2014 Review of Aplos Fund Accounting". CPA Practice Advisor. Retrieved 19 May 2014.
  12. Campbell Rinker. "Nonprofit Accounting Solution Report" (PDF). Nonprofit Accounting Solution Report - 2011 Edition. Campbell Rinker. Retrieved 20 May 2014.
  13. Fineberg, Seth (10 October 2012). "Aplos Software Adds Admin Product to NP Cloud Accounting Suite". Accounting Today. Archived from the original on 13 July 2013. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
  14. O'Bannon, Isaac (24 October 2012). "Free e-Filing of Form 990-N for small nonprofits". CPA Practice Advisor. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
  15. Fineberg, Seth (25 February 2013). "Aplos Software to Assist Nonprofits with IRS Form 990-EZ". Accounting Today. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
  16. O'Bannon, Isaac (February 25, 2013). "New web-based preparation and e-filing system for non-profits filing Form 990-EZ". CPA Practice Advisor. Retrieved 23 July 2013.
  17. Carew Grovum, Emma (June 23, 2013). "Big Boom in Online Giving". Chronicle of Philanthropy. Retrieved 20 May 2014.
  18. Hood, Daniel (February 27, 2014). "Aplos Adds Online Donations". Accounting Today. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 12 May 2014.
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