Finance & NDIS | Planning
The purpose of this article is to step through the recommended considerations related to integrating Finance & NDIS, prior to completing the configuration required to get started. The Staff Members who would generally be involved during the Planning stage for Finance & NDIS are: the Executive Team, Finance Team, and Quality Assurance Team.
Summary of steps
We recommend Finance and/or Executive teams review the information outlined in this article thoroughly to ensure that many of the foundations underpinning the Finance & NDIS processes are understood ahead of deciding on how this is structured to best suit your business needs. This is vital to getting the most efficiencies and value out of SupportAbility.
Click on the links below to take you to the relevant sections within this article:
- Financial analytics
- Invoicing
- Time Sheets
- Integration
- Finance Integration
- Payroll Integration
- Evidence
Financial analytics
Decide how to categorise financial data produced from SupportAbility
The financial data produced from SupportAbility i.e. Invoice Batches and Staff Timesheet Batches are categorised by General Ledger codes (required) and may also be categorised by Job Codes if required (optional).
Many providers who use SupportAbility have found that their existing Chart of Accounts has needed revision, based on the way in which financial data can be categorised and General Ledger (GL) codes can be structured in SupportAbility. It is common that providers move to a more simplified GL structure, and use Job Codes to draw more detailed information for financial reporting based on this.
The 'Available tools for categorising financial data' section of the Financial Analytics article (linked below) goes into this in detail and we recommend considering how your organisation wishes to set up GL Codes in SupportAbility and if Job Codes may be required.
We are more than happy to help your organisation with this process and request a contact from Finance to discuss this with further, as part of our phased implementation support offering. If your organisation would like to discuss this with us further, please have one of your Authorised Representatives contact our Customer Success team to arrange this as soon as possible for you.
Invoicing
SupportAbility is designed to produce Invoice Batch data in an export file that is then imported to your organisation's Finance system. Whilst the Invoices produced may be previewed in SupportAbility, your Finance system is responsible for distributing those invoices and managing the accounts receivable process.
Invoicing Self Managed or Plan Managed Clients under NDIS
When Services are delivered to Clients who are Self Managing their NDIS Funding, or have a registered Plan Manager managing their Funding, the Invoices generated for Supports delivered are addressed to these debtors accordingly, provided the Client's NDIS Direct Client Funding record has been set up to reflect this. The 'Financial Plan Manager (FPM)' section of the Adding an NDIS Direct Client Funding record article linked below outlines how to configure this.
Generally speaking, providers generate Invoices for Clients, Nominees and Plan Managers in a Direct Invoice Batch to align with the standard billing cycle e.g. fortnightly or monthly:
Please see the Generating a Direct Invoice Batch article linked below for more information regarding this process.
Format options for NDIA Invoices
There are two available format options when generating Invoices for the NDIA; 'Separate' or 'Combined'.
When the Separate option is in use (as is the default), separate invoices are created for each NDIS Direct Client Funding record when generating Direct Invoice Batches from a BPR e.g. SA000019, SA000020, SA000021:
Example from MYOB v19 Direct Invoice Batch export
Alternatively, a Combined Invoice Format option is available. When this is in use, a single combined Invoice is created for each Direct Invoice Batch generated from a BPR e.g. SA000032:
Example from MYOB v19 Direct Invoice Batch export
Designed to mimic the Recipient Created Tax Invoice (RCTI) created by the Agency, which greatly simplifies reconciliation.
Regardless of the chosen Invoice Format, only Accepted Allocations are included in these Invoices which ensures accuracy between SupportAbility, the myplace provider portal and your organisation’s finance system. Aiming to greatly simplify the reconciliation process for Agency Managed Supports.
Time Sheets
Decide if you wish to export Time Sheets from SupportAbility for Payroll
Determine whether your organisation will be generating Time Sheet Batches using SupportAbility to be imported into your Payroll system for Award Interpretation and the processing of Payroll.
Payroll Integration strategy
It is imperative that your organisation reviews the Payroll Integration Strategy article (linked below), to assist you in deciding if the available functionality will meet your business needs.
If your organisation decides this is required, you will need to determine which Staff Time Sheet Batches will be required for e.g. Casual Staff only.
N.B. Many providers choose to commence using SupportAbility as a Client Management and NDIS billing solution primarily, and may not commence with Payroll integration (if at all), until much later in their implementation. It is entirely up to your organisation if and when this occurs.
Decide how to categorise Staff Time Sheet expense data
If Time Sheet Batches will be generated using SupportAbility, your organisation will need to decide how Staff Time Sheet expense data should be categorised, by General Ledger code only, or Job Code also.
Integration
Finance integration
Internal [Direct] Invoice Batch exports are available for the following Finance systems:
- MYOB AccountRight v19
- MYOB AccountRight 2020
- Xero
- QuickBooks/Reckon via Zed Axis
- Sage Evolution
- Tencia
If an invoice batch export is not currently available for the Finance system your organisation uses, Custom Finance Integration will be required for us to develop this under paid Support Contract. Please review the related articles linked below for more information, and we recommend your organisation commence discussions with us as soon as possible regarding this if required.
Payroll integration
Staff Timesheet Batches are available for the following Payroll systems:
- MYOB AccountRight
- HR3
- Payroll Metrics
- Sage MicrOpay
If a Time Sheet Batch export is not currently available for the Payroll system your organisation uses, custom payroll integration will be required for us to develop this for your organisation under paid Support Contract. Please review the related articles linked below for more information, and we recommend your organisation commence discussions with us as soon as possible regarding this.
Evidence
Client Support Log
Your organisation will also need to decide when planning for Finance & NDIS if the Client Support Log feature is required for any of the Services your organisation delivers.
Please review the linked article for an overview of this feature. Following is an example of the Client Support Log via Digital Signature:
If your organisation wishes to use this functionality, we recommend reviewing the Activation Requirements for the Client Support Log as a starting point as this discusses important considerations regarding your organisation's strategy, including privacy.