Client Profile
Larksfield Place Foundation is a premier retirement destination in greater Wichita, Kansas. They have been a leader in senior living management and trusted name in the industry for decades, known for their commitment to quality care. Offering a continuum of services, from independent living to skilled nursing, Larksfield Place is designed to provide residents with a vibrant and secure environment.
Reporting Chaos
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When Michael Griffin stepped into his role as CFO at Larksfield Place in August 2022, he soon realized their existing financial system was a mess. The organization had recently implemented Microsoft Dynamics, a decision made by previous leadership. By the time I got here in August, we didn’t have any financial statements.” The general ledger was disorganized, reports were lacking, and key processes were slowed down by manual workarounds. Recognizing the system’s problems, Larksfield Place let Griffin take the lead in fixing the issues.
“There were a lot of different dimensions, and it was just really, really crazy trying to figure everything out. We spent some time trying to clean it up, and then I said, ‘I’ve used Sage Intacct’. I knew how Sage was. We were at a very desperate moment, and I said, ‘I’m going back to what I’m used to. I love Sage. It’s worked really well for me in the past,’ and that’s why we made that switch,” notes Griffin.
Back to What Works
This wasn’t unfamiliar territory. At Griffin’s previous two positions, he had worked with Intellitec to implement Sage Intacct and knew firsthand the impact they could deliver. After a few months working at Larksfield Place, he reached out once again to Intellitec – his third time partnering with them – to bring in Sage Intacct and gain the financial clarity and efficiency they needed.
Griffin explains further, “The reason why I stayed with Intellitec is they were so extremely helpful. The support was there. I could reach out to any one of them. I had one person that I should be reaching out to, and sometimes just in the heat of the moment, I’d send it to the wrong person, but they would answer and respond. That’s what I really enjoyed, the communication piece of it. I never had to wait for anything.” He continues, “They make it comfortable for me to go and ask questions. So that’s important. I don’t know another vendor that I’m more comfortable with talking to and reaching out to than them.”
“They make it comfortable for me to go and ask questions. So that’s important. I don’t know another vendor that I’m more comfortable with talking to and reaching out to than them.”
Michael Griffin – CFO
During implementation, Intellitec went above and beyond to get Sage Intacct set up successfully. Griffin says, “It was a very easy transition.” He continues, “Intellitec helped out a lot and I really appreciated the work they did. I think they did some stuff that wasn’t in their realm, and they helped me out to get everything done.” This level of commitment not only gave the organization an impactful digital transformation but also reinforced Intellitec’s role as a trusted partner.
From Chaos to Clarity
Since implementing Sage Intacct, one of the biggest impacts has been the improvement in usability and time savings. The system is far more intuitive than the previous one, making tasks like adding accounts and managing dimensions simple. Griffin states, “I think the biggest thing is user-friendliness, and then the reports. The type of reports I can pull out of there is really easy. I can jump on and build a report in a couple of hours, and we’re good to go. It’s been helpful.”
The Ideal Combo
Sage Intacct, paired with Intellitec’s senior living management expertise, has proven to be the perfect solution by offering comprehensive tracking of both financial and non-financial data. The ability to upload and analyze census data, meal counts, and costs has provided valuable insights. “Being able to put non-financial data into the system and then change the data that we’re pulling out. That’s been really helpful for us,” explains Griffin. Intellitec’s extensive industry experience has helped to improve Larksfield Place’s management of financial workflows. “Not any company can come in and build healthcare financial statements. It’s different. So that’s the biggest piece, knowing the General Ledger and what it’s supposed to look like for the health industry,” says Griffin.
Crunching the Numbers
“We ended June 30th of 2024 with the best operating margin that they’ve ever seen here at Larksfield Place.”
Michael Griffin – CFO
Since the implementation, Larksfield Place’s finance team has been able to better analyze specifics. Previously, the team looked to high-level trends, for example, assuming rising costs were simply a result of a higher census. Griffin explains, “As far as the decision-making, dining services, for example, when our census goes up, and our expense goes up, we can sit and look at the expense and say, ‘Yeah, it’s going up because of the census’. When I plug in the data, I get it’s costing us $7 a meal when the census is up and then $8 a meal when it’s down. Then, where is that extra cost going? Why is it more expensive? Because you would expect that to stay consistent. So, it’s helped us look at that instead of just saying, the census is up, so yes, the rest of the expenses are going to be up. We can look at it and say, ‘Well, this is still a little bit higher, and we need to dig into the detail a little bit more’.”
Cut Fees by 80% Saving Over $75,000
The benefits of Sage Intacct go beyond improved reporting and analysis. Larksfield Place has also impressively cut credit card expenses by about 80%. “We’ve saved $75,000 with one vendor. That’s been a big decrease,” says Griffin. He continues, “We ended June 30th of 2024 with the best operating margin that they’ve ever seen here at Larksfield Place.” This significant reduction in expenses, along with the record-breaking operating margin, highlights the powerful impact Sage Intacct and Intellitec’s support have brought to Larksfield Place’s operations.
Increased Accountability
Management can now take full responsibility for their budgets and financial performance because they can access data in real-time using Sage Intacct. “I’m holding management accountable. I can do that more, primarily because of Intacct,” says Griffin. “They’re able to get on and see the data, see their information. When I got here, the management leadership staff was pretty much given a budget and saying, ‘Here’s your budget!’ And they had no clue where they were because there were no reports or anything. Now with Intacct, they have access to it. They can see invoices; they can see where they’re at,” explains Griffin. This data accessibility and real-time insights have empowered management to take ownership of their budgets and make more informed decisions that drive savings.
Beyond Numbers
“I’m holding management accountable. I can do that more, primarily because of Intacct. They’re able to get on and see the data, see their information.”
Michael Griffin – CFO
Larksfield Place’s partnership with Intellitec has brought more than just operational improvements – it’s also allowed staff to have a better work-life balance. “I know for my AP Clerk right now, if she has issues, she can reach out to Intellitec. So, just that support has helped because now I can take off, and I don’t have to worry about her calling me and saying, ‘I can’t get into this’. She knows she can reach out to Intellitec. So, I think that’s kind of selfish because now I can take PTO,” says Griffin. Work-life balance is key for maintaining productivity and well-being, and Larksfield Place’s partnership with Intellitec has made it possible for staff to step away from the office with confidence.
From Daily Support to Big Plans
In addition to the day-to-day support, the Intellitec team plays an important role in driving technology projects that continue to enhance efficiency and streamline operations. “We’re about to do a big project. I’m going to need capital project software, and I know Intacct has that. So, when you talk about a strategic vendor, I know that Intacct has that, and Intellitec knows it. So, I’m not too concerned about trying to find one. I just reach out to them, and they got one on the back shelf for me. So that’s been really helpful there, too,” adds Griffin.
Larksfield Place’s ERP transformation with Sage Intacct and Intellitec demonstrates the powerful results of combining the right technology with expert industry support. Moving from a chaotic accounting system that couldn’t produce financial statements to one that delivers exceptional efficiency and clarity has empowered Larksfield Place to thrive in the senior living management space.