akoyaGO Implementation Guide (Prep Packet)
- Review of the Product Suite
- Understanding akoyaGO's Relationship with Microsoft
- Implementation Timeline
- Understanding Data Migration
- Checklist of Deliverables
- Billing & Budgeting Overview
- Learning Software with Training Sessions
- Common Configuration Guide
- Transition through Client Services
- Engagement & Feedback
Introduction
Now that you've signed with akoyaGO as your software provider, let's review our product suite and explore what you have available to you. Our suite encompasses a range of modules designed to streamline your operations and enhance your efficiency. From grants management to donor engagement, each component is tailored to support your unique organizational needs.
It is important to note that you have either contracted for the akoyaGO package or the akoyaGO + Accounting package. This guide will outline the differences between both types of implementations, ensuring you understand the specific features and advantages of each option.
Review of the Product Suite
| akoyaGO | akoyaGO + Accounting |
|---|---|
| CRM (Grants Management, Tools) | CRM (Grants Management, Donor Management, Fund Management, Tools) |
| GOapply Portal | GOapply Portal |
| GOverify (Built into akoyaGO CRM) | GOverify (Built into akoyaGO CRM) |
| GOfund Portal (Trustee-Initiated Grants) | GOfund Portal |
| – | GOdonate Portal |
| – | Business Central |
akoyaGO CRM
- Configurable database to collect, manage, and report on your data
- Ability to personalize, arrange, and organize tasks specific to each role
- Automate tasks and notifications to reduce manual entry
GOapply
- Easy to build application process
- Provides applicant dashboards and two-way communication user interface
- Seamless CRM integration eliminating manual data entry
- Customizable interface for individual brand needs
GOverify
- A native tool of akoyaGO, GOverify offers automated and accurate 501(c)3 verification utilizing Publication 78 (IRS and CRA verification)
- Automatically creates and stores verification documentation in akoyaGO CRM
GOdonate
- Integrated donation process automatically interfaces with the website to manage online donations
- Payment processing with Stripe.com to eliminate PPI liability
- Easily share news of donations on social media for causes and events
- Seamless CRM integration, eliminating manual data entry
GOfund
- Real-time fund accounting
- Two-way sync from Business Central to akoyaGO CRM
- Financial reporting and payment processing are all in-house
Understanding akoyaGO's Relationship with Microsoft
akoyaGO is considered "an indirect reseller in CSP, you work with indirect providers (also known as distributors) who have a direct relationship with Microsoft. They can provide you with customer support, pricing, and billing to help ensure your success. In the provider-reseller (two-tier) model, the provider buys cloud solutions and services from Microsoft. You then resell them to customers.”
Different indirect providers offer various support and services. Evaluate the providers in your area to determine which ones best meet your needs. Generally, most providers:
- Provide you with technical training and assistance.
- Help you market your products and services.
- Help you establish financing and credit terms.
The administrative relationships we will request are:
- Power Platform Administrator: Can create and manage all aspects of Microsoft Dynamics 365, Power Apps, and Microsoft Flows
- Dynamics 365 Administrator: Can manage all aspects of the Dynamics 365 Business Central (if accounting is used)
- Fabric Administrator: Manages all aspects of Microsoft Fabric (Power BI)
- User Administrator: Can manage all aspects of users and groups, including resetting passwords for limited administrators
- License Administrator: Ability to assign, remove, and update license assignments
- Groups Administrator: Can manage all aspects of groups and group settings, like naming and expiration policies
- Global Administrator: Used during implementation to install all necessary apps and solutions
We will request 730 days of these relationships. This will provide us with two years of administration. Upon the expiration of the administrative relationship, we may reinstate a new agreement or auto-renew these relationships. These roles will be used by our Support Team to properly support you and your organization for the duration of our partnership.
The granular administrative relationships will be used for the duration of your service with akoyaGO. However, the Global Administrator relationship ends after implementation. If you do not wish to give us Global Administrator permissions, we will need your team to complete the following before we can proceed.
The following three knowledge articles outline the steps to install our akoyaGO credentials necessary for your Dynamics 365 environment:
- Configure SharePoint Site to allow BCO akoyaGO Integration Azure AD Enterprise Application
- Install the BCO akoyaGO Integration Azure AD Enterprise Application
- Install the BCO akoyaGO GOmanager User Connector Azure AD Enterprise Application
If you have any further questions about granting us these permissions, please note that you can revoke these permissions at any time, and we can send a new request for a more specific set of granular administrative relationships.
What is akoyaGO's Data Security Protocol?
As an approved reseller with Microsoft, we directly implement the Microsoft Security Protocol. More information about Microsoft Dynamics 365 security protocol, measures, and reports can be found in Microsoft Learn. A good place to start is the Security Measures for Protecting Data article.
Implementation Timeline
Understanding Data Migration
Understanding data migration is crucial for ensuring a smooth transition to akoyaGO. We will perform two data migration imports – the initial import during Gate 1 and the final import during Gate 4. The data you provide to akoyaGO will be directly imported into the database, making it essential that the information is clean, accurate, and relevant to the new database. This ensures that your organization's historical data, operational continuity, and user adoption are maintained effectively.
What Does akoyaGO Migration Team Deliver?
Highlighted rows only apply to akoyaGO + Accounting users.
| akoyaGO Data Tables | Table Definition | Initial Migration | Final Migration |
|---|---|---|---|
Constituents | Organizations/Companies | All | Wipe & reload |
| Contacts | Individuals | All | Wipe & reload |
| Requests | Requests for funding (grants) | All | Wipe & reload |
| Payments & Requirements | Awarded dollars and required submissions | All | Wipe & reload |
| Programs | Categorical service areas (Arts, Animals) | All | Upsert (add to) |
| Connections | Relationships between people, organizations, and funds | All | Wipe & reload |
| Scholarships | Scholarship requirements | All | Wipe & reload |
| Mailing List | Marketing lists for communications | All | Wipe & reload |
| Committees | Groups of people | All | Wipe & reload |
| Events | Event data to monitor engagement | All | Wipe & reload |
| Event Attendees | Attendee data to monitor engagement | All | Wipe & reload |
| Timeline Activity | Emails, tasks, meetings, etc. | – | Timeline Activity |
| Funds | Funds managed by the foundation | All | Upsert (add to) |
| Departments | Legal entities | All | Upsert (add to) |
| GL Accounts | Chart of Accounts | All | Upsert (add to) |
| Donors & Prospects | Current donors and potential donors | All | Wipe & reload |
| Donor Opportunities (opt) | Data tracking donor cultivation | All | Wipe & reload |
| Gifts | Donations made to the foundation | All | Wipe & reload |
| Gift Payments | Donation details broken down into specific payments | All | Wipe & reload |
| Vendor Sync | Syncing eligible payors from CRM to Business Central | – | Sync CRM & BC |
| General Ledger | Transactions | Seven years | New lines only |
To request a data backup from your previous provider, follow these steps:
- Identify the Data: Determine which data needs to be migrated, such as contact information (contacts), organization information (constituents), grant records (requests), financial transactions (payments), and any other relevant information.
- Request the Backup: Contact your previous provider and request a complete backup of the identified data. Specify the preferred file formats (e.g., .csv, .xls, .bak) to ensure compatibility with akoyaGO.
- Verify the Data: Once you receive the backup, verify that all necessary data is included and that it is accurate. This step is crucial to avoid any issues during the migration process as you work with akoyaGO staff.
Best practice for reaching out to your provider and requesting a data backup. We do not accept Progress DB Backups (extension. bu); we prefer spreadsheets over reports in PDF format.
| akoyaGO | akoyaGO + Accounting | |
|---|---|---|
| Excel | .xsl or .csv | -- |
| FIMS | .csv (Note: Two export options; we require the .csv file option) | Must specifically request this export, as it does not come with the standard export of data. When provided, both repository and record table requirements are met. |
| Salesforce | .csv | Salesforce standard export of data provides both akoyaGO requirements of a repository and a record table. |
| Foundant | .csv | -- |
| Blackbaud RE | .bak | This is highly dependent on the version and/or add-ons the client has purchased to maintain their documents; it’s not common. It’s generally expected that you will not have a record table for reference, but the file repository is clearly named/organized. ** If encrypted, there will be three additional files per database (.txt,.ppk, .cer) |
| Blackbaud FE | .bak | This is highly dependent on the version and/or add-ons the client has purchased to maintain their documents; it’s not common. It’s generally expected that you will not have a record table for reference, but the file repository is clearly named/organized. |
| Blackbaud GE | .bak | This is highly dependent on the version and/or add-ons the client has purchased to maintain their documents; it’s not common. It’s generally expected that you will not have a record table for reference, but the file repository is clearly named/organized. |
| Blackbaud Grantmaking | .csv | Both requirements should be met with the standard export of Blackbaud (non-accounting); the export should include local folders for Attachments, GCS Uploads, and Documents. The Activities table should be provided with the export and allow akoyaGO to make connections to the documents. |
| Stellar IPHI | .bak | Must specifically request this export, as it does not come with the standard export of data. |
| Wizehive | .csv | -- |
| Quickbooks | .csv | -- |
| Smart Simple | .csv | -- |
| Bloomerang | .pbix | -- |
Document Migration – akoyaGO Requirements
There are two basic requirements for akoyaGO to be able to move Documents into SharePoint (SharePoint is the designated cloud document storage location for Dynamics 365). This will only occur after the final migration, typically in Gate 4 or Post Live in the project timeline.
- A provided repository of documents, in an identifiable folder structure. This should contain all the files required to be converted zipped up into a single file, with some sort of naming convention that can direct akoyaGO as to where the file should go. i.e. the unique identifier or ID number of the record in your current database, or some other unique connection to the proper record to match the file to the correct record once in akoyaGO.
- The second requirement is a data table that will tell akoyaGO where the document should be associated.
Ex. This table lays out the primary key of the record, and the local file path of the file. This requirement is only unnecessary in the case of the file repository being extremely clear with naming conventions, such as D:/Files/Requests/23503/examplefile.pdf. We can interpret this as the file should go to Request 23503.
Checklist of Deliverables
akoyaGO
Prep
- Complete Client Setup Form
- Prepare and request data from current system(s)
- Prepare documentation on internal workflows and processes
- Prepare questions and verbiage for grant/scholarship application forms
Gate 1
- Approve Cloud Solution Provider (CSP)
- Approve Microsoft Admin Relationships
- Return the Post Kickoff Survey
- Provide copies of Grant/Scholarship Applications
- Provide a list of users who will need access to akoyaGO
- Provide all data from current system(s)
- Complete the data Validation spreadsheet
Gate 2
- Provide outlines of departmental processes
- Review configuration options
- Dedicated time for Initial Training (typically 2 days onsite or virtual)
- Sign off on all scopes of work for configuration
- Sign off on initial data load validation
Gate 3
- Collaboration time with Project Manager to review configurations
- User Acceptance Testing and Feedback
- Dedicated time to learn akoyaGO systems and review written materials
Gate 4
- Provide final CRM data
- Provide documents for SharePoint Migration
- Dedicated time for Final Training (typically 2 days onsite or virtual)
- Final sign-off on the complete scope of work configurations
- GOlive! Allow staff to start using the akoyaGO system as the true database
- Complete Implementation Training Feedback Survey Form
akoyaGO + Accounting
Prep
- Complete Client Setup Form
- Provide data from current system(s)
- Ledger Data and Chart of Accounts
- Data Validation spreadsheet
- Financial Reports
Gate 1
- Approve Cloud Solution Provider (CSP)
- Approve Microsoft Admin Relationships
- Return the Post Kickoff Survey
- Review Accounting Setup Worksheet
- Provide copies of Grant/Scholarship Applications
- Provide a list of users who will need access to akoyaGO
- Provide Accounting Formulas and Files
- Fund Fees, Spendable Formula, Check Stock, NACHA, Positive Pay
Gate 2
- Provide outlines of departmental processes
- Review configuration options
- Dedicated time for Initial Training (typically 3 days onsite or virtual)
- Sign off on all scopes of work for configuration
- Sign off on initial data load validation
Gate 3
- Collaboration time with Project Manager to review configurations
- User Acceptance Testing and Feedback
- Dedicated time to learn akoyaGO systems and review written materials
Gate 4
- Provide final CRM data
- Provide final financial data
- Provide documents for SharePoint Migration
- Dedicated time for Final Training (typically 3 days onsite or virtual)
- Final sign-off on the complete scope of work configurations
- GOlive! Allow staff to start using the akoyaGO system as the true database
- Complete Implementation Training Feedback Survey Form
- Review of new Accounting Practices (JIA, Bank Rec, etc.)
Billing & Budgeting Overview
Implementing a new software solution is an exciting journey, and we want to ensure you have complete clarity on billing and budgeting throughout the process. Below is a breakdown of what to expect at each stage:
1. One-Time Implementation Fees
These costs are outlined in your Software License and Access Agreement (SLAA) and cover essential set-up services such as system design consultation, configuration, data migration, and onboarding support.
2. Onsite Travel Expenses
If onsite training or implementation support is included in your project, reimbursable travel expenses (e.g., flights, lodging, meals, and incidentals) will be invoiced separately.
- A detailed estimate is provided for your review and approval before any travel occurs.
- The reimbursement invoice includes a comprehensive expense report with supporting receipts for full transparency.
3. GO Live / Post-Implementation
Once your system is Live, we transition from implementation to your recurring subscription for licensed access and ongoing support. You determine the invoice frequency—monthly, quarterly, semi-annually, or annually—based on your preference.
Invoicing Structure:
- Recurring Subscription Invoice – Covers your all-inclusive subscription fee, including access, updates, licensing, and support.
- New Work Invoice (if applicable) – Covers additional services outside of standard support (e.g., custom work, consulting, or training). These are always estimated in advance and invoiced separately.
Invoice Payment Options:
We encourage electronic payments for faster, more secure transactions. Your options include:
- Autopay via ACH (Preferred) – Automatic payments initiated by akoyaGO for hassle-free processing (no additional fee).
- Client-Initiated ACH or Wire Transfers – Direct payments to our bank account at your convenience.
- Credit Card Payments – Accepted for one-time payments only (not available for ongoing invoices). A transaction fee (equal to what our processor charges) will be passed through to the client.
While we still accept paper checks, we strongly encourage clients to transition to electronic payments to ensure faster processing and avoid potential delays.
Learning Software with Training Sessions
Training is a crucial part of the akoyaGO implementation process, ensuring that your team is well-equipped to utilize the system effectively. We offer a range of standard training sessions tailored to meet the needs of akoyaGO Implementation. These sessions are designed to provide comprehensive knowledge and hands-on experience with the various features of akoyaGO, helping your team to maximize the benefits of the new system.
akoyaGO
- Core user training (initial)
- akoyaGO CRM
- Grants Management
- GOapply Overview
- GOapply training
- GOapply Admin / Builder
- GOapply Reviewer
- akoyaGO Customizer
- Views, Dashboards, Fields, Forms (Part I)
- Automations (Part II)
- Core user training with configurations (final)
akoyaGO + Accounting
- Core user training (initial)
- akoyaGO CRM
- Grants Management & GOapply Overview
- Fund Management & GOfund Overview
- Donor Management & GOdonate Overview
- Business Central
- GOapply training
- GOapply Admin / Builder
- GOapply Reviewer
- Supplemental Training
- Scheduled Distributions
- Interfund Transfers
- Letter Templates
- akoyaGO Customizer
- Views, Dashboards, Fields, Forms (Part I)
- Automations (Part II)
- Business Central Month-End Processes
- JIA/ Reapportionment/ Bank Rec / Fund Fees / Net Asset Sweep
- Core user training with configurations (final)
Additional training is facilitated by akoyaGO staff after implementation. Find a full training menu in GOsupport.
Common Configuration Guide
This guide provides an overview of common configuration options within the akoyaGO software. These configurations are designed to reduce manual entry and automate tedious tasks, enhancing your overall efficiency and productivity. We encourage you to brainstorm configurations during Gate 1 and Gate 2 of your implementation to ensure ample time for completion and testing.
Custom Fields
Custom fields allow you to tailor the akoyaGO system to meet your organization's unique needs. You can create custom fields to capture additional information that is not available in the standard fields. This flexibility ensures that you can store and manage all relevant data within the system.
Example: Tracking Donor Preferences
Create custom fields to track donor preferences, such as preferred communication methods and donation frequency. This allows you to capture additional information that is specific to your organization's needs and enhances your ability to manage donor relationships effectively.
GOapply Opportunity
GOapply Opportunities are the main records that house multiple phases of an application within a grant or scholarship request cycle. An Opportunity links multiple phases together; each phase will contain its own form, which can be configured by Project Managers in implementation. Once Opportunities are built, they can be duplicated and edited to make future iterations and edits more streamlined.
Example: General Grant Application for Fall 2025 Cycle
Create an opportunity to house the General Grant Application Cycle. Within the opportunity, there could be three phases: (1) Letter of Intent, (2) General Application, (3) Interim Report. This allows you to capture information from applicants through GOapply, mapped directly to fields in your CRM, and manage each element of the cycle through the GOapply Opportunity.
Email Templates
Email templates in akoyaGO enable you to standardize and automate email communications. You can create templates for common email scenarios, such as acknowledgments, reminders, and notifications. This ensures consistency in your communications and saves time by eliminating the need to draft emails from scratch.
Example: Donation Acknowledgment
Design an email template for donation acknowledgments. The template can include personalized messages, donation details, and a thank-you note. By using this template, you can quickly send consistent and professional acknowledgment emails to donors.
Letter Templates
Similar to email templates, letter templates allow you to standardize and automate written communications. You can create templates for various types of letters, such as thank-you notes, grant approvals, and donation receipts. This helps maintain a professional appearance and reduces the time spent on manual letter writing.
Example: Grant Approval Letter
Create a letter template for grant approval notifications. The template can include the grant details, approval status, and next steps for the recipient. This helps standardize your communication and ensures that all grant approval letters are consistent and professional.
Reports
Reports in akoyaGO provide valuable insights into your data. You can configure reports to display key metrics, track performance, and analyze trends. By automating report generation, you can ensure that you have up-to-date information readily available for decision-making.
Example: Monthly Donation Summary
Configure a report to display a monthly summary of donations received. The report can include key metrics such as total donations, number of donors, and donation trends. By automating this report, you can easily access up-to-date information for decision-making.
Views
Views allow you to customize how data is displayed within the akoyaGO system. You can create views to filter and sort data based on specific criteria, making it easier to find and manage information. This customization helps streamline your workflow and improves data accessibility.
Example: Filtering Active Grants
Create a view to filter and display only active grants. This view can show grants that are currently being processed, making it easier for you to manage and track ongoing projects. Customizing views helps streamline your workflow and improves data accessibility.
Dashboards
Dashboards provide a visual representation of your data, allowing you to monitor key metrics and track progress at a glance. You can configure dashboards to display charts, graphs, and other visual elements that are relevant to your organization's goals. This helps you stay informed and make data-driven decisions.
Example: Fundraising Performance Dashboard
Design a dashboard to monitor fundraising performance. The dashboard can include charts and graphs that display metrics such as total funds raised, donor engagement, and campaign progress. This visual representation helps you stay informed and make data-driven decisions.
akoyaGO + Accounting Specific
Approval Processes
Approval processes in akoyaGO help streamline and automate the approval of various transactions, such as grants, invoices, and payments. By setting up approval workflows, you can ensure that all necessary reviews and approvals are completed before a transaction is finalized.
Example: Grant Approval Workflow
You can create an approval workflow for grant applications. When a grant application is submitted, the workflow can automatically route it to the appropriate reviewers, send notifications, and update the application status based on the review outcome. This ensures a consistent and efficient approval process.
Fund Statement Format
Fund statement formats in akoyaGO allow you to customize the layout and content of fund statements. This includes specifying which information is displayed, such as fund balances, transactions, and performance metrics.
Example: Custom Fund Statement
You can create a custom fund statement format that displays detailed information about fund balances, contributions, and expenses. This format can be tailored to meet the specific needs of your organization and provide clear insights into fund performance.
Check Layout
Check layouts in akoyaGO enable you to customize the appearance of checks issued by your organization. This includes specifying the placement of information such as payee details, amount, and signature lines.
Example: Custom Check Design
You can design a custom check layout that includes your organization's logo, payee information, and signature lines. This ensures that all checks issued by your organization have a professional and consistent appearance.
ACH/EFT
ACH (Automated Clearing House) and EFT (Electronic Funds Transfer) configurations in akoyaGO allow you to automate electronic payments. This includes setting up payment instructions, bank details, and processing schedules.
Example: Automating Vendor Payments
You can configure ACH/EFT settings to initiate electronic payments to vendors. Once a payment is approved, the system can generate the file for the electronic transfer, send notifications to the vendor, and update the payment status in the system. This reduces manual intervention and ensures timely payments.
Fund Fee Formula
Fund fee formulas in akoyaGO allow you to calculate fees associated with managing funds. This includes specifying the formula used to calculate fees based on factors such as fund balances, transactions, and performance.
Example: Monthly Fund Fee Calculation
You can set up a fund fee formula to calculate monthly fees based on the average fund balance. The system can automatically apply the formula, generate fee transactions, and update the fund ledger. This ensures accurate and consistent fee calculations.
Spendable Allotment Formula
Spendable allotment formulas in akoyaGO allow you to calculate the amount of funds available for spending. This includes specifying the formula used to determine the spendable amount based on factors such as fund balances and investment returns.
Example: Annual Spendable Allotment Calculation
You can set up a spendable allotment formula to calculate the annual spendable amount for each fund. The system can automatically apply the formula, generate spendable allotment transactions, and update the fund ledger. This ensures accurate and consistent calculations of available funds.
By leveraging these configuration options within the akoyaGO software, you can significantly reduce manual entry and automate tedious tasks. This not only enhances your efficiency but also ensures consistency and accuracy in your operations.
Customizations
Workflows
Workflows in akoyaGO allow you to automate business processes by defining a series of steps that need to be completed. You can create workflows to automate tasks such as sending notifications, updating records, and assigning tasks to users. This helps ensure consistency and reduces the need for manual intervention.
Example: Automating Grant Approval Process
You can create a workflow to automate the grant approval process. When a grant application is submitted, the workflow can automatically assign it to the appropriate reviewer, send notifications, and update the application status based on the review outcome. This ensures a streamlined and consistent approval process.
Business Rules
Business rules enable you to enforce specific conditions and actions within the system. By setting up business rules, you can automate decision-making processes, validate data entries, and trigger actions based on predefined criteria. This helps maintain data integrity and streamlines operations.
Example: Enforcing Data Validation
Set up business rules to enforce data validation for grant applications. For instance, you can create a rule that requires all fields to be filled out before an application can be submitted. This helps maintain data integrity and ensures that incomplete applications are not processed.
Configuration Testing
As configurations are built in Gate 3 of the Project, we ask that project leads and designated staff participate in user acceptance testing (UAT). As staff begin testing configured features and functionality, Project Managers anticipate receiving feedback before final sign-off.
Gate 3 is a pivotal phase in the implementation process where system configurations are built and tested within your akoyaGO environment with sample data. Active staff participation in UAT ensures that the tailored solutions meet operational needs, workflows are intuitive, and any issues are identified early—before GOlive. This collaborative testing not only validates the system's readiness but also empowers staff to gain hands-on familiarity, boosting confidence and adoption. By engaging directly in UAT, staff become champions of the new system, helping to drive a smoother transition and long-term success.
Transition through Client Services
The journey of implementing akoyaGO begins with the sales phase, where we discuss your organization's needs and how akoyaGO can meet them. Once you sign with akoyaGO, we move into the implementation phase. This phase involves several key steps, including data migration, training, and configuration. During this time, our team works closely with you to ensure that the system is set up according to your requirements and that your team is well-prepared to use it effectively.
After GOlive, we transition to account management and support. This phase is crucial for maintaining the system's performance and ensuring that your team continues to receive the necessary support. Our account management team will be your primary point of contact, providing ongoing assistance, troubleshooting, and updates. We are committed to supporting you throughout the duration of our partnership, ensuring that akoyaGO continues to meet your organization's needs and helps you achieve your goals.
Engagement & Feedback
After GOlive with akoyaGO, we offer numerous opportunities to stay engaged and make the most of our ever-enhancing software. We host product update webinars approximately every six weeks to keep you informed about the latest features and improvements. Additionally, we offer support webinars and new feature webinars to help you navigate any challenges and make the most of new functionalities.
We also host an annual in-person user conference called EMPOWERED, which provides a fantastic opportunity to connect with other akoyaGO users, share experiences, and learn from industry experts. Furthermore, we organize user groups each quarter and maintain online forums where you can engage with other akoyaGO users, exchange ideas, and seek advice.
We encourage you to participate in these events and stay engaged to fully understand and leverage the capabilities of akoyaGO.