The World of Financial Ops Connected at Last
Executive Summary
The Institute of Financial Operations (IFO) is the umbrella organization comprising four affiliates:
- International Accounts Payable Professionals (IAPP)
- International Accounts Receivable Professionals (IARP)
- National Association of Purchasing and Payables (NAPP)
- The Association for Work Process Improvement (TAWPI)
The areas of focus traditionally addressed by the affiliates were once viewed as separate "back office" functions, but they are undeniably interconnected in today's business world. IFO's vision in bringing these organizations under one umbrella in May 2011 was to reflect how critical these interrelated functions are to the success of businesses of all sizes and in all industries. The new mission for the umbrella organization is to educate, inform and guide accounts payable, accounts receivable and payments, procure-to-pay, automation, document management and data capture professionals, while elevating the awareness and stature of their professions around the world.
The Challenge
Intellavia was tasked with developing a Dynamic database driven web application solution that not only delivers web content, but also delivers an enterprise level document and media management system that tightly controls the delivery and management of IFO document resources. This content and document management solution also needed to be integrated with an enterprise level Association Management System (AMS) via a seamless integration pattern that is unobtrusive and tightly coupled to the member user's experience.
The Solution
The Institute of Financial Operations teamed with Intellavia to construct a web site with the ability to serve its vast audience, while providing both member and public access to valuable industry-specific content, and enhance the availability of online professional training and education. Throughout the duration of the project, extensive testing and refining of the site's content, design, and functionality proved essential.
Intellavia met the needs of IFO by developing the website as a Liferay portal. Every piece of content is categories and tagged to such an extent that users can easily find all applicable resources to meet their needs. The addition of new content is an easy click-and-drag function that admins can render and confgure in seconds. Moreover, It seamlessly integrates with Avectra / NetForum using SSO for three distinct user experiences based on client-managed roles. Additionally, it has an integrated OpenX ad banner system, customized event and conference calendar, web publishing and shared workspaces, enterprise collaboration, enterprise portals and identity management, chapter templates, robust news features, multi level social networking and much more.
The partnership between IFO and Intellavia has grown from a traditional pairing of organizations to a team consistently working towards one ultimate goal.
Results
http://www.financialops.org/ was successfully launched (on time and on budget) in October 2011 and has since become the leading, most trusted source for all things financial ops. In a short time, IFO has been able to distinguish the organization as an invaluable resource to its members. The Liferay platform has allowed IFO to publish thousands of training, certification, best practices, webinars, online magazines, tools, career, and other leading-edge resources to support members in the financial ops industry. The launch was deemed highly successful by stakeholders, staff and members alike. The number of members is now over 5,000 and local chapters are at 70-plus. As the ultimate complement, IFO has since referred us to other customers who need highly-effective technology solutions.
Quick Facts
- Industry: Association, Financial Operations, Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, Purchasing and Payables, Work Process Improvement, Association
- Technology: Java, PHP, HTML, CSS, Javascript, portal and portlet (JSR-168) design and development with the Liferay Portal, template integration (using Velocity), OpenX
- External Software Integration: Avectra™ - Membership Management Software
- Social Media: Facebook, Twitter, Blog, Content Sharing
- View Website: http://www.financialops.org/