FOA is now running Sage MAS 90 with full suite of financial and sales modules and Job Cost, for end-to-end internal and point-of-sale management and detailed project tracking.

Sage MAS 90 a Must-Have
Business information is now automated at all levels of the organization through Sage MAS 90. Data flows in from the POS and Sales Order modules and is integrated in the general ledger. Purchase order information goes straight into Accounts Payable. Consolidated financial statements showing all 23 departments on a single sheet are prepared with the aid of Sage MAS 90.

"I don’t see how we ever lived without MAS 90 and Job Cost," says Marta Santillano, FOA’s director of finance. "They form a seamless system that we’re using for almost everything, including our operational budgets, sales, receivables, payables, and even gift shop sales."

POS Pumps Up Profits
In the Festival’s bustling gift shop, Sage MAS 90’s POS module has boosted point-of-sales profits. "With 200,000 visitors every summer, we experience tremendous lines in the gift store before and after each show," explains Santillano. "If people can’t buy a souvenir in a hurry, we lose their business. The new POS system reduces several steps in the transaction process, allowing us to keep up with demand. We have easily seen a 30 percent increase in business since implementing the system."

Because of the excellent accountability offered by Sage MAS 90 and Job Cost, FOA has been able to attract large corporate sponsors like Mercedes-Benz, UBS, American Express and Chevron. "Donors are much more likely to give money when they see we’re wise fiscal stewards," says Santillano. "We can create very detailed reports using MAS 90 and Job Cost, proving where every dollar was spent."

Stars and Savings
FOA uses the Sage MAS 90 Job Cost module to track expenditures and revenues by individual project and prepare annual budgets by department. The Festival hosts major events attended by Hollywood stars like Jane Seymour and Joe Mantegna. "Until we had Job Cost, we had no idea how much each event cost," says Santillano. "Now we can pinpoint expenditures and plan wisely. As a result, we cut our gala costs in half."

The Festival recently completed a $1.8 million production studio and a $0.5 million fire exit plan, both managed with Job Cost. "The city reimburses us for capital improvements," notes Santillano. "Job Cost helped ensure that we recoup all appropriate expenditures."

A percentage of the Festival’s gross receipts must be paid to the city as rent. By using Sage MAS 90, FOA’s directors were able to document expenses for maintenance that came to almost half of its annual rent. Renegotiations resulted in a much more favorable lease.

"Bringing art to life requires an awful lot of business coordination," Santillano summarizes. "MAS 90 makes it happen for us."