Like many large non-profit organizations, the YMCA of Greater Houston faced significant challenges in its accounts payable (AP) and procurement processes. The previous system required heavy manual intervention, creating inefficiencies that affected staff across multiple locations.
“We had a very manual process with AP,” explains Sean Cawthon, Executive Director of Finance at YMCA of Greater Houston. “We would get invoices from various centers, process checks, and mail them out – it was a long and tedious task.”
Adding to the complexity, YMCA Houston’s purchasing needs are far from standard. Unlike traditional businesses that order from a fixed catalog, the YMCA often needs to procure non-standard services, such as bus transportation for summer camps.
“Our needs don’t always fit into a standard procurement model,” says Sean. “We needed a system that could adapt to our requirements rather than force us to work within its constraints.”
The solution: automating and customizing with Basware
YMCA Houston turned to Basware to digitize and optimize its procurement and AP processes. The implementation included purchase order (PO) automation and AP workflow improvements, drastically reducing manual effort and increasing efficiency.
“With Basware, we moved from a manual workflow to an automated one,” explains Sean. “It changed everything. We were able to elevate the business office beyond just handling paperwork and focus on improving the overall workflow.”
Basware’s flexibility allowed YMCA Houston to create custom free-text forms for unique purchases, ensuring that all spending remained controlled and visible. The ability to integrate punch-out catalogs from vendors like Amazon further simplified the process for staff, making procurement as intuitive as a standard online shopping experience.
