Accounts Payable Services & AP Automation Providers in Carmel, IN

Edgewater CPA Group is an Indiana accounting firm, formerly known as Brookside Accounting, that has supported business owners since 2008. Its offices are in Carmel, Indianapolis, Fort Wayne and Evansville, and it also takes on clients throughout the United States. The firm combines CPAs, tax strategists and certified bookkeepers. Its pitch is a single team that handles tax planning, bookkeeping and payroll together, so owners do not need a separate bookkeeper and a separate payroll vendor.

Accounts Payable Within Full Service Bookkeeping

Edgewater does not sell standalone AP automation software. Payables work is delivered as part of its Full Service Bookkeeping program, which suits buyers who want to hand off the whole back office. In this tier, staff record transactions during the month rather than only at month end. They also take on several duties beyond basic recordkeeping:

• Tracking vendor bills (accounts payable)
• Paying bills on the client's behalf
• Tracking customer invoices (accounts receivable)
• Helping with collections
• Monitoring inventory

Clients who need less can choose the after-the-fact bookkeeping model instead. Under this option, the team captures and categorizes transactions by vendor, customer, job and account. It reconciles bank, credit card and liability accounts and posts payroll data and month-end journal entries. Each month it closes out the profit and loss statement, balance sheet and other management reports. Because vendor coding and reconciliation are built into both tiers, payables records stay tied to the general ledger.

How Engagements Work

New clients go through three stages. First comes a consultation to understand how the business operates. Next, Edgewater cleans up and restructures past financial records under a customized plan. After that, the firm takes over ongoing maintenance.

For more complex operations, the team reviews existing workflows, looks for bottlenecks such as disorganized records or slow reporting, and builds a longer-term bookkeeping roadmap. Every engagement also includes a Tax Leak Assessment within the first 45 days. Clients get unlimited advisory before major moves such as buying equipment, hiring, restructuring the entity or expanding into other states.

Strategic reviews take place at least twice a year.

Related Services

Alongside bookkeeping, Edgewater runs full-service payroll for small businesses in all 50 states. This covers direct deposit, tax escrow, benefit and garnishment deductions, federal filings such as Forms 941, 940 and W-2, and online access for employers and employees. Its other services include business tax strategy and preparation, controller services, profitability and growth advisory, and tax resolution with defense against IRS notices. The firm also hosts a podcast for entrepreneurs, The Owner's Odyssey.

For companies comparing AP providers, Edgewater fits best when payables management is wanted as part of a broader outsourced accounting relationship. In that arrangement, bill payment, reconciliations, payroll and tax planning are all coordinated by one team, rather than bought as a separate automation platform.

Overview

Financial Technologies & Management is a CPA firm based in Carmel, Indiana. It has supported charitable and mission-driven organizations since 1999. The site also lists general business offerings, but the firm presents itself as a practice that dedicates its time and expertise to nonprofits. It reports helping hundreds of such groups over more than two decades. Clients are served remotely from the Carmel office, so the firm works with organizations across Central Indiana and in other locations as well.

Relevance for Accounts Payable Buyers

The firm does not advertise a standalone accounts payable product. However, organizations that want to hand off or modernize their payables work will find several closely related offerings:

• Outsourced bookkeeping and accounting that cover the routine transaction work needed to keep the ledger current.
• Staff who can run the month-end, quarter-end and annual close cycles.
• Microix approval workflows, implemented on top of MIP Fund Accounting, for teams that want stronger approval routing.
• Reviews of internal control environments, followed by recommendations to make operating procedures more efficient.
• Cash flow projections and payroll processing for day-to-day finance support.
• Higher-level guidance through outsourced controller and part-time CFO engagements.
• Nonprofit tax preparation and planning, plus forensic accounting when disputes arise.

Software Expertise

Technology is a major part of the practice. The firm works with QuickBooks Online, MIP Fund Accounting and its cloud edition, Microix, AccuFund, Araize FastFund Online and Sage Intacct, the last through an accountants program. Its software services span the full lifecycle:

• Needs assessments and software sales
• Data conversions and implementations
• Ongoing training and support
• Project management

QuickBooks users can also get help with initial setup, file tune-ups and answers to day-to-day usage questions. This mix makes the firm a practical option for nonprofits that want to pair outsourced accounting labor with a fund accounting system.

How the Firm Works

Engagements begin with a conversation about how the firm's services can best fit the organization. The team concentrates on covering staffing gaps, since many nonprofits cannot afford a complete in-house finance department. It is used to collaborating with existing internal accounting staff rather than replacing them. It is also familiar with the expectations of grantors, donors and members, and it handles those relationships with appropriate discretion. Prospective clients can request a free consultation and an accounting needs assessment.

Team and Background

The firm's leadership team includes Jim Simpson, Stacey Simpson, Nicholas Simpson and Jeron Comeau, supported by CPAs, accountants and controllers. The firm credits its growth largely to referrals from clients and partners. Beyond client work, it runs an education program for nonprofit finance staff, which includes:

• A monthly e-newsletter
• The Nonprofit Financial Forum
• An MIP user group
• A Nonprofit Finance Certificate
• A peer group for NFP CFOs and finance leaders

For Indiana nonprofits comparing payables and back-office support providers, the firm's appeal lies in this combination of nonprofit-only focus, fund accounting software knowledge and ongoing training.