University Business - November/December 2011 - (Page 57)

SponSored caSe Study Commerce Manager provides smooth sailing—in more ways than one Nelnet’s Commerce Manager provides security and simplicity to financial managers S uzanne J. Kallighan was determined to celebrate her vious program wasn’t Payment Card Industry Data Security 40th birthday without worrying about work. But before Standard compliant, which is one of the reasons Richmond the University of Richmond associate bursar could head switched to the Nelnet system. “If we got breached, there would have been huge fines,” off on a planned cruise, she had to implement a new computshe said. erized accounting system. Her department did some shopping for new programs, “I wanted to be able to get on that boat with nothing hangbut they didn’t look far before signing over my head,” she said. ing up for Commerce Manager. Because that new system was The university was already using Nelnet Business Solutions’ ComNelnet’s QuikPAY system for elecmerce Manager, she succeeded. tronic tuition billing and payment, “I had everybody up and running so they decided to stay with the comin less than a week.” pany they trusted. That was three years ago. OperSince going live with Commerce ating Commerce Manager has gone Manager in her office, Kallighan has smoothly ever since. brought it to other departments. It’s “It’s very easy to learn,” Kallighan now used to allow returning students said. “We did all the training over to make housing deposits during the the phone. If we had wanted them to year and for entering students to make come out, they would have, but it just “I had everybody up initial deposits; for processing of funwasn’t necessary.” and running in less than draising gifts; for accepting payments Commerce Manager is a centralfrom international students; and for ized reporting and reconciliation a week.” processing alumni donations. Before system that allows one college or implementing Commerce Manager, university office to oversee financial transactions from numerous departments. It also assures an students who solicited alumni donations were literally transinstitution that risk, fraud, and other financial security issues porting credit card numbers across campus for processing. Richmond recently started allowing parents to use Comare being handled properly. The University of Richmond, a 4,500-student undergradu- merce Manager to beef up their children’s campus spending ate, graduate, and law institution in Virginia, was using a dif- cards. “That was huge,” Kallighan said. “It really cut down on the ferent system to consolidate financial transactions when Kallighan arrived more than 10 years ago. But the old program phone calls we were getting at the beginning of each semester had to be installed on desktop computers. That meant she and from parents calling to add money. Now they can go online her programmer needed to sit down and install or remove the and do it 24/7.” And the associate bursar can relax—whether she’s headed program whenever employees joined or left the university. With Commerce Manager, no such running from desk-to- to a cruise or not. “I’m a picky consumer. If I don’t like something, I’m the desk is involved. Permissions can simply be added or deleted first one to tell you, but I love this product,” Kallighan said. centrally. “The program we were using before was clunky, for lack of a better word,” she said. “Commerce Manager has just been so For more information please visit www.campuscommerce.com. much easier and seamless.” More important than convenience and efficiency, Commerce Manager included tighter security. The school’s pre- universitybusiness.com November/December 2011 57 http://www.campuscommerce.com http://www.campuscommerce.com http://www.universitybusiness.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of University Business - November/December 2011

University Business - November/December 2011
Contents
Editor's Note
College Index
Ad Index
Behind the News
Financial Aid
Viewpoint
Education Gateways
Models of Efficiency
Business Intelligence Gets Smarter
Internet Technology
Independent Outlook
End Note

University Business - November/December 2011