First Sun Management Improves Bank Reconciliations with Sage Intacct with Tablespoon | Tbsp

First Sun Management, a leading Wendy's franchise group with 19 restaurants in South Carolina and Georgia, aimed to implement a modern, cloud-based financial solution to replace its outdated on-premise RTI system.

The Challenge

First Sun's reliance on RTI created several challenges, including manual journal entries and data entries, issues with financial reporting, and difficulties in bank reconciliations. Additionally, when their accountant faced a family emergency, the finance and operations team struggled because they were unfamiliar with RTI. This further highlighted the need for a more user-friendly and accessible solution.

Challenges with RTI:

• RTI was cumbersome and had various modules that did not integrate well, requiring manual data imports.
• RTI's on-premise desktop system was not user-friendly, making it difficult for team members to assist with accounting tasks when necessary.
• First Sun did not perform bank reconciliations in RTI; instead, they utilized Excel, which was a manual and time-consuming process. As such, bank reconciliations were done quarterly.
• Finding accounting professionals with experience in RTI proved more challenging than more widely used accounting platforms. "In the event that we would need to hire temporary staff, we didn't feel that we could easily find skilled restaurant accountants with RTI experience," Clark Mizell, First Sun's CFO.

The Solution

Tablespoon met First Sun at the Wendy's Franchise Association's annual meeting. Tablespoon introduced First Sun to the benefits of Sage Intacct, a cloud-based financial management system. Although First Sun also considered Dynamics, they ultimately partnered with Tablespoon due to its extensive expertise in restaurant accounting, particularly with Wendy's franchise groups and Sage Intacct implementations. The Tablespoon team provided a smooth transition for First Sun from RTI to Sage Intacct.

Key Improvements

• Cloud-Based Accessibility: Moving to Sage Intacct provided First Sun with real-time financial data that is accessible from anywhere, improving decision-making and operational efficiency.
• Enhanced Bank Reconciliations: One of the most significant improvements was simplifying bank reconciliations for First Sun. Tablespoon and Sage Intacct were instrumental in reducing manual work and errors while improving accuracy. Before implementing Sage Intacct, First Sun conducted bank reconciliations quarterly. Now, they perform these reconciliations daily.
• Scalability & Reporting: Sage Intacct's advanced reporting and dashboards helped First Sun gain better insights into financial performance across locations, enabling more strategic growth. "Now, when I receive preliminary financial statements from Sage Intacct, they are clearer, and I have fewer comments or questions than when I used RTI," said Clark Mizell.
• ProLiant Integration: First Sun's payroll system, ProLiant, is integrated with Sage Intacct, enabling the automatic downloading of payroll batches and eliminating manual data entry.

"Sage Intacct's bank reconciliation feature is hands down the best. We were skeptical at first, but its value has been immeasurable. I never would have believed how simple it could be. We went from conducting bank reconciliations quarterly to doing them daily," said Susan Barnes, First Sun's Accountant.

The Results

With Tablespoon's guidance, First Sun's finance team now benefits from a modern, scalable system that supports growth and simplifies daily accounting operations.

"We had a very positive experience working with Tablespoon. The team demonstrated a solid understanding of P&Ls and Wendy's franchises, which made the process smooth. Their training was effective, and we worked closely with Tablespoon's Principal Solution Architect. He created an import file that exceeded our expectations," said Timothy Jacobs, First Sun's IT Director.

The partnership with Tablespoon has equipped First Sun with a strong, cloud-based solution that improves financial clarity and efficiency across its Wendy's franchise locations.

Dedication:

This case study is dedicated to Clark Mizell, First Sun’s CFO, whose leadership and vision left a lasting impact. We honor his contributions and legacy, and we are grateful for the opportunity to share his insights.