For many intellectual and developmental disability (IDD) agencies, billing and payroll processes can be complex and time-consuming. Managing service time, tracking work minutes, and ensuring accurate billing often requires significant administrative effort.
For Ability Building Community (ABC), a nonprofit organization serving individuals with disabilities in Minnesota, inefficient billing systems and outdated technology were slowing down operations and consuming valuable staff time.
By implementing Vertex Systems, ABC was able to streamline billing workflows, improve accuracy, and dramatically reduce the time spent on administrative tasks, allowing staff to focus more on supporting individuals and programs within their community.
About Ability Building Community (ABC)
Ability Building Community (ABC) is a nonprofit organization that has been serving individuals with disabilities since 1956. Over the decades, the organization has expanded significantly and now operates in two Minnesota locations – La Crescent and Caledonia.
Originally founded to provide vocational opportunities for individuals with disabilities, ABC has continued to evolve its services to better support independence and employment. Today, their programs include:
- Vocational training programs
- Adult day services
- Independent living skills programs
- Community-based employment opportunities
In recent years, ABC has also shifted its focus toward community-based jobs, helping individuals with disabilities gain employment within their local communities, an approach reflected in the organization’s name, Ability Building Community.
ABC began working with Vertex Systems in 2017, implementing the platform to better manage billing, payroll tracking, and service documentation across their programs.
The Challenge: Time-Intensive Billing and Limited Support
Before implementing Vertex, ABC struggled with inefficient billing processes and inadequate technology from their previous provider.
Staff were spending excessive time managing billing operations, which placed a strain on internal resources and made it difficult to stay on top of workloads. The lack of responsive customer support from their previous vendor only made the situation more challenging.
Key challenges included:
- Excessive time spent processing billing tasks
- Inefficient billing workflows
- Limited automation and system support
- Slow customer service from their previous provider
- Administrative work consuming valuable staff resources
Because of these limitations, billing tasks that should have taken minutes often required multiple days to complete, slowing down operations and increasing costs.
The Solution: Vertex Billing and Workforce Management Tools
To address these challenges, ABC implemented multiple Vertex modules designed specifically for human services and IDD agencies.
The Vertex platform allowed ABC to track client service time, convert those minutes into billable services, and ensure individuals were properly compensated for their work.
Key Vertex modules used by ABC include:
Billing Manager
Vertex’s Billing Manager streamlined billing workflows by automating service agreement imports and simplifying billing processes. This allowed staff to capture revenue more accurately while reducing administrative effort.
Case Manager
The Case Manager module enabled staff to track client services and documentation more efficiently, improving coordination and ensuring accurate records across programs.
Client Payroll Manager
With Client Payroll Manager, ABC can track work minutes and productivity to ensure individuals participating in vocational programs are paid correctly for the work they perform.
Vocational Time Manager
The Vocational Time Manager allows ABC to monitor program time and productivity within a single system, simplifying the process of converting service time into billing and payroll records.
TimeWorksPlus
ABC also leverages TimeWorksPlus, which helps track staff and program time more efficiently, improving workforce management across the organization.
The Results: Dramatic Time Savings and Improved Efficiency
After implementing Vertex Systems, ABC experienced significant improvements in operational efficiency and billing performance.
Key results included:
- Billing processes reduced from multiple days to just minutes
- Billing workload reduced from five days per week to three days per week
- Lower labor costs due to reduced administrative workload
- Improved accuracy in billing and payroll tracking
- Faster processing and improved operational efficiency
In fact, the improvements were so significant that the billing workload was reduced enough to allow a billing employee to move toward semi-retirement, demonstrating just how much the system streamlined operations.
Vertex’s technology also improved billing accuracy by automatically identifying errors such as incorrect payment data or customer information, helping prevent costly mistakes before they occur.
What ABC Staff Say
“If Vertex leaves, I leave.” – Liz Schinigoi, Billing Coordinator, Ability Building Community
A Partnership Built on Trust and Support
Beyond the software itself, ABC credits much of their success to the strong partnership they have built with the Vertex team.
Vertex’s support staff works closely with ABC to answer questions, provide guidance, and ensure the platform continues to meet the organization’s needs. Whether through phone calls, emails, webinars, or project tracking, the Vertex team remains highly responsive and engaged.
This ongoing support allows ABC to move forward with confidence, knowing that help is always available whenever it’s needed.
Helping IDD Agencies Streamline Billing and Operations
Vertex Systems delivers powerful information management solutions designed specifically for human services agencies and IDD providers.
By connecting billing, payroll, case management, and workforce tracking into a single platform, Vertex helps organizations:
- Simplify complex billing processes
- Improve operational efficiency
- Reduce administrative workload
- Increase billing accuracy and compliance
- Focus more time on supporting individuals and communities
If your organization is looking for a better way to manage billing and operational workflows, Vertex Systems can help.
Contact our team today to learn how Vertex can support your agency’s growth and mission and download the full ABC Case Study.