Choosing the right case management software: FAQs and tips

Technology is the key to accelerating social change. Today, nonprofit organizations, public sector agencies, and other social good organizations require powerful digital tools that can adapt to their needs. As such, many of these organizations turn to case management tools to keep detailed records, manage their workflows, and make evidence-based decisions.

In this guide, we’ll explain why and how to invest in a system that can handle your programs, cases, and projects with ease. Then, we’ll take a look at the top case management tool on the market: Bonterra Management Impact, built on Social Solutions. 

5 FAQs about case management software

Review these common questions to discover what case management software is and how it can help your organization. With foundational knowledge, you can start your search for the perfect case management solution. 

1. What are case management tools?

Case management tools consist of software that helps nonprofits and public agencies track and manage client data, and resolve cases and requests. Primarily, case managers use these tools to document client contact and billing information, case notes, and appointment scheduling. 

Additionally, comprehensive case management software has features for referral management, impact reporting, and client communication. By storing this data in one unified system, case workers can easily access all of the tools and information they need to serve their clients. 

2. How do case management tools work?

Different case management solutions vary in what features they prioritize. However, most case management tools will have features for the following major processes: 

• Intake: Rather than manually collecting and inputting client information during the intake process, self-service digital intake forms can capture clients’ necessary data in a matter of minutes.
• Case tracking: Case management software helps manage your workflow and address clients’ needs by providing tools to record notes, answer service requests, flag issues, send and receive emails, and set task reminders. 
• Reporting and evaluation: A quality case management system has robust reporting tools for visualizing trends and evaluating data. With reporting tools, you can quantify and qualify client success, rather than relying on anecdotes and estimations. 

From gathering information to streamlining your workflow, implementing case management software will help expand your capacity for client care. 

3. Why is case management software important? 

Case managers often work with dozens of clients and collect hundreds of data points. Keeping track of this information and managing day-to-day tasks can be a challenge without the help of a reliable tool like case management software. 

A case management tool stores all your client information in one place, making it easy to:

• Increase productivity: Case management software can streamline data input and operations management, freeing up time and increasing productivity. You and your staff can log activities, make notes, delegate tasks, and schedule events within the same intuitive interface. 
• Create reports: Case management reporting tools make tracking client progress and other metrics easy. Plus, many case management tools allow you to present and display data so insights can be seen at a glance. This gives managers and other senior employees an overview of how your nonprofit or agency is performing, helping you pinpoint opportunities for improvement and demonstrate impact to funders.
• Collaborate between case workers:  Information input into your case management system is automatically accessible to employees with permission to view case data, allowing for increased accountability and effective collaboration between different teams or departments.
• Reach out to clients: Case workers can communicate directly with their clients through case management software messaging tools. These messages are secure and automatically tracked, so you never have to worry about missing important details.

With case management software, you’ll spend less time keeping track of your tasks, lists, notes, and deadlines, and more time on building meaningful connections with your clients. 

4. Which organizations benefit from case management tools?

From customer service representatives to doctors’ offices, any organization looking to bring order to an otherwise complicated workflow can benefit from case management software. 

Essentially, organizations that still use paper or disjointed spreadsheets to record client information will benefit from using case management tools. Rather than storing records in file cabinets, with the right software, everything you need is accessible, organized, accurate, consistent, and secure in a searchable database. 

5. What are some essential features of case management software?

The right case management platform should meet your organization’s unique needs and be adaptable enough to fit your case management model. Keep these key features in mind when searching for the best solution:

• Workflow automation: Case management software often has automated processes that reduce human error, improve data integrity, and complete basic administrative tasks. This frees up your team’s time, allowing them to focus their efforts on tasks that need a human touch. 
• Mobile compatibility: A mobile-optimized interface allows your team to track staff, clients, and resources, and get a snapshot of your organization’s performance. This is also useful for submitting notes and completing tasks while out in the field. 
• Referral management: Internal and network referrals can be essential for providing clients with the resources they need. Case management software can make facilitating referrals simple.
• Compliance reporting: Many organizations that operate in the public sector, healthcare, or human services fields have compliance requirements. Use a case management tool that can generate necessary reports to make maintaining compliance easy. 
• Secure data: With a case management system, you’ll have peace of mind that your clients’ sensitive data is secure. Choose a system that not only keeps your data safe but also performs automatic and regular data backups, should a crash occur.
• Smart forms: Most software allows you to create forms, outcomes assessments, letter templates, and surveys that have smart features, such as auto-populated fields and e-signatures. These features help to improve your data’s accuracy and create a convenient process for everyone involved. 

You might also prioritize additional features like secure communication tools, attendance tracking, or client self-service portals depending on your organization’s needs. These case management tools will help your team improve their workflows and ensure clients receive the best possible service.

Tips for choosing the right case management software

With so many case management software options out there, it’s important to choose one that meets your agency’s unique tracking, reporting, and communication needs. In addition to assessing features as you explore your options, schedule demos where you can ask the providers questions, such as:

• Does the provider offer quality, ongoing support?
• Is it easy to retrieve and report on the data you collect?
• Can the system be configured to fit your organization’s unique needs?
• Can you make minor system changes without having to go through the provider?
• Can the software (and the provider) grow and adapt as your organization grows and changes?

Finding a new case management system is an investment of time and resources, but the right solution will be well worth it by increasing your organization’s productivity and impact. 

The best case management software for social good

Looking for a solution that includes all the features discussed earlier and can scale with your needs? The best case management software currently available for social good organizations is Bonterra Impact Management. 

At Bonterra, we are proud to provide nonprofits and public sector agencies with a comprehensive, flexible, and user-friendly case management software solution. Case management is built to transform case management practices in three fundamental ways:

• Increase efficiency: Paper and file cabinets may be traditional tools, but they lack efficiency. Case management provides tools for workflow automation, unified case management, and streamlined participant engagement. 
• Measure program impact: Reporting is essential for ensuring your work is making an impact, maintaining compliance with federal agencies, and showcasing your impact to funders. With Case management, it’s easy to compile and display data in user-friendly presentations. 
• Improve program impact: Case management not only makes reporting outcomes easier but can also help increase the quality of those outcomes. Case management puts data front and center, allowing team members to find the information they need and make evidence-based decisions quickly, improving service delivery times, and ensuring those services are valuable. 

Our team at Bonterra is invested in our customers’ success and as such, we provide training and ongoing technical support to make sure your team’s software continues supporting your goals. 

Next steps for investing in case management tools

Ask yourself if your current case management process, whether you’re using software or paper tracking, is meeting your needs. If it’s time for an upgrade, start researching case management solutions to find a comprehensive, flexible platform like Bonterra Impact Management that can automate administrative processes and help you provide the best care possible.