“When you finally understand your school’s budget on a Monday morning, that’s real empowerment.”
That’s how one school business officer at the SAIS Conference summed it up with a laugh. And honestly? We couldn’t agree more.
There was something about that moment, lighthearted but real, that captured the spirit of SAIS 2025. It reminded us that finance, at its best is about simplifying the everyday.
So, what really happens when finance meets the future of education?
At the SAIS 2025 Annual Conference at Atlanta, held from October 19–21, we explored that question alongside hundreds of school leaders, business officers, and change-makers who are redefining how their schools operate.
The conversation is shifting. The question of “How do we manage?” has transitioned to a much bolder one: “How do we lead?”
Across sessions and hallway conversations, one thing stood out, the business office is evolving fast. Rising costs, multi-campus operations, and compliance demands are reshaping how schools plan, budget, and grow. But beyond those challenges lies a new sense of possibility.
“We’ve heard time and again from schools that the market has long overlooked the needs of small and mid-sized institutions,” said Archana Agnihotri, Director, Product Strategy and Design, at MentisSoft.
“These schools form the backbone of our education system — and we’re proud to build solutions that give them the same power, insight, and simplicity once reserved only for the bigger campuses.”
Reimagining How Schools See Their Finances
This year’s SAIS theme focused on transformation, not just trends. And for us, that message couldn’t have hit closer to home. For MentisSoft, transformation isn’t about introducing new features; it’s about changing the experience of managing school finance.
At our booth, we didn’t just demonstrate software we talked stories. About teams spending nights reconciling ledgers, about parents needing payment clarity, about development offices juggling endless spreadsheets. And we talked about what could change when technology feels intuitive enough to make all that easier.
From one-on-one walkthroughs to live demos, the energy around transforming school finance was evident.
Event Highlights: What Made SAIS 2025 Special for MentisSoft
What truly made SAIS 2025 stand out wasn’t just the buzz around technology it was the clear desire to make finance simpler, smarter, and more empowering for schools.
FINACS in Action:
Our live FINACS demos quickly became a highlight for attendees who saw firsthand how real-time insights and intuitive design can transform the way business offices operate. From student billing and international currency support to batch invoice generation and precise payment tracking, FINACS showed how schools can turn complex financial data into clear, actionable direction.
What resonated most was the balance between familiarity and innovation, a system that feels comfortable from day one yet powerful enough to handle the evolving needs of modern schools. One business officer smiled after a demo and said, “This would’ve saved me a week last quarter.” That kind of impact is exactly what drives us.
More than a product, FINACS represents a shift in mindset. Today’s schools need finance tools that empower teams to lead with confidence and purpose. Built with education-specific functionality from the ground up, FINACS helps teams move beyond manual tasks and focus on what really matters – strategy, growth, and student success.
FundThrive in Focus:
Another key solution we showcased at our booth was FundThrive, our fundraising platform purpose-built for independent schools and nonprofits. Through live walkthroughs, attendees saw how FundThrive simplifies donor management, streamlines receipts, and delivers real-time visibility into campaign performance.
The feedback was immediate; many shared how natural the interface felt, how everything they needed was right where they expected it to be. As one development leader put it, “This would let me spend more time with donors and less time chasing data.”
FundThrive marks a new chapter in fundraising, bringing the spotlight back to what drives success: meaningful relationships, strong communities, and lasting impact. With purpose-built tools for acknowledgments, donation tracking, and performance dashboards, FundThrive helps teams spend less time managing data and more time building meaningful connections that inspire giving.
Why Do Schools Trust MentisSoft?
Designed with the unique demands of independent schools in mind, MentisSoft provides precise financial management solutions. Our strength lies in understanding education, not just in code and configuration, but in context.
Here’s why schools continue to trust MentisSoft:
- Tailored for education: FINACS mirrors the academic and financial year cycles, fund-based accounting needs, and reporting requirements of independent schools.
- Cloud-based and scalable: Whether it’s a small academy or a multi-campus network, the system scales seamlessly.
- Simple to integrate, effortless to use: It fits naturally into existing ecosystems without disrupting daily routines.
- Reliable and secure: With robust data protection and audit-ready logs, peace of mind becomes standard.
Our commitment is clear, we help educators focus on their main mission while MentisSoft takes care of the complexities of financial management and school operations with precision and ease.
What’s Next?
We wrapped up SAIS 2025 feeling truly inspired. Every conversation, every question, every “Can it do this?” moment reaffirmed our mission to help schools build solid, future-ready financial foundations.
A huge shoutout to everyone who visited us, your questions, insights, and energy made the event truly memorable. With your support and feedback, we’re excited to build even greater things with our products.
Let’s Keep the Conversation Going
If you didn’t have a chance to connect with us at SAIS 2025, or if you’re ready to take the next step, we’d love to hear from you.
Please reach out for a personalized demo
When finance is simple, everything else becomes possible.
