Articles

By Paul Foden, CEO of Aedon.Accounting

Nine months ago, I set out to design an accounting software solution specifically for charities. I expected a challenge, but what I didn’t expect was to become an accidental expert in the Charity SORP.

SORP (the Statement of Recommended Practice) is the framework that governs charity accounting in the UK. It’s detailed, technical, and—if we’re being honest—often overwhelming for those who have to follow it. Yet, despite its importance, I quickly realised that most charities struggle to fully understand or comply with it.

The good news is this: I’ve created a YouTube channel – The Accidental Expert – where I will be posting reems of content on the Charity SORP.

Unravelling the Complexity of SORP

Through conversations with charity finance teams, I heard the same frustrations again and again. SORP compliance is time-consuming, confusing, and often delegated to external accountants at great expense. In fact, I estimate that SORP compliance costs the UK charity sector over £500 million annually—money that could be far better spent on delivering charitable services.

My deep dive into SORP showed me why so many charities struggle. The guidance is difficult to interpret, the financial reporting requirements are highly technical, and there’s little practical support available. Even experienced accountants find it a tough landscape to navigate.

That’s why I created The Accidental Expert channel—to share my insights and help charity finance teams understand, simplify, and streamline their accounting.

Aedon.Charities: Designed for SORP Compliance

At Aedon.Accounting, we took everything I learned and built Aedon.Charities—a solution designed to take the pain out of charity accounting. It integrates seamlessly with Salesforce, automates SORP-compliant reporting, and ensures fund accounting, restricted and unrestricted funds, and designated funds are all managed effortlessly.

If you’re spending too much time and money on SORP compliance, it might be time for a better system.

💡 Want to learn more? Read about Aedon.Charities here
📖 Visit the Accidental Expert YouTube channel for more insights. Don’t forget to subscribe!