Throughout 2026, a community service team from the Faculty of Economics, Universitas Methodist Indonesia led by Wesly Andri Simanjuntak successfully implemented a digital transformation program for 40 Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Medan City through the implementation of Smart Financial Management. This initiative is crucial for addressing the low adoption of digital financial technology and boosting the competitiveness of local businesses in the digital economy era.
The background of this program stems from classic challenges faced by small business actors, where the majority of MSMEs still rely on manual financial recording, have not utilized cloud-based accounting applications, and experience obstacles in integrating financial systems with digital marketing strategies. These limitations make operational efficiency and data analysis for strategic decision-making minimal.
To address these challenges, the team applied a Design Thinking approach and a flexible blended learning method. The series of activities included practical digital financial management training, workshops on implementing smart accounting applications, intensive mentoring for 12 weeks, and the establishment of the Medan Digital MSME Community ecosystem as a shared learning platform.
Based on program evaluation, this activity recorded several remarkable achievements and key findings:
- The adoption of digital financial applications by MSME actors increased sharply from 8% to 89%.
- Data-driven financial analysis capability surged from 12% to 84%.
- Integration between financial systems and digital marketing increased from 15% to 81%.
- Confidence levels in digital business management and overall business competitiveness jumped from 21% to 87%.
According to Wesly Andri Simanjuntak and the team from the Faculty of Economics, Universitas Methodist Indonesia, the adoption of cloud-based financial systems proved capable of cutting bookkeeping time by up to 70 percent while presenting financial reports automatically and accurately. The real impact is visible from a 35 to 50 percent increase in participants' turnover after optimizing integrated digital marketing strategies. This success proves that targeted technological interventions can strengthen grassroots economic resilience, making similar programs recommended for widespread adoption by local governments in digital development agendas.
Author Profile
- Research Team: Wesly Andri Simanjuntak, Junika Napitupulu, Septony B. Siahaan, Dompak Pasaribu, Rimky Mandala Putra Simanjuntak, Robinhot Gultom, Mulatua Silalahi, Rahel Junita, Elperida Sinurat, and Arthur Simanjuntak.
- Affiliation: Faculty of Economics, Universitas Methodist Indonesia.
- Fields of Expertise: Economics, Financial Management, and MSME Digital Transformation.
Research Source
- Article Title: Digital Transformation of MSMEs Based on Smart Financial Management to Increase Business Competitiveness in Medan City
- Journal Name: Jurnal Pengabdian Masyarakat Bestari (JPMB)
- Publication Year: 2026
- DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55927/jpmb.v5i7.48 - URL:
https://journaljpmb.my.id/index.php/jpmb
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