Church Management Software

We’ve done the research for you! Use our Church Management Software Guide to narrow down which Software solution is the best fit for your ministry.

The research and data for this comparison chart was provided by our contributing writer Nick Nicholaou, author of Church IT: Using Information Technology for the Mission of The Church and president of MBS, an IT consulting firm specializing in church and ministry computer networks, VoIP, private cloud hosted services, and church management software. You can reach Nick at nick@mbsinc.com.

Requirements

+ Solution Focus

  • Parachurch/Donor Management Focus
  • Denomination "Editions" Available
  • Non-English Versions Available

+ Database

  • Can track non-traditional genders (beyond male/female)
  • Tracks non-traditional family structures/roles
  • National Change of Address (NCOA) updates
  • Certified Postal CASS & PAVE
  • Prints U.S. Postal Bar Codes
  • Multisite campus capable

+ Giving

  • Statements can be automatically sent via email
  • Congregants / Donors can view check images online
  • Notifies contributor if transaction is declined by merchant account
  • Can automatically import gifts received via website
  • Can store check & envelope images
  • Scanning checks once produces deposit & database entry
  • Checks can be input via Check21-compliant scanner
  • Gifts in Kind can satisfy pledge without setting GIK value
  • Tracks Gifts in Kind (GIK) contributions

+ Assimilation

  • Approved volunteers can schedule themselves for service
  • Approved volunteers can set unavailable blackout dates
  • Sends volunteer commitment reminders
  • Tracks Mission Trips (pre-task checklists, support, etc)
  • Manages Small Groups
  • Can set cautionary flags based on behavioral or legal issues
  • Has Background Check interface for volunteer positions
  • Tracks Attendance
  • Can post attendance using geofencing
  • Security / Check-In capability
  • Can check in via iOS and/or Android tablets
  • Check in tracks allergies, allowable check out persons, etc
  • Facilitates roaming checkin (like a volunteer in the parking lot with a tablet)
  • Volunteer Recruitment functions (position description, application, etc)

+ Facilities & Events

  • Fixed Assets tracking (inventory, depreciation, maintenance)
  • Library Module
  • Can import registrations received via website without manual entry
  • Retreat / Event registration A/R tracking for outstanding balances
  • Calendar scheduler can feed events to ministrys website
  • Fully integrates with Cool Solutions Groups eSpace www.espace.cool
  • Facility / Equipment calendar scheduler

+ General Ledger

  • Graphic analysis
  • Has method for budgeting Capital Expense items
  • Can select Straight Line or Seasonal Budgeting by account
  • Audit Trail is secure & unalterable (not just password protected)
  • Automatically balances funds in interfund transactions
  • Automatically tracks multiple Fund Balances
  • Dimensional Accounting(vs natural,hierarchical Chart of Accounts)
  • Natural, hierarchical Chart of Accounts
  • General Ledger

+ Accounts Payable

  • Purchase Order tracking (authorization, budget, & GL interface)
  • Annual 1096 & 1099s
  • Can void checks with option of reopening the invoice
  • Can automate recurring entries
  • Can partial pay invoices; balance remains payable with same invoice #
  • A single check or check run can post against multiple funds
  • Invoices can be automatically distributed to multiple GL accounts
  • Accounts Payable and/or Bill Pay integration
  • Can run as either Accrual or Cash Basis

+ Payroll/Human Resources

  • Tracks employee discipline records
  • State & Federal tax tables are maintained by software provider
  • All Federal & State payroll tax forms
  • Workers Compensation Audit
  • Tracks & stores images of HR forms
  • Vacation scheduler with schedule view by department
  • Payroll with ministers salary capabilities (housing, SECA, etc)
  • Can allocate an persons payroll & benefit costs across multiple departments
  • Time Clock interface
  • Payroll ACH Direct Deposit
  • Accrues Vacation & Sick Time by hours worked or pay period
  • Hiring & termination process & documentation w database-driven self-audit

+ Access & Security

  • Maintains transactional database of who made changes
  • Field-level access / entry security
  • Congregants can set which of their online data is inaccessible by other congregants
  • Congregants / Donors can update their profile data
  • Congregant online access can be tied to Facebook or Google credentials
  • Can create & modify custom workflows to simplify staff input processes
  • Has a completely open API for custom integrations

+ Communication

  • Constant Contact and/or MailChimp HTML interface
  • Links to congregants\' social media accounts
  • System integrates w/Outlook contacts & tasks for staff follow-Up
  • Email can have multiple attachments
  • Can send individually-addressed mail-merged bulk email
  • Can send individual text messages without knowing carrier
  • Tracks & uses peoples preferences for text messages, mail, email

+ Mobile & Web

  • Data is accessible in real-time via iOS & Android mobile devices
  • Has mobile (responsive website) interface
  • Has mobile app

+ Requirements & Capabilities

  • Web browser interface
  • Graphics-capable dashboard with drill-down capabilities
  • Excel Pivot Table interface
  • Data is accessible & fully exportable in multiple formats
  • Includes a user-accessible, customizable report system
  • Multiple concurrent user access

+ How Hosted

  • Can run hosted on ChMS providers server
  • All data transmission between church staff / congregants & hosted database is encrypted
  • ChMS provider hosting datacenter is Certified Tier 3 or higher
  • Can run on ministry's server

Results

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