Comments on: Keeping Track: The Importance of Church Management Software http://www.modernekklesia.com/2009/03/keeping-track-the-importance-of-church-management-software.html Some thoughts on the intersection of church, leadership, and technology. Wed, 08 Feb 2012 22:08:33 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: Rodlie Ortiz http://www.modernekklesia.com/2009/03/keeping-track-the-importance-of-church-management-software.html/comment-page-1#comment-12188 Rodlie Ortiz Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.modernekklesia.com/2009/03/05/keeping-track-the-importance-of-church-management-software/#comment-12188 This is a church database software that helps you keep track of lots of information, including basic stuff like name, addresses, and phone numbers. You don't agree with knowing that info? This is a church database software that helps you keep track of lots of information, including basic stuff like name, addresses, and phone numbers. You don’t agree with knowing that info?

]]> By: Nolan Morgan http://www.modernekklesia.com/2009/03/keeping-track-the-importance-of-church-management-software.html/comment-page-1#comment-11749 Nolan Morgan Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.modernekklesia.com/2009/03/05/keeping-track-the-importance-of-church-management-software/#comment-11749 Is this a fortune 500 company, a large local business or church website? I couldn't really tell the difference. Is this a fortune 500 company, a large local business or church website? I couldn’t really tell the difference.

]]> By: Jay http://www.modernekklesia.com/2009/03/keeping-track-the-importance-of-church-management-software.html/comment-page-1#comment-1679 Jay Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.modernekklesia.com/2009/03/05/keeping-track-the-importance-of-church-management-software/#comment-1679 Yes IconCMO is cheaper than the others as illustrated. And the ConnectionPower being at 50.00/month for just the 2 modules you need. IconCMO includes more than 2 modules at half that cost. Many software companies collect their money up front and after the church finds out that it is not what they want they don't want to move away from it because of the sunk cost, which is sad. My only wisdom here is to read up on selecting software in general because this is not an effective reason to not move on. Many organization, not just churches, fail to recognize they made a mistake and stick it out for another 10 years just because they sunk 5K into a system. The issue with learning the system is mitigated by free training webinars that the company puts on every month. I know of no other company that does this for their product. Most will charge 50.00/hr to 200.00/hr bleeding the church's budget after putting a big sunk cost into getting it. Any system is going to require training just because Church Management is a complex set of variables and interfaces that people must learn. It is hard to give up free anything, however when it comes time to pick one that cost money it may be best to ask questions about training. The modules that you are talking about appear to be more about attendance. The IconCMO system in reference to attendance, groups, and special gifts all use the same interface. In other words the learning curve is reduced because if you understand one module you can apply it to the others. The accounting module also uses similar interfaces and processes everything in the order the buttons are laid out on the screen. Hope this helps. Yes IconCMO is cheaper than the others as illustrated. And the ConnectionPower being at 50.00/month for just the 2 modules you need. IconCMO includes more than 2 modules at half that cost. Many software companies collect their money up front and after the church finds out that it is not what they want they don’t want to move away from it because of the sunk cost, which is sad. My only wisdom here is to read up on selecting software in general because this is not an effective reason to not move on. Many organization, not just churches, fail to recognize they made a mistake and stick it out for another 10 years just because they sunk 5K into a system.

The issue with learning the system is mitigated by free training webinars that the company puts on every month. I know of no other company that does this for their product. Most will charge 50.00/hr to 200.00/hr bleeding the church’s budget after putting a big sunk cost into getting it. Any system is going to require training just because Church Management is a complex set of variables and interfaces that people must learn.

It is hard to give up free anything, however when it comes time to pick one that cost money it may be best to ask questions about training. The modules that you are talking about appear to be more about attendance. The IconCMO system in reference to attendance, groups, and special gifts all use the same interface. In other words the learning curve is reduced because if you understand one module you can apply it to the others. The accounting module also uses similar interfaces and processes everything in the order the buttons are laid out on the screen. Hope this helps.

]]> By: Jim Bradford http://www.modernekklesia.com/2009/03/keeping-track-the-importance-of-church-management-software.html/comment-page-1#comment-1677 Jim Bradford Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.modernekklesia.com/2009/03/05/keeping-track-the-importance-of-church-management-software/#comment-1677 Thanks Jay for the jumping in. I still have not made a decision on software yet. I pastor a smaller church plant, and use Outlook for our contacts & excel for attendance. I know it's not the best thing to do - but signing up for ConnectionPower is like $50 per month (for the 2 modules that I think we'd need). IconCMO is half that price, but if I recall correctly, it seemed like there was a larger learning curve (I would be utilizing volunteers, so the more intuitive, the better). I'm hesitant to make the switch because of the price (right now, it's free) and when we change, we'll be committing for the long haul. I think we'll be more effective with software, so one day I'd like to make the switch. I only hope that I chose one that I won't regret. Anyone else want to chime in? I'd appreciate hearing your thought. Thanks Jay for the jumping in.

I still have not made a decision on software yet. I pastor a smaller church plant, and use Outlook for our contacts & excel for attendance. I know it’s not the best thing to do – but signing up for ConnectionPower is like $50 per month (for the 2 modules that I think we’d need). IconCMO is half that price, but if I recall correctly, it seemed like there was a larger learning curve (I would be utilizing volunteers, so the more intuitive, the better).

I’m hesitant to make the switch because of the price (right now, it’s free) and when we change, we’ll be committing for the long haul.

I think we’ll be more effective with software, so one day I’d like to make the switch. I only hope that I chose one that I won’t regret.

Anyone else want to chime in? I’d appreciate hearing your thought.

]]> By: Jay http://www.modernekklesia.com/2009/03/keeping-track-the-importance-of-church-management-software.html/comment-page-1#comment-1666 Jay Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.modernekklesia.com/2009/03/05/keeping-track-the-importance-of-church-management-software/#comment-1666 We use at our church IconCMO which tracks attendance not only for worship but also small groups. It is also able to do volunteer coordination and send out reminders to those volunteers. An example of their pricing. Under 100 households for one year is 304.00/year. 101-250 households is 364.00/year. It is very affordable and has a great feature set that can go head to head with the big league players and a fraction of the cost. This cost also includes the contribution and fund accounting module. Some of the big league players do not have fund accounting which is essential to a church for their accounting books and no Quickbooks does not cut it. That is an entirely different post. We use at our church IconCMO which tracks attendance not only for worship but also small groups. It is also able to do volunteer coordination and send out reminders to those volunteers. An example of their pricing. Under 100 households for one year is 304.00/year. 101-250 households is 364.00/year. It is very affordable and has a great feature set that can go head to head with the big league players and a fraction of the cost. This cost also includes the contribution and fund accounting module. Some of the big league players do not have fund accounting which is essential to a church for their accounting books and no Quickbooks does not cut it. That is an entirely different post.

]]> By: Rodlie http://www.modernekklesia.com/2009/03/keeping-track-the-importance-of-church-management-software.html/comment-page-1#comment-517 Rodlie Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.modernekklesia.com/2009/03/05/keeping-track-the-importance-of-church-management-software/#comment-517 Great question, Jim. I think Connection Power is a great resource for any church. There's lots of advantages, at the moment for it. I know we're not using connection power to its fullest use, but we use it to keep track if someone is a first, second time guest, regular attender, or member. We put any contact with the guest in the notes section. And when you're ready to start a children's church program, it has the software built in to do that, for free. So you'd just have to spend about $100 for a good label printer and you'd be good to go. I'll be writing a blog post on launching a children's church in a couple days. Stay tuned! Great question, Jim. I think Connection Power is a great resource for any church. There’s lots of advantages, at the moment for it. I know we’re not using connection power to its fullest use, but we use it to keep track if someone is a first, second time guest, regular attender, or member. We put any contact with the guest in the notes section.

And when you’re ready to start a children’s church program, it has the software built in to do that, for free. So you’d just have to spend about $100 for a good label printer and you’d be good to go. I’ll be writing a blog post on launching a children’s church in a couple days. Stay tuned!

]]> By: Jim Bradford http://www.modernekklesia.com/2009/03/keeping-track-the-importance-of-church-management-software.html/comment-page-1#comment-515 Jim Bradford Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.modernekklesia.com/2009/03/05/keeping-track-the-importance-of-church-management-software/#comment-515 Hi. Quick Question. I read an article by you that said that you used "Connection Power" software along with the FUSION stuff by Nelson Searcy. We've just incorporated the FUSION assimilation stuff & we need web-based church management software. Do you still use that? Do you think this is good for a small but growing church (around 50 right now)? Hi. Quick Question. I read an article by you that said that you used “Connection Power” software along with the FUSION stuff by Nelson Searcy. We’ve just incorporated the FUSION assimilation stuff & we need web-based church management software. Do you still use that? Do you think this is good for a small but growing church (around 50 right now)?

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