The journey of 1000 miles begins with one step. Hopefully, the task of setting up your database doesn't feel quite as daunting as walking 1000 miles, but it can be quite a journey. The purpose of this Quick Start Guide is to get you underway quickly so that you can begin taking advantage of everything your new church management system has to offer.

Complete the 5 steps below and watch the video at the end to make sure you are getting started in the right direction...

1) Configure the basic settings

Navigate to the Settings menu (Gear icon > Settings) then work your way through each of the following tabs. We won't be going through all the tabs, but don't worry, this is a Quick-Start Guide designed to get you going quickly. You can come back to go through the other tabs later.

i.Settings Overview Video

ii. General Settings - General Settings: Change your logo, color, and other preferences

iii. Profile - Add needed Date and Text fields (e.g. Anniversary date or Marital status)

iv. Giving - Add Giving Categories (e.g. General Fund, Tithes, Missions, etc.)

v. Services - Sign up for SMS and Voice Messaging Services

Important Note: If you have purchased a Data Migration skip right to STEP 2 as the data migration must be completed before configuring your Settings.

2) Add People

You have three options for adding people to your system. Click on the links below to learn more about each one.

i. Manual Input - good for new churches and those with paper records

ii. Import People - use a CSV file to quickly bring records into your database. NOTE: After importing individuals you will want to connect family members together.

iii. Data Migration - This is a paid service that allows you to migrate families, groups, contributions, notes, and more. Work with one of our data migration consultants to bring over as much of your data as possible.

3) Create Security Roles

Create Permission/Security Roles for staff and key volunteers to give them the access that they need, but not more than what they need.

i. Security Roles Video

ii. Role-Based Permissions - includes details for every option when setting up your Roles.

4) Integrate Online Giving

To save you time and energy, we encourage you to integrate your Giving software with your ChMS. Click the link below for instructions on how to set up your integration.

i. How to Integrate Online Giving with your ChMS

5) Create Groups

Groups are the backbone of your ChMS. Having a well-organized group structure will provide you with years of pain-free work in your database!

i. How to Create Groups - learn the basics

ii. 5 Tips for Building Great Groups

iii. 7 Group Types Every Church Should Use

iv. Groups Overview Video