Fund Accounting Set up

[angel1]

Good afternoon,
My church is currently on Powerchurch Plus version 10. I was not part of the original setup and so I am trying to understand why certain things were set up as they are (especially in the Chart of Accounts). I recently had the person who worked with this walk me through this setup and found that for the fund number they are going into the membership module and setting up the various funds as a member. I know that this is not correct, but her reply was " I know this is not right, but don't know where this should be done." I too know this is not correct and from checking the manual found that is not correct. I was told that a number is needed to identify the fund, and I saw a place for this in the actual setup of a new account. Is there a way that I can make corrections to those accounts which were not automatically setup?

Another question we make some additonal accounts which are already setup can these accounts be combined?

Last question we are looking to update to 11.5 since our Finance team has not been using the accounting module to its fullest would you suggest starting over or cleaning up and updating from 10 to 11.5?

[NeilZ]

Good afternoon,
My church is currently on Powerchurch Plus version 10. I was not part of the original setup and so I am trying to understand why certain things were set up as they are (especially in the Chart of Accounts). I recently had the person who worked with this walk me through this setup and found that for the fund number they are going into the membership module and setting up the various funds as a member. I know that this is not correct, but her reply was " I know this is not right, but don't know where this should be done." I too know this is not correct and from checking the manual found that is not correct. I was told that a number is needed to identify the fund, and I saw a place for this in the actual setup of a new account. Is there a way that I can make corrections to those accounts which were not automatically setup?

Another question we make some additonal accounts which are already setup can these accounts be combined?

Last question we are looking to update to 11.5 since our Finance team has not been using the accounting module to its fullest would you suggest starting over or cleaning up and updating from 10 to 11.5?

If you're planning to move to v11.5, I would just plan out what you want for the Chart of Accounts, and start in January with a brand new setup. The Accounting Setup Wizard will assist you to do this.

When you install 11.5, it will ask you if you want to migrate from an earlier version. Let it do so, so your Membership and Contributions will be moved. You can then RESTART accounting to start 'clean' with your new chart of accounts.

I would just use 10.4 for accounting until the end of December so as to close out the year, then use the end of year data, to create the beginning balances on your new COA.

Don't delete 10.4 from your machine (you'll need it for history), just delete the 10.4 ICON from any desktops
that may have it (if you're networked).

Hope this helps.

[angel1]

Thank you. Iplan on attending the online training as well. Was there any reason that both persons who worked on the setup thought that ther should be a fund number beginning in the 70000's for each fund?

[NeilZ]

Thank you. Iplan on attending the online training as well. Was there any reason that both persons who worked on the setup thought that ther should be a fund number beginning in the 70000's for each fund?

That number sounds like a CONTRIBUTION FUND number, not an Funds Accounting number, which is only two characters .. alpha-numeric.

PLEASE do not confuse Contribution Funds with FUNDS ACCOUNTING. They are two different modules, and actually have NO direct connection. All information flows FROM Contributions TO Funds Accounting.

The only access Contributions have to Funds Accounting is during the Contribution Account setup when the system allows the user to search for an Account number when entering the Checking and Income account numbers. These account numbers are used when the user POSTS CONTRIBUTIONS, using the Post to Funds Accounting option. The system will create Funds Accounting Transactions that are then placed in the Funds Accounting unposted transaction queue.

I would also take the online Contributions training offered by Powerchurch to learn about that module.