k9vet wrote:We have been using V9 for quite a while and it is full of old accounting "junk". We have v 11.5 ready to install/configure and would like to start fresh for 2015. Can anyone tell me where I could find an "expert" to help us set up everything afresh?? Is there an area rep for NH? I am not an
accountant and I just want to simplify and streamline our setup to make it easier to use and understand by me and others in my church!
As it is now, things are unnecessarily complicated, cumbersome and confusing! We MUST do better.
Scott Seely, treasurer, Rye Cong. Church, Rye, NH.
FWIW .. Powerchurch doesn't have 'area' reps ... its a small company based out of North Carolina. That said, it does certify some companies/individuals to teach and consult. You can find them here, but I don't see any that close:
https://www.powerchurch.com/training/consultants.php
Scott .... what I would do is this:
1. Take a look at what you currently have setup, and figure what you need and what is now outdated.
2. See if there's anyone in your congregation that is an accountant or bookkeeper.
3. Ask them for assistance in setting up a new Chart of Accounts for a CASH based business.
Since you're moving from v9, you're going to want to do a database conversion, which will do the entire database (Membership, Contributions, Accounting, etc). Since you want to redo Accounting, after the conversion, you're going to RESTART Funds Accounting which will clear out everything that was brought over from v9 in Accounting. (The good news, is that your v9 database will still be available for you to access through v9 when necessary, that database is not changed/deleted at all.)
There are major changes in the Payroll, and some in the Accounts Payable modules that you'll want to know about.
Here's my advice on an easy way to get yourself familiar with the updates:
Download a copy of the PCPlus demo here:
https://www.powerchurch.com/demo/demo_f ... e=Download
install it on your local computer, it comes with a fully populated database for demo purposes. Take a look at the Chart of Accounts (COA) there. You can get an idea of what many churches use.
Print out that Chart of Accounts from the reports, and then start lining out what you don't use, and pencil in what you do use. Then ask questions here, we can assist with advice.
Then look around the different Accounting modules and see what has changed from v9.