Exporting Membership without Contribution Data

[tena20719]

Hi! I am looking at setting up Power Church at another location in our church. I only want to have the information from the membership module (families and individuals) but I do not want any contribution information to show up on the second computer.

Can anyone advise what is the best way to do this?

Thanks!
Tena

[NeilZ]

Hi! I am looking at setting up Power Church at another location in our church. I only want to have the information from the membership module (families and individuals) but I do not want any contribution information to show up on the second computer.

Can anyone advise what is the best way to do this?

Thanks!
Tena

OK .. I'm going to assume that the location is in the same building, or the same network, right ??

You can just network Powerchurch, using the information here: https://www.powerchurch.com/support/35/ ... work-drive, then just assign the user of that computer membership access only using the Passwords & Permissions function under File -> Preferences.

They won't see anything else. You can limit their access to just the Family Mailing List, just Personal Profiles, just Activities and Attendance, and so on.

This computer will then have access to the current data, kept on the main computer acting as the PCPlus data server, and there won't be an issue of one set of data being out of date.

If you have questions, please ask.

[tena20719]

Hi Neil! Thanks so much for your response.

We are in the same building but not sure if we are on a network or not. I like the thought of having it set up our network because I think it would be a great tool for some of the other departments. I also understand about setting up a user with a password and limiting their access. This particular computer will be in a public spot and our church staff does not want to take a chance that anyone's personal contributions could be made public. I know that if they don't have the password they won't be able to access those modules, but they don't want them on that computer. Hence my trying to set it up at this particular location with no finances on it at all.

I just don't know if it would be better to do the export on just the membership module or back it up and restore it and then restart fund accounting. If I do that, will it wipe out all financial history (payroll, contributions, etc.)?

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated!
Tena

[NeilZ]

Hi Neil! Thanks so much for your response.

We are in the same building but not sure if we are on a network or not. I like the thought of having it set up our network because I think it would be a great tool for some of the other departments. I also understand about setting up a user with a password and limiting their access. This particular computer will be in a public spot and our church staff does not want to take a chance that anyone's personal contributions could be made public. I know that if they don't have the password they won't be able to access those modules, but they don't want them on that computer. Hence my trying to set it up at this particular location with no finances on it at all.

I just don't know if it would be better to do the export on just the membership module or back it up and restore it and then restart fund accounting. If I do that, will it wipe out all financial history (payroll, contributions, etc.)?

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated!
Tena

So .. another question then - what is the idea for this computer? What is the intended usage? That would help with any reply.

[tena20719]

To maintain the membership database and groups. That way they can print labels, do emails, etc.

[NeilZ]

To maintain the membership database and groups. That way they can print labels, do emails, etc.

Honestly, if they're going to be doing updates, you really need to network the system so that the main database is updated. Trying to maintain two separate databases, by dumping the one computer's membership info to the MAIN computer, the one with the database of record, is troublesome at best, and a synchronization nightmare at worst. We have plenty of horror stories on the forum from people who tried to do what the intent is here, none of them turned out good. Lost data, overwritten updates, etc, etc.

The permissions system in Powerchurch is very good, if you have users who only need access to Membership, that is all they will see. However, I'd also put an Windows account with a password on the machine to add some additional security.

The staff really needs to be educated on the built-in security in Powerchurch. If they do not have access to any financials whether under Funds Accounting or Contributions, they will not see them at all.

[tena20719]

Okay Neil....thanks so much!

Tena