Question about attendance module

[liz]

(I have PC Vs. 9)

My question is... what is the easiest way to set up and use the attendance module? Right now we send note pads down each aisle where new people can put their info. and regular attenders sign their names.

I already have the services set up as (worship service) code 1001 - 8 a.m. service, 1002 - 10 a.m. service, 1003 - Wednesday p.m. service.

Am I understanding correctly from the book, that you must go through every person in your database and mark them as Present or Absent? I have over 1,000 people in my database. So if that is correct, it would take me forever.

Is there an easier way and I am just not seeing it? I am not at all familiar with this attendance module. I would appreciate any feedback!

[NeilZ]

(I have PC Vs. 9)

My question is... what is the easiest way to set up and use the attendance module? Right now we send note pads down each aisle where new people can put their info. and regular attenders sign their names.

I already have the services set up as (worship service) code 1001 - 8 a.m. service, 1002 - 10 a.m. service, 1003 - Wednesday p.m. service.

Am I understanding correctly from the book, that you must go through every person in your database and mark them as Present or Absent? I have over 1,000 people in my database. So if that is correct, it would take me forever.

Is there an easier way and I am just not seeing it? I am not at all familiar with this attendance module. I would appreciate any feedback!

You should be using the Fast Data Entry application under the attendance module. This allows you to select the activity, the date and then set the default for the entries to Absent. Thus when you start entering data, all the people who are setup for the worship activity in your database, will appear in your attendance list as absent for that activity. You then start typing the last name of the person from the form, the system will run through the list based on the letters you type. You then verify the name, hit your space bar, and 'boom' they're listed as Present.

In order for this to work, all your members and visitors need to have the worship activities added to their personal profile records.

At my old church we had a database of over 900, with regular attendance of 450 to 500. We originally had the Sunday services broken down, but decided that since the ushers took a count, that was all that was needed, so all the members have only one Sunday Worship activity listed. It only took me 45 minutes or less to enter the Sunday attendence via the 'Attendence Pads', and this included adding new visitors to the system.

Eventually I was able to push this off to a team of 2 or 3 volunteers, who alternated doing the entry every other Monday morning.