Duplicate Profiles / Families

[RevWJones]

We have a big issue of duplicate profiles and families that we need help solving.

Side One:
We have several "Data Entry" clerks that enter contributions on Sundays following service. These clerks also has "Access" priviledges to the Membership module. Because of other issues, these clerks can't be allowed any higher access in the Membership module. Because our system (PC) requires an envelope number in order to add contributions, the Data Entry clerks assign a system-generated number to any contributor at the time the giver donates.

Side Two:
The church clerk manages the Membership demographics via the Membership module. There is a rule in our church that states that a new member can only be assigned a membership number after they've completed the requirements for membership. We have pre-numbered envelopes that the clerk has to assigns to each new member. This is the number keyed into PC and the enevelopes are issued only after the membership requirements are met. The Data Entry clerks rule is the only exception. When a person joins out congregation, and the Church clerk enters their profile, the envelope number field is left blank.

Problem One:
When one of the persons gives whom the Church clerk has entered (w/out an env. no.), the Data Entry persons can't locate this person who has a blank env. no. field. Therefore they create a new person.

Not really your problem yet. We have to change our policy to fix this.

But, there are times when the person has an env. no. and duplicates are still entered.

Problem Two:
When adding a contributor, the system assumes that the contributor is a new family. There are no options to add the contributor to an existing family. In our church, children are not members until they come forward through our Lord's leading to join with us. Before this great and grand event, we accept and support our children fully accept they can't vote or hold any decision-making positions in our church. They can give in their name. So then our Data Entry clerks would key them in as a new contributor. This adds them in a new family. Remember, our Data Entry clerks can't have anything other than "Access" level to the membership module. I believe I've said enough about this one.

Problem Three:
Due to handwriting from many different people appearing on our generic brown envelopes, our Data Entry clerks does their best to read but not always able to. Is there any way to validate the name as they type the same way you do when we search for a profile in the membership module?

This ability would solve many of the duplicates also.

Thanks