User Support Forum

Hello,

I've just inherited a financial records nightmare in a church. I need help to get acquainted with PC + 9 and the accounting module specifically. Here's my quandary:

The previous bookkeeper used 4 different pieces of software. She kept the memorial accounts as individual checkbooks in Quicken. She kept the payroll and endowment funds in Excel. And she somehow entered the written checks into PC+9. She hand typed all reports in Word. HELP!!

My mandate is to use PC+9 exclusively. I assume that means I'll have to start again, but I don't know enough of what I'm doing with this software to know where to start.

Can PC+9 import from Excel? How?

Can someone give me an overview of how to get to the check register?

I'm grateful for whatever help anyone can offer.

Thanks.
The Rev Mom
(who's really a pastor, not a bookeeper, but I'm also the pastor's wife with an accounting degree and no current pulpit!)

If you don't have a manual for PC+9 it would be a good idea to order one. Most of us do not like it, but sometimes we just have to break out the manual and read it.
There is no way to my knowledge to import any data from other sources without some major help. The only reasonable answer is to start over and put all else behind you. It would also be a good idea to put a complete copy of PC+ into a different location on the current computer or better yet onto a different computer and play with it there. You can then make mistakes without corrupting your working data.
As far as the check register is concerned, it is within the Reports area of Fund Accounting.
When you finally get all your data into PC+ you can generate all the reports you should ever need directly from it. No more Word reports.

Recommend that you pick a point in time (the best time is a month end) to use as a conversion point. Take all of your existing financial records as of that point and combine them to come up with a balance sheet for each accounting fund you want to set up. If you are converting in the middle of your fiscal year and want PowerChurch to reflect year to date income and expenses you will also need to come up with an income statement for each accounting fund. Also, reconcile all bank account balances as of the conversion point and identify all outstanding items. Then, using the balance sheet, income statement and reconciled bank statements use the Accounting Setup Assistant to load the initial balances for your largest accounting fund (usually the General Fund). You can only set up one accounting fund using the Accounting Setup Assistant. Once you compete the Accounting Setup Assistant and the beginning balances are loaded for the first fund you can set up the remaining accounting funds. You will likely need to add accounts and input accounting adjustments to get the additional funds set up. Once all this is done you can begin to use PC+ for all of your accounting and stop using the other programs and records.

There is likely more that needs to be considered in getting your records set up but this should get you started thinking in the right direction.