Latest News and Announcements

12/15/2010 - Version 10 Maintenance Release

A new Maintenance Release dated 12/15/2010 was published for Version 10/10.4: http://powerchurch.com/mr The following changes were made in this release:

Membership

  • An error message occurs if a family has a blank last name in the Locate/Lookup lists
  • The LifeTouch Church Directories picture import process could error in certain circumstances
  • PowerChurch Mailroom always prints one label per household

Contributions

  • Posting a zero total contribution creates a zero entry in Fund Accounting

Fund Accounting

  • Large amounts do not fit in the "Items you have cleared" fields

Accounts Payable

  • Notes are not saved on manual checks after posting
  • Reassign Vendor ID does not properly handle spaces in vendor ID

Payroll

  • Amounts overlap on the Wage & Hour Report

Events

  • Date lookup does not work when entering your first ever event
  • An error occurs when adding a new event and editing an event at the same time
  • User with only access rights can add and event by double clicking a date

Reports

  • Error occurs when family picture is the first output field in a report
  • Reports do not use the default paper tray on certain printers
  • Changes to printer default settings not recognized before restarting the program
  • Canadian cheque formats do not adhere to Standard 006 date formatting

12/07/2010 - Version 11 Maintenance Release

A new Maintenance Release has been published for PowerChurch Plus version 11. Visit http://powerchurch.com/mr to download this release manually, or simply go to Help > Download Maintenance Release. The following issues were addressed in this Maintenance Release:

Membership

  • The Activities/Attendance/Services buttons on Family Members tab on Integrated Data Entry screen inactive if users have "Add/Change" permissions to those modules but only "Access" to Personal Profiles.
  • Added a "Show All" option to Attendance filter screen on the Maintain Personal Profiles screen
  • Attendance Register Form note not saving correctly in report profiles
  • Sync To Constant Contact can error with "Variable custom15" message in certain data situation

Accounting

  • Income & Expense by Fund extra column accidentally added in last MR
  • Balance Sheet by Fund extra column accidentally added in last MR
  • Maintain Open Payments (A/R) payments total doesn't update properly as amounts change

Contributions

  • Add New Account button inactive on Maintain Co Funds even if user has "Add/Change" permissions
  • New audit log entries added for Update Fund Accounting scenarios
  • Contribution Statement message isn't saved in report profiles
  • Posted Contribution report, type "Credit Card" is cut off

Events

  • Edit tasks on an existing event adds a blank task
  • Access permission only can add events by double clicking a date on the calendar

General

  • Crystal Reports - Save as HTML in PC Online now creates a zip file instead of multiple HTML files
  • Canadian cheques - Date formatting changed for ACSS Standard 006

11/11/2010 - Check In Maintenance Release

A new Maintenance Release for the PowerChurch Check In system has been published, dated 11/10/2010. There are no longer separate installers for kiosk and server components. The kiosks will update automatically after connecting to the server the first time. http://powerchurch.com/mr This release contains following fixes:

  • Remove existing Dymo printer, then install a new one, Kiosk will not recognize any Dymo printer
  • Error message running Check In Server on Windows 2000
  • Error running Kiosk on Windows 2000 with Dymo printer
  • Missing line breaks between multiple children on parent label
  • Teacher notes label only shows one note, not multiple children notes
  • Full page form includes multiple names checked in, not one per page
  • Dymo printer dialog pops up behind the Kiosk software
  • Some lists were not properly sorted alphabetically (A-Z then a-z)

11/10/2010 - New Check Reader Models Available
PowerChurch Software now sells the MagTek Mini MICR USB Keyboard Emulation model check readers. These require zero installation or configuration and are compatible with the latest Windows and Mac.

MagTek Mini MICR Check Reader

11/03/2010 - Version 11 Maintenance Release

A Maintenance Release has been published for Version 11. This release also provides a free update to Version 11.1, which contains the following new features:

  • Constant Contact integration. Found under Utilities > Constant Contact Sync. Syncs contact lists to and from your Constant Contact.
  • Export to Access MDB. Found under Utilities > Export to Access MDB. Create an Access database of all or selected areas of the PowerChurch Plus database. Raw data is sent to the Access file, allowing you to utilize the full range of tools in Access to analyze and report on your PowerChurch Plus information.
  • Print 941 forms. The 941 process in Version 11.1 now generates an interactive PDF document that can be printed and mailed to the IRS for your 941 filing.

To download and install this from within the program, go to Help > Download Maintenance Release. To manually download and install it, visit http://powerchurch.com/mr. The following issues were resolved in this Maintenance Release:

Family Mailing List

  • Locate list errors if you have a blank last name
  • Family Update Form errors if family Phone 3 is "Home Phone"
  • Family Update and Blank Family Form ignores multiple Home Phones Personal Profiles
  • Rolodex and 3x5 cards reformatted because information was being cut off
  • Added Filters to Personal Profiles tabs. By default shows only the current year.

Activities & Skills

  • Department, Type, and Role were not shown in a consistent order on Report Options screens

Contributions

  • Contribution Statements in Totals Only format ignores the "Include on Contribution Statements" setting

Accounts Payable

  • Certain lookup lists are not properly alphabetized (A-Z,a-z)
  • Allows you to void a check for an inactive vendor (which you can't post)
  • Selected Paid Items report excludes notes on manual checks

Fund Accounting

  • Budget Report includes inactive accounts (added checkbox option)
  • Balance Sheet By Fund report - columns out of alignment when exported to Excel

Payroll

  • Print checks not added to the Accounting Audit Log
  • Added code "CC" as an option on the W2 in Box 12
  • Screen preview cuts off a digit from the phone and fax number, but prints fine

10/06/2010 - Check In Maintenance Release

A new Maintenance Release for the PowerChurch Check In system has been published, dated 10/6/2010. There are no longer separate installers for kiosk and server components. The kiosks will update automatically after connecting to the server the first time. http://powerchurch.com/mr This release contains following fixes, changes and new features:

  • Error handling added for web cam
  • Location of onscreen keyboard blocks fields on some screens
  • People not currently checked in can be italicized and grayed out in the Check In screen (as if they are already checked in)
  • Laser printer check in forms not printing in some cases
  • An error can occur if the data files reside on a different computer than the Check In Server
  • Class name causes a problem on labels if not printed
  • Bar code scan does not find member, but searching for bar code string does
  • Web Check In error message after resetting theme
  • Check In shows the wrong family information if you go through a certain series of steps
  • Dymo label layouts are now cached in the Kiosk system files on a per-session basis for faster printing

09/14/2010 - Version 11 Maintenance Release

A Maintenance Release dated 9/14/2010 has been published for Version 11. To download and install this from within the program, go to Help > Download Maintenance Release. To manually download and install it, visit http://powerchurch.com/mr. The following changes were made in this update:

  • Attendance Register Form - Weekly Column Format gives error message
  • Error message displayed when invalid file path in User Setup Options
  • Payroll - Employee Pay Items report - Sort alphabetically
  • Shared report profiles are not editable by other users

09/08/2010 - Version 11 Maintenance Release

A Maintenance Release dated 9/8/2010 has been published for Version 11. To download and install this from within the program, go to Help > Download Maintenance Release. To manually download and install it, visit http://powerchurch.com/mr. The following changes were made in this update:

Accounts Receivable

  • Suffixes are being ignored, causing John Smith Jr. and John Smith Sr. to be combined on reports and invoices.

Attendance

  • Activities that are marked to not record attendance should not show on Attendance Register Forms
  • Possible to have duplicate names on Consecutive Absentees report
  • Consecutive Absentee report inserts a blank page when saved as Word doc

Church Directory

  • Home Phone number moved back to the top right when pictures are not included

Other

  • Contributions - Import Contributions shows error message on Macs in PC Online
  • Date Selections - Month of August has only 30 days in "This Month" selection
  • E-mail - File attachments do not work properly on Macs in PC Online.

Fund Accounting

  • Zero total Contributions causes empty line in Fund Accounting transaction.
  • Field widths increased on the Bank Reconciliation screen to allow more digits displayed
  • Possible to get an error message when clicking the "Restart" button on the Unposted Transactions report

Payroll

  • Generic Tax Tables no longer require Standard Deduction
  • Time Earned does not show properly on check stub
  • Income items can now debit any type of account, not just expense
  • W2 doesn't show local wages if employee has no local deductions
  • Quarterly Report does not show middle initial or suffix
  • Wage & Hour report does not show middle initial or suffix

PC Today

  • The Accounts Payable page will not display in PowerChurch Today if you do not have Fund Accounting privileges

Personal Profiles

  • Birthdays and Anniversaries report does not use preferred name field

Reports

  • Built-in reports do not automatically print to the default paper tray
  • Updated many incorrect Help Context IDs in the online help document (used when you press F1 key)

Features

  • Added new topics into the online help regarding customizing mailing labels and check layouts
  • Contributions - Check Reader screen now verifies that the correct system files are installed for your version of Windows.
  • Family Mailing List - Pictorial Directory (now called Selected Families With Pictures) added into Family Mailing List reports
  • Family Mailing List - Option to print Family Update Forms for alignment with window envelopes
  • Mailing Labels - Added an option on Mailing Labels Setup screen to change the way "One label per household" names are arranged. Rather than "The Smith Family", it allows you to have the labels display "John & Sarah Smith (Billy, Wendy)".
  • Maintenance Release - Once an MR is automatically installed, the program starts up automatically
  • Payroll - Added taxable benefits (ie life insurance) item type, will show code C in box 12 on W2
  • Payroll - Pay Period on Process Payroll screen now changes depending on which pay group you are processing
  • Payroll - Preview of Paycheck Items report (now called Employee Pay Items report) added into the Payroll reports menu and also on the Process Payroll screen
  • Payroll - Added Select All/Clear All button to Post Payroll screen
  • PowerChurch Mailroom - added option for "One label per household" labels

08/26/2010 - Intelligent Mail Barcodes
The US Postal Service recently sent out a letter reminding bulk mail customers about the new Intelligent Mail Barcodes that will be a requirement as of May 2011. PowerChurch Plus Versions 9 and higher were updated in 2008, adding support for the Intelligent Mail Barcodes. You can find the configuration options under File > Preferences > Mailing Label Setup. If you do not see the Intelligent Mail Barcode options on this screen, download the latest Maintenance Release for your version at http://powerchurch.com/mr.

08/02/2010 - Check In Maintenance Release

A new Maintenance Release for the PowerChurch Check In system has been published, dated 08/02/2010. Separate installers are available for the Server component and the Kiosk component. You can download the updates at: http://powerchurch.com/mr Once the server has been updated, kiosks must be updated before they will be able to connect to the server. This is the last Maintenance Release for Check In that will feature separate Server/Kiosk installs. After this release, when the server is updated, the kiosks will automatically be updated the next time you connect. This release contains following fixes, changes and new features:

  • Some families excluded from update family
  • Default Adult Y/N values when adding new family
  • Adult Y/N values not updated when editing a family
  • PDF manual was out of date with new features
  • Possible to receive "Minimum resolution 1024x600" message when resolution is set to 1024x600
  • Increase server timeout on the kiosk
  • New Feature - Update kiosk from server automatically

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