Knowledge Base

Installing PowerChurch Plus upgrades


PowerChurch Plus upgrades will convert information forward from older versions of the program. However, installing the new version does not make any changes to the prior version. It installs into its own directory and will put new shortcuts on the Desktop and Start Menu.

The first time you run the newly installed program, it will show a Welcome screen and then ask if you are upgrading from a prior version. Choose Yes and it will allow you to upgrade from a backup (in Versions 12 and higher) or search the computer, looking for installations of older versions of the program. It will find the prior version, copy all of its data and convert that into the new database format.

Once the new version is installed and data has been converted, it is safe to uninstall the old version of PowerChurch Plus from the computer. If you prefer not to uninstall the program, it is highly recommended that you at least delete the old shortcuts/icons from the Desktop and Start Menu, to protect against users accidentally entering new information in the old version.

Moving to a new computer

If you are installing the upgrade on a new computer and don't have access to the prior version, follow the steps explained in Moving PowerChurch Plus from one computer to another to move the old version to the new computer. If you prefer, you could also install the new version on the old computer, perform the upgrade, then make a backup and restore it in PowerChurch Plus on the new computer. The Backup & Restore utility is also described in detail in the article linked above.

Networked installations

For networked installations, the preceding steps should be performed on the server/host computer. You can then follow the steps in the Networking Instructions article to get the new version set up and running properly. There are separate instructions in that article to be performed at the server/host computer and each workstation to get them connected to the new server/host computer. After an upgrade, you would simply need to run through the workstation setup steps, running the new NetsetupXX.exe (where XX is the new version number) found on the server from each workstation.

Reconvert data from a prior version

If you answered "No" to the prompt asking if you were upgrading from a prior version or possibly upgraded from the wrong installation, it is still possible to reconvert. The Reconvert Data From a Prior Version video walks you through the process of deleting everything from the new version and reconverting data from an older version.


Created: 11/07/2013
Last updated: 08/08/2023