PowerChurch Software Newsletter - Year End 2014

Welcome to another year-end edition of the PowerChurch Software newsletter. In this issue, we review some of the benefits of staying current with PowerChurch Plus updates, review which tax forms and services are supported in which versions of the program, consider some suggestions for increasing year-end giving, and also discuss compatibility issues when shopping for new touch screen tablets.

2014 Tax Form Updates

There have been changes to the 1099-MISC and W3 forms for tax year 2014. Versions 11 and 11.5 of PowerChurch Plus are still under maintenance and have been updated with the new form layouts. This means users of older versions of the program will not be able to use the built-in tax forms and will want to upgrade.

Among many other benefits of upgrading to the latest release, the Payroll improvements are still the most impressive. In newer versions of the program, you can track time off, salary history, and more. Also, the addition of printing quarterly 941 forms and e-filing taxes make the upgrade a must for any organization with Payroll to process!

Visit www.powerchurch.com/update for more information.

Below is a list of tax forms and services, along with what versions of PowerChurch Plus are supported:

• 1099-MISC Form - Versions 11 and 11.5 will work with compatible forms for 2014. Version 11.5 can also e-file 1099-MISC forms.
• W2/W3 Form - Versions 11 and 11.5 will work with compatible forms for 2014. Version 11.5 can also e-file W2 forms.
• 941 Form - Versions 11 and 11.5 will be updated once new forms are published for 2015. Version 11.5 also can e-file 941 forms.

Visit powerchurch.nelcoportal.com to register an account for the PowerChurch E-file service. There you can choose which services you would like, including state and federal electronic filing, print and mail service, and even e-mail service.

If you plan to print forms rather than using the PowerChurch E-file service, we recommend purchasing forms from Dynamic Systems. Their tax forms, computer check stock, and other business forms are the ones we use when developing these features in PowerChurch, so everything will line up without issue.

Visit the Dynamic Systems web site to order or view sample products.

Making The Best Use of Your Online Giving Service

The popularity of online giving has increased over the last several years. It's convenient for members and, by offering a recurring donation option, provides a predictable revenue stream for the church. You can encourage your members to give online by including a link to the giving page in your weekly bulletin as well as by placing an 'Online Giving' button in a prominent place on your website.

It's a good idea to start promoting online giving early, so that you're not waiting until after Christmas to compete with the other 1.5 million nonprofits asking for donations before the year ends! And by including holiday-specific funds on your giving page, such as an 'Adopt-a-Family' fund, members can conveniently make a donation online.

Right now is the ideal time to encourage members to make use of your online giving service and even commit to a year-round recurring giving schedule. By taking a few simple steps, you can ensure the financial health of the church in 2015 and beyond!

PowerChurch Software is partnered with Vanco Services for online giving. Visit them online at http://vancopayments.com/powerchurch or give them a call at (800) 774-9355.

Compatible Tablets for PowerChurch Software Products

As time goes on, the lines between desktops, laptops, netbooks, and tablets are blurring. Previously, when shopping for a touch screen tablet, you had the option of Android vs. iPad. Over the last couple of years, Microsoft has jumped back into the ring with its own Surface tablets.

Look at the top half of the price range of laptops and netbooks now and you will find that they also have touch screens, usually with some clever keyboard arrangement: detachable, slide-out, fold-out, flip around, upside down, doubles as a screen cover, etc. Below is a basic rule of thumb about PowerChurch compatibility with these devices:

Android & iPad. PowerChurch Online users have access to a third party app for Android and iOS devices to connect to the PowerChurch Online servers with the usual IDS Client experience. For PowerChurch Plus, PowerChurch Check In and all other products, these devices are not compatible.

Windows RT & Chrome OS. Many major computing brands now have bargain-priced hardware running Windows RT and Google's Chrome OS. Windows RT is an edition of Windows 8/8.1 that is specifically designed for mobile devices. It is not able to install and run regular Windows Desktop programs. Similarly, devices with Chrome OS run mainly web apps and packaged apps from the Chrome Web Store. Devices with Windows RT and Chrome OS are not compatible with any PowerChurch Software product.

Windows 8 Pro. Most major brands now offer Windows 8 Pro tablets and hybrid notebooks running Windows 8/8.1 with the "Pro" designation. In this context, "Pro" is the same Windows version that your laptop or desktop PC runs. If you are looking at two comparable tablets side by side, one being considerably cheaper than the other, you will likely see that the "RT" vs. "Pro" designation as the difference in price. Windows 8 Pro devices are compatible PowerChurch Plus, PowerChurch Check In, and the IDS Client.

One special note, PowerChurch Online users have access to a mobile web app that can be used to view and update Membership information. Since this is a browser-based application, any phone, tablet, notebook, or desktop computer can access it. There are no compatibility issues with any of the devices and operating systems listed above. All you need is internet access and a web browser.

Log into the mobile web app by visiting m.mypowerchurch.com

Forum Q & A

The Support Forum on our web site is a very active online community of our users and Tech Support staff members. There you can browse through thousands of questions and answers, or post your own.

From PowerChurch Online:
Q. When I attempt to upload pictures to Power Church I am getting this error. "This operation has been canceled due to restrictions in effect on this computer. Please contact your system administrator." I am the system administrator.
A. That sounds like the message that happens when you try to browse to a location on the PowerChurch Online server that you don't have access to. When browsing to the picture file to import, be sure you are browsing on drive letters M and higher. Those are the drives on your computer. Don't click the standard Windows Desktop or My Documents links, because those are the folders on our server that you don't have access to.

From General Questions:
Q. Can you restrict access or setup access levels? For instance, to allow the Church Clerk update membership data but not have access to Accounting or Contributions?
A. Yes, you can control what areas of the program each user has access to as well as what levels of access they have. In PowerChurch Plus, go to File > Preferences > Passwords & Permissions.

From Membership:
Q. I have not found a way to have a membership list not show a deceased person shown with their spouse.
A. There is an article in the Knowledge Base that explains all the different changes that should be made: www.powerchurch.com/support/422/1/processing-deceased-members-in-powerchurch-plus