Ministry Information System - Tips and Hints
 

Remember that the Ministry Information Systems software is ever-evolving and there will continue to be updates. The documentation you have now may also need to be updated to stay current with the software. We are striving to keep everyone informed through e-mails and tips here on the Web page.

This is a pull process. When someone in your area is moving to a new location, the local recorder should notify the new Region/Stake/Mission Center office that a new family is relocating and their new address. This will enable the new jurisdiction to locate the family and provide some welcoming ministry. At that time, the new jurisdiction can pull the family’s membership information. Region/Stake/Mission Center addresses and phone numbers are accessible from the Church Home Page on the Internet.

To do transfers choose Utility on the Membership Home Base Menu Bar. Choose RLDS Utilities and Member Transfer. Type in the baptismal number. Click Next and then put in the name of the new Congregation. If you are transferring the entire family put a check in the box indicating the entire family.

Membership withdrawal is a procedure that requires signed letters from the member, pastor, regional/stake administrator, and First Presidency. Therefore, no membership withdrawals should be entered into the Ministry Information System at a local level. That information will be entered at Headquarters once the paperwork has been submitted. There is no change in this policy. It has always been a function of the First Presidency and will continue that way.

People Information

Elected/Appointed Leaders Congregation/District/Region/Stake/Mission Center

These positions are defined in the GlobaFile in tab ‘4. Relationships’ - First, Select the Jurisdiction within Membership - Go to GlobaFile - Select tab ‘4. Relationships’ - Click on the ‘Other’ tab (bottom of window) - Click ‘Add New’ - The ‘As’ field will allow selection of pre-defined church leadership positions - The ‘To’ field identifies the person filling the position - Select their name from the list - Enter ‘Beginning’ date. If a person is changing positions, the one which is being vacated MUST have an ending date entered so they will not be included mailings to the old position. (2/7/2000)

Commissions, Committees and Boards

Individuals serving on the above are defined in Membership in tab ‘3. Organizations’ - First, Select the Individual within Membership - Select tab ‘3. Organizations’ - Click ‘Add New’ - Enter information in the fields. ‘Organizations’ must be previously defined under Membership Utilities before being selected. (2/7/2000)

Relationships

Relationships are either up or down.  A Parent relates down to a child.  An individual relates up to an organization. (01/31/01)

Phone Numbers - Multiple entries for same number

Select the Person in Membership - Go to tab ‘2. Phones’ in the GlobaFile - Select the phone number to be deleted - Click the Delete button - Click the Finished button. Repeat the process if there are additional phone numbers to be deleted. (2/7/2000)

Country Code 

We are continuing to experience users misinterpreting the field on the address screen as COUNTY when it actually says COUNTRY.  Please be careful to enter the proper code for the COUNTRY of residence. If it does not appear on the pick list you have probably enter the wrong information and it will prompt you to save this information when MIS receives a new entry in the Country Code Table which is not already present, don't save this. If you need to enter a NEW country that is not in the pick list, be sure it is spelled correctly and it really does exist.  The ONLY VALID code for the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA is USA. We are trying to keep it simple and yet we will review the country codes periodically to keep only valid data in the database. In the future you may receive an e-mail reminding you of data entry errors. We use this country code in the contribution EFT process and the reporting process and it is very important that it is correct. (02/02/01)

Adding a family

An entire family can be added at once in Membership.  Once you are into Membership, on the "Individual's Information" screen, click New.  Say "No" to the question is this person added to the family of ???.  The next screen is the "GlobaFile Information Criteria" screen.  Enter the Family name and click OK.  On the "GlobaFile Information (Pick a name)" screen, choose File in the upper left corner and choose "New Family".  A yellow screen will appear where you can add all members of the family.  You can also assign an address and enter the home phone number.  (01/31/01)

Standard Reports

There are standard reports set up in Membership Reports.  The Report Group "Standard Reports" contains nine reports set up for your use.  You can run these reports as they are, or you can make changes.  If you make changes, rename your report so the standard reports stay as they are for others to use.  These reports can also be a sample for you to use in setting up other reports.  The "Leader's Manual", available as a downloadable file from this Web Site, outlines the setup of the standard reports. (01/31/01)

Contribution Statements

The design for Contribution Statements has been set up by the Presiding Bishopric.  Please do not change the design of the statements.  You may, however, add a comment to your statement "Comment" tab of the Statement setup screen.  Remember to remove your comment once you have printed your statements.  You share that screen with other congregations in your jurisdiction.  If you leave your comment, it will show up on another congregation's statements. (01/31/01)

Saving Contribution Batches

When you save a batch you will get a screen that asks what year and month to post this entry. Choose the correct month and year and click OK. The next screen is an Options screen asking you to choose the sort sequence and batch options. At the bottom of that screen there is a line titled “Path for WP Files”. That path should be [v:] without the brackets. Once you change the path, you should be able to continue your save.

To print an individual statement, go into the member’s individual information (Tab 2) and change the “Statement Frequency” to Individual. Now go to Contributions and choose Statements in the Reports. Choose Individual for “Statement Frequency”. All records with “Individual” indicated on their Tab 2 will print a statement. (Remember to go back and change the Statement Frequency on Tab 2 to Quarterly.)

Contribution Batches ‘disappear’ after performing Save

When a Contribution Batch has been ‘Edited’ and ‘Saved’ it is automatically removed from the ‘Contribution Processing’ window. This is for data control purposes so that saved information cannot be accidentally changed. If a batch needs to be reviewed - Go to Reports - Contribution List - Enter Begin and End Date as the date of the entered Contributions - Click on ‘Print Batch Numbers’ - This will help to verify you have selected the correct information. (2/7/2000)

Correct Previous ‘Saved’ entries

Two Step Process - Contribution Processing - Create New Batch - Create One Contribution Entry to reverse the incorrect contribution purpose/amount detail - Click ‘Apply’ - Create a Second Contribution Entry to create the correct purpose/amount detail. - Click ‘OK’ - Edit and Save the Batch. (2/7/2000)

Congregational Purpose Codes

The series 100-199 have been reserved for congregations. Numbers 100, 101, and 199 have been established at headquarters. These cannot be changed. Stake, region, mission center leadership have the responsibility to work with congregations to create specific congregational codes using the remaining 97 codes. Please contact the financial officer for your stake, region or mission center to help identify your special needs. (1/27/2000)

Setup Envelope (Box) Numbers

Click on Church - Click on Membership - Membership Information - Find Person and double click - Select tab ‘2. Individual Information’. Click on ‘Envelope Number’ and replace the 0000’s with a valid box number from your envelope number list (on paper) that you have given the contributor in your congregation. DO NOT CLICK ASSIGN - that will assign the next available number in the system. Click OK to finish. (1/27/2000)

Reporting Contributor Master List

Click on Church - Click on Membership - Click on Reports - Choose Envelope Master List - Select Name for print sequence - Check ‘Include only individuals with envelope numbers’ - Check ‘Print envelope master list with duplicates’ - Click OK. This will display the full list to your screen or you can print to paper. (1/27/2000)

Entering Loose Change

Click on Church - Click on Contributions - Click on Contribution Processing - Right Click on the Contribution Box at the bottom of the screen - Choose New. DO NOT use an envelope number for loose change. Click on Name field and press function key F4. Click Show All Modules button. Scroll to find your congregation’s name and double click. You will get a Contributions message box, Click OK. You are back to ‘Contribution Entry’ and the name of your congregation should be in the Name field. Enter the appropriate Purpose Code for the monies received. If there are additional contributions for entry - Click Apply. If this is the last entry - Click OK. (1/27/2000)

Include Both Husband and Wife on the Contribution Record

Click on Church - Click on Membership - Click on Membership Information - Type in family Last Name - Double Click on their name - Select tab ‘2. Individual Information’ - Enter Envelope Number if not already entered - Check Pledge with Spouse - Check Print Statements - Select Statement Frequency - Quarterly - Click OK. Select Wife’s record - Double Click - Select tab ‘2. Individual Information’ - Envelope Number and other fields in that column should be blank - Click OK. To verify husband and wife are combined, see ‘Reporting Contributor Master List’. (1/27/2000)

For Stakes:  When doing journal entries, you cannot cross funds.  If you are doing   journal entries for stake assessments, for example, you must debit that line item in the congregation and credit the Composite Bank Account.  Then do another journal entry debiting the Composite Bank Account and credit the Stake account for assessments.  The software will not allow you to cross funds in one journal entry. (01/31/00)

Bank Reconciliation

How does the information get into Bank Reconciliation?

Any application (other than General Ledger), that affects the bank account will send entries to the Bank Reconciliation module.  This includes Contributions, Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, Payroll, Check Express, Receipting, and Registrations.  (From Shelby E-News 02/01/01)

What about the items that are manually entered into General Ledger?

This would include items such as transfers and adjustments or deposits and withdrawals that are not processed through one of the above applications.  You may manually enter these items into Bank Reconciliation as outstanding items.  However, it is recommended that these be entered through Check Express.  I twill then flow into both General Ledger and Bank Reconciliation. (From Shelby E-News 02/01/01)

There are two ways to reconcile your statement, Using Detail List or Using Item Entry.  Click on Utility then Preferences from the Bank Reconciliation Home Base screen. (From Shelby E-News 01/31/01)

1.  Using Detail List - This option will display all outstanding items on the reconciliation screen.   You then simply go down the list clicking in the cancel box next to the listed item.  If you do not like using the mouse you may use the down arrow key to move to the next item and press the space bar to cancel it. 

2.  Using Item Entry - This option requires you to type each item number and amount to cancel items from your bank statement.  If the system detects a discrepancy, it will warn you that the items do not match, and will not allow you to cancel it.  This is a very safe process and should ensure that the amount of an item cancelled by the bank matches what you have in the system.(02/02/01)

Printing

If you have difficulty printing through Citrix, you now have the option of saving your report to a PDF file.  Click on Downloads on this page, and choose Printing to PDF File.

Along the same lines, you can save the report to a CSV file to be used by another application.  The file is in a "quote, comma delimited" format that can be used by any application that will read a text file.  If you use a .csv extension on the file, Excel will open the file automatically and parse the columns correctly.  Simply go to File, choose Save As and choose Comma Delimited File.  You will have to enter the path and file name for the document (e.g., v:\my documents\balance sheet).  This works well only for reports that are columnar in nature such as the Balance Sheet or Financial Spreadsheet. (From Shelby E-News 01/12/01)

Citrix Printer Availability

If you do not find your printer available within Shelby, there is a way to define a generic printer driver which will work with virtually all printers. Call the HELP Desk at 1-800-825-2806 x1234 to obtain instruction on how to do this. (2/1/2000)

Print Instructions from the Installation CD-ROM

PC USERS - Place the CD-ROM into your PC - Select My Computer icon from the PC Desktop - Select the drive which represents your CD-ROM - Double Click to open.

MAC USERS - Place the CD-ROM into your PC - Select icon on the Desktop for your CD-ROM

ALL USERS

Support Procedures and Hours - Double Click IS Support for Field Office or IS Support for ASC - 1 Page

RLDS Documents folder - Double Click - Three documents should be displayed.

Stewardship Commissioner's Users Guide - 20 Pages - Quick Reference Guide for Stewardship Commissioners

Congregation Stewardship Comm #B8F - 120 Pages - Draft Stewardship Commissioner Guide

Cong Leaders Manual - 40 Pages - Draft Guide for Pastors and other Congregational Leaders

Installation Procedures - Double Click Citrix Install for Windows or Citrix Install for Macintosh - 3 Pages

Shelby Systems Help folder - Double Click - Multiple Documents displayed - Last two characters of the file name indicate the module being referenced - (e.g., ‘ssv5cn’ = contributions, ‘ssv5gb’ = globafile, etc.)

(01/31/2001)