End of Year Processing for ChurchPro
December 2007

Before closing out the year, you should: Enter all membership and attendances for 2007
Enter all contributions and print contribution statements
Enter all accounts payable checks and print all reports
Enter all employment information and print last paychecks, W-2's, Form 941 and Form 1099
Do not close out the year until you have finished all the processing and reporting for 2007.
Closing out the year is a simple process and requires less than 20 minutes.

BUT IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT YOU PERFORM IT.

The very first procedures that you MUST perform is a backup of your data. We recommend you use the CD burner software that came with your CD burner or WindowsXP to create a copy of your data. On the file server or on your stand alone machine, use Windows Explore to find C:\ChurchPro. Click the plus to the left of the folder and beneath it will be ChurchProX. The X represents the latest version of ChurchPro which you are currently using. Make a COPY of ChurchPro200X using at least two different ways of making a copy. This is insurance against a bad back up program. You must disable the ChurchPro passwords BEFORE you make the copies. Store the copies in safe places away from the church. We recommend the safety deposit box at the bank.

For additional safety, create a new folder on your C drive call CPData. Copy your ChurchPro200X into that folder. This will give you the ability to go back to that data quickly and easily. When you need to go back to that data, call the Support Center for instructions. If you need more help, there are webinars during December and January that go over this material with a certified trainer. Also, you may call Technical Support if you have an technical support agreement with us. But, the first questions they will ask is, “do you have a copy of the end of year processing in your hand?. And, do you have a current back up?” If so, they will ask which section are you having difficulty with and will assist you. Otherwise you will need to call again when you have these two items completed.

If you are stumped and need help, please call first, don’t wing it! Each area of ministry has a different way of closing out. Listed below are the modules that may require your attention. Do not proceed until you have completed all the work for the year.

Accounting

Usually accounting does not require any attention since its reports are date sensitive. However, some churches like to delete transactions from previous years. We don’t recommend this. To delete previous years, go to the Main Menu, then Setup. Find the tab labeled Clear Data. On the left hand side find the button marked Back Up Checking. Press this to make a backup on your hard drive. This is not the same as the back up described above and should never be your only back up. Then press Year End Checking, it will ask for a date range to archive. Enter the dates. Archiving here means to DELETE. If you continue all your transactions within your date range will be lost forever.

Payroll

On all ChurchPro payroll sections after 2006, there is no end of year needed. Sunday School Attendance Clearing out Sunday School Attendance is necessary to start a new year. However, many churches have a Sunday School year that begins in September or October to timing is important. From the Main Menu go to Setup and to the tab labeled Clear Data. Lower left hand corner is the Year End SS Data button. Press it to clear out your Sunday School attendance.

Church Attendance

Clearing out the Church Attendance is necessary to start a new year. However, many churches have a Church Year that begins in September or October to timing is important. From the Main Menu go to Setup and to the tab labeled Clear Data. Lower left hand corner is the Year End Church Data button. Press it to clear out your Church attendance.

Contributions

The giving module does not require any attention since its reports are date sensitive, except for one. If you use either of the two Letters in Contributions, you need to clear out the data AFTER you send the letters for 2007’s giving. Otherwise, skip this section. When the letters are generated the system adds up all the contributions it has for a person and reports them. If the contributions are from 2003 or 2002 then the person receives an inaccurate report. So clear out the contributions AFTER you are finished with the data. To clear the data, go to the Main Menu and Set up, find the tab marked Clear Data. Lowe left hand corner is Back Up Giving, press it. This makes a backup on your hard drive and should never be used as your only backup. Then click Year End Giving, it will ask for a date range, enter the dates and press continue. They system will delete contributions within that range. You only have to delete contributions IF you use the two letters. Other wise, skip this section.

Budgeting

Now that the new year has begun and you are completely finished with 2007, you can enter your budget for 2008. Go to Accounting and Setup Accounts and Budget. On ChurchPro 2004 or earlier releases you go to the each income and expense line and swipe over the budget amount and retype in the new amount. Tab over to the date line and enter 01/01/08. You are finished. For ChurchPro 2005 or later, you have an added feature. Press the Start New Budget button and a message reminds you that the system will move last year’s budgets over to a new last years budget line. Then you retype over this year’s budget. This makes it faster and easier to manage. Tab over to the date and enter 01/01/08.

There is no further end of year processing.

After you have completed the year end processing, it is wise to make another back up of your data and store it away from the church.