Church Office Features

CUSTOMIZABLE SECURITY

•  The most important quality of a database is the security of the information entrusted to you. With Church Office, you have the peace of mind of choosing who has access to each specific part of your data.
• Efficient Data Entry and Easy Look Up
• Logical data input and easy record location allow virtually unlimited information on every individual. Standard fields like addresses, phone numbers, and birthdays combine with customizable lists and keyword data that you can create as a permanent part of the program.
• Personal records are grouped by family unit so last names and addresses are entered once for the whole family.
• Different last names or addresses can be easily changed for an individual while maintaining family relationships. Plus, you can print labels for households whose members have different last names.
• Information can be stored on attendance, sacraments, background check data, ministries, talents, and other vital personal data.
• Track a street address, mailing address, alternate address, and e-mail for each household. You can specify when the family is at the alternate address and automatically route mail to them during that time.
• View and print maps for house visits.
• Keep unlimited phone numbers and e-mail addresses for each individual.
• Record unlimited comments for individuals and families. Include data such as emergency contacts, medical alerts, or restricted pastoral comments. Limit comment access to only the users you choose.
• Import individual and family pictures from digital files.
• Print your own photo directory.
• Quickly locate records by first or last name, envelope number, phone number, address, or e-mail.
• Create activity groups for your ministries and committees, music programs, and outreach programs. All the information is right at your
• fingertips.

PROCESSES TAILORED FOR SPEED AND PRECISION

• Post changes to contribution, family, and member data automatically in bulk or one record at a time.
• Use the “Pledge Card” quick posting process to make the process of entering pledge cards and initial payments more efficient.
• Save your Quick Post process selections for future use.
• Use the one-time process for EFT payments when using QuanComm as processor.
• Quickly identify families whose credit cards will soon expire.
• Archive inactive records and get them out of your way.

SYNCHRONIZES WITH OTHER PDS SOFTWARE

• Integrates seamlessly with PDS Formation Office™ and PDS School Office™. Multiple programs share a single database. Enter a member or family once; access and edit their records from any of the programs.
• Export data to PDS Ministry Scheduler™ to easily organize schedules and duties for church leaders and staff.
• Fully integrates with PDS Connects™, the online companion to Church Office. PDS Connects gives your members the ability to manage their profile information over the Internet and make online donations.

SECURE BACKGROUND CHECKS

• Background Integration from the Safe Environment screen enables you to automatically order background checks from SecureSearch.

POWERFUL, EASY-TO-USE REPORTING

• Choose from dozens of pre-defined reports to generate directories, produce lists and comparisons for analysis and mailings. Design your own reports with content you define to meet your immediate needs.
• Track contributions and contribution goals accurately, completely, and securely.
• “Easy Lists” let you instantly generate lists of members’ details meeting almost any practical criteria.
• Support your stewardship goals with pre-defined letters and reports specifically tailored for stewardship projects.
• Powerful selections allow you to print exactly who you want in any report. Simply check off the families or members you want to print or
• enter the selection criteria. Any field available for printing in a report can be used as selection criteria.
• Use the PDS Catholic Directory feature to automatically compile all your facility’s information and statistical data to quickly generate your report for The Official Catholic Directory™ (with which PDS has no affiliation).

COMPREHENSIVE GIFT, DONATION, AND FUND MANAGEMENT

• Church Office manages and maintains all of your contribution information. It keeps you and your members informed of their giving records and histories and can even track progress toward fulfilling a capital campaign pledge.
• Support for most EFT (Electronic Fund Transfer) methods give your contributors payment flexibility.

STEWARDSHIP ENHANCEMENT

• Enhance your stewardship with the The PDS User’s Guide for Stewardship – a comprehensive plan that includes a variety of time, talent, and treasure reports to help you plan, implement, and analyze your stewardship campaigns.

MAIL FEATURES

• Use E-Z Mail™ to sort your first or standard class mailings. Print the qualification report, tray labels, and post office forms right from the program.
• CASS certify mailing addresses on your own schedule over the Internet with PDS CASS It!™, an optional add-on feature.

Formation Office Features

CUSTOMIZABLE SECURITY

• The most important quality of a database is the security of the information entrusted to you. With Formation Office, you have the peace of mind of choosing who has access to each specific part of your data.

EFFICIENT DATA ENTRY AND EASY LOOK UP

• Logical data input and easy record location allow virtually unlimited information on every individual. Standard fields like addresses, phone numbers, and birthdays combine with customizable lists and keyword data that you can create as a permanent part of the program.
• Personal records are grouped by family unit so last names and addresses are entered once for the whole family. Different last names or addresses can be easily changed for an individual while maintaining family relationships.
• Store and quickly locate information for each student’s attendance, schedule, sacraments, background check results, ministries, talents, retreats, and other vital data.
• Store and quickly locate information for each catechist’s schedule, contact information, certifications, ministries, talents, background
• check results, and other vital data.
• Keep unlimited phone numbers and e-mail addresses for each student, parent/guardian, and catechist. Student records include data
• such as emergency contacts, medical alerts, or confidential comments. Limit confidential comment access to only the users you choose.
• Import student, catechist, and family pictures from digital files.
• Quickly locate records by first or last name, envelope number, phone number, address, or e-mail.
• View each class’s schedules, attendees, meeting dates, and catechists at a glance. Create and analyze class listing, schedule, and enrollment reports with ease.

PROCESSES TAILORED FOR SPEED AND PRECISION

• Post changes to student, family, and tuition/fees data automatically in bulk or one record at a time.
• Save your Quick Post process selections for future use.
• Use the one-time process for EFT payments when using QuanComm as processor.
• Quickly identify families whose credit cards will soon expire.

SYNCHRONIZE WITH OTHER PDS PRODUCTS

• Integrate seamlessly with PDS Church Office™ and PDS School Office™. Multiple programs share a single database. Enter an individual or family once; access and edit their records from any of the programs.

POWERFUL, EASY-TO-USE REPORTING

• Choose from dozens of pre-defined reports to generate directories, produce lists and comparisons for analysis, and create mailings.
• Design your own reports with content you define to meet your immediate needs.
• Track tuition and fees accurately, completely, and securely.
• “Easy Lists” let you instantly generate lists of students, classes, catechists, attendance, and other details meeting almost any practical criteria.
• Powerful selections allow you to print exactly who you want in any report. Simply check off the families or members you want to print or enter the selection criteria. Any field available for printing in a report can be used as selection criteria.
• Use the PDS Catholic Directory feature to automatically compile all your facility’s information and statistical data to quickly generate your report for The Official Catholic Directory™ (with which PDS has no affiliation).

SECURE BACKGROUND CHECKS

• Background Integration from the Safe Environment screen enables you to automatically order background checks from SecureSearch.
• Quickly order background checks
• Save time, money and headaches
• Be consistent in your screening processes

ELECTRONIC SACRAMENTAL REGISTER

• Add the optional Sacramental Register feature for a searchable electronic database of all your sacramental records. This add-on feature makes it easy to quickly locate entries in your written registers and helps preserve your valuable records.

COMPREHENSIVE GIFT, DONATION, AND FUND MANAGEMENT

•  Easily manage and maintain all your payment information and keep you and your student’s families informed of their payment records and histories.
• Support for most EFT (Electronic Fund Transfer) methods gives your students’ families payment flexibility.

MAIL FEATURES

• Use EZ-Mail™ to sort your first or standard class mailings. Print the qualification report, tray labels, and post office forms right from the program.
• CASS certify mailing addresses on your own schedule over the Internet with PDS CASS It™, an optional add-on feature.

Ledger / Payroll Features

CUSTOMIZABLE SECURITY

• The security of the information entrusted to you is as important as the quality of the database. With PDS Ledger/Payroll, you have the peace of mind of choosing who has access to each specific part of your data.

QUICK AND EASY TAX REPORTS

• Tax time doesn’t have to be taxing any more. Quickly fill out and print W-2s for regular employees and 1099s for contract employees.
• Print federal 941, W-2, W-3, and 1096 reports. The program understands the special rules about handling differences between the IRS and SSA for clergy compensation.
• Quickly file state and federal tax forms online with PDS Tax E-File™, an optional service available within your PDS software.

USER-DEFINED CHART OF ACCOUNTS

• PDS Ledger/Payroll goes beyond simple employee management and includes the full functionality of the robust PDS Ledger program. Organize a complete chart of accounts and base it on your organization’s unique needs.
• Cash or accrual basis accounting
• Budgets
• Checks
• Direct deposit
• Transactions

SIMPLE EMPLOYEE MANAGEMENT

• Keep track of all your employees and each of their positions. With the user-friendly screens, easily add address and contact information, pictures, evaluations, benefits, and tax information for one or multiple positions per employee. Easily accrue vacation and sick time.

EASY END-OF-PERIOD PROCESSING

• PDS is regularly updated to conform with IRS regulations, so you can rest assured that you are meeting all current federal requirements. PDS posts all federal and state tax table changes as they occur so that you can download all updates quickly and easily. These downloads are free for PDS Preferred Client Program members.
• With PDS Ledger/Payroll, there is no hassle in processing information for each reporting period.
• Monthly Processes – Automate the calculation of wages, withholdings, salaries, tax liabilities, and benefits each month as necessary.
• Quarterly Processes – Eliminate labor and cost by creating and printing federal and state reports.
• Yearly Processes – Easily print W-2s and 1099s for your employees at the end of each year. In addition, you can print federal, state, and local reports in a snap.

EXTENSIVE REPORTING

• PDS Ledger/Payroll includes all of the extensive reports available in PDS Ledger, including accounting, transaction, invoice, and fixed asset reports among many others. The program also includes exclusive employee and paycheck reports so that you can manage your staff operations easily and efficiently.
• Select from dozens of pre-defined reports or design your own.
• The Easy Report option allows you to simply select the fields you want to print.
• Export reports to Microsoft® Excel® spreadsheets.

COMPATIBILITY WITH OTHER PDS SOLUTIONS

• Compatible with PDS Church Office™, Formation Office™, and School Office™, enabling you to import contribution records from each program.
• If your diocese uses PDS DioView™, you can upload your financial data automatically over the Internet, making reporting as simple as a click of the mouse.

Facility Scheduler Features

SECURE PROGRAM ACCESS

• Determine who has access to each area of the program so that you can keep confidential records private. The system administrator can decide who can view or change data.
• Set up a password system, and stay informed with a log of users’ activities in the program.

PAINLESS SCHEDULING

• Start immediately and simply with step-by-step wizards to schedule a year’s worth of recurring events as easily as a one-time event.
• Don’t worry about being limited by the system. You can schedule event packages that require multiple facilities over a series of days.
• Quickly check the availability of any facility for any time or date range.
• Make sure the financial side is handled appropriately. You can track charges and payments credited and due.

COMMUNICATION TOOLS

• Make it convenient for everyone at your church – print calendars for posting at each facility resource.
• Take your calendars online with no design experience required. Just create the Web calendar in the program and publish it to your Web site.
• Maintain contact information for both organization leaders and facility administrators.
• Take advantage of the program’s compatibility with other PDS solutions, and import contact information from PDS Church Office™, PDS Formation Office™, or PDS School Office™.

POWERFUL REPORTING

• Maintain flexibility by generating daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly calendars.
• Maximize your time and efficiency with the ability to create reminder letters, billing statements, envelopes, and labels directly from the program.

Ministry Scheduler Features

CUSTOMIZABLE PROGRAM OPTIONS TO HELP SAVE TIME

•  Before entering ministers and masses, you can customize the program to eliminate redundant data entry for shared family information and frequently entered cities and states. This also helps reduce data entry errors.
• Modify mass labels and ministry names to mirror the terminology used in your parish.
• Specify time-of-day ranges, preference management, and tailor scheduling options.
• Define and assign an attribute or class name to a group of ministers. Later, use this descriptor to schedule ministers from a specific group or to filter for a ministry type.
• Set up the screens and processes you use and access the most with the Personalized Favorites Menu.

STRAIGHTFORWARD MASS SETUP

• For each mass entry, select the type of mass. The program window adjusts to display only the fields needed for the type of mass entered.
• The program automatically names the mass for you, but the parish scheduler can rename the mass if preferred.
• The parish scheduler can easily adjust the number of ministers required for each mass.

SIMPLE DATA SYNCHRONIZATION OF MINISTERS

• Ministry Scheduler has the ability to use data you have saved in PDS Church Office™ 5.0B or later.
• Use the PDS Office Data Synchronization wizard to quickly and easily import members and their ministries from PDS Church Office, School Office, or Formation Office. Use this process on an ongoing basis to keep information up-to-date. If synchronization is not an option, you can manually enter ministers and their ministries.

COMPLETE OPTIONS FOR SETTING PREFERENCES AND RULES FOR SCHEDULING

• For each minister, specify days of the week, away periods, and times of day when ministers are unable to serve because of work, vacation, or other commitments. You can also suspend preferences for special masses, such as Christmas Midnight Mass.
• Schedule family members for the same mass. Family groupings may also be disabled if serving at the same mass is undesirable.
• Select an unlimited number of preferred masses at which to serve. To help avoid staffing conflicts, a minister can also specify an unlimited number of particular masses or groups of masses for which he or she should not be scheduled.

EFFORTLESS SCHEDULING

•  If a member serves in more than one ministry, assignments will be rotated among the ministries for which the person is
• commissioned. Realizing, however, that there are times when an equitable assigning of ministers is not desired, you can indicate
• direct assignments for each minister. You can also group ministers to serve together.
• There are three types of masses in a church’s schedule: permanent masses that are celebrated the same time each weekend, daily
• masses that are celebrated during the week, and special masses such as the Easter Vigil Mass that occur at a specific time and date. Because different groups of people can be assigned to each of these masses for each minister, you can indicate the type of mass to which they are permitted to be assigned.
• For each mass in your schedule, you can assign a specific minister class type to it. By assigning ministers to a class type and a class type to each mass, you can ensure that only ministers in the same classification will receive assignments at the mass. For example, you can assign 6th grade ministers as altar servers for the same mass.
• For each minister, you can indicate the maximum number of ministries per week for which they may be scheduled. The program
• limits the number of ministries a person can perform to one per day.
• Liturgies or masses are ordered chronologically with attention to an individual minister’s time and changing mass schedules.

PUBLISH SCHEDULES AND MORE

• Print the mass schedule for a specified date range and include all of the ministries or any subset of them. You can also limit the schedule to a particular type of mass.
• Design a custom report to print minister information lists.
• Print mailing labels or individual schedule labels.
• Print a list of ministers that prefer a particular mass.
• Generate reports that show who received assignments and the number of assignments received.