For any questions, please contact Eric Kuske at the Pastoral Center (909) 475-5403 (ekuske@sbdiocese.org). You can also post questions to the yammer group by clicking here. This group is only open to employees if you are having issues with this please contact Eric Kuske.

PATHFinder: ParishSOFT’s Learning Management System. Contains videos on how to use the software and is free to sign up for and use. Here is the registration link to the ParishSOFT PATHFinder Learning Management System - https://parishsoft.litmos.com/self-signup/. When signing up you will be prompted for a code which is Welcome. After you sign-up, you will be emailed a link which takes you to https://parishsoft.litmos.com and you will use it to log into PATHFinder and begin taking the courses. They have a number of courses for various software’s that they offer the ones you want to sign up for are labeled “FAMILY SUITE”.

Note: Before you can take any course, you must first complete the “PATHFinder Overview”.

The PATHFinder Overview Course (Note: these links will only work if you are signed into PATHFinder)

Click here to view this Course(https://parishsoft.litmos.com/home/course/1661340?r=False&ts=637987502412503421)

· For more information about PATHFinder click here.

· For questions about PATHFinder send an e-mail to training@parishsoft.com or call 866.930.4774 ext. 4

· Training Database – This is a great resource to use so that you can test, experiment and learn about the software without fear of doing something bad to your real data.

· To access the training database, go to: https://trainingdemo5.parishsoftfamilysuite.com/

· The training database is reset every night giving you a fresh database each day. To help with the traffic please use the grid below to determine the login you should use.

Birth Month	User ID
January	User1
February	User2
March	User3
April	User4
May	User5
June	User6
July	User7
August	User8
September	User9
October	User10
November	User11
December	User12
January	User16
February	User17
March	User18
April	User19
May	User20
June	User21
July	User22
August	User23
September	User24
October	User25
November	User26
December	User27

· Password S@intJo$3ph

Help Documents for ParishSOFT Family Suite click here

· This site has various online documents to help with using the ParishSOFT Family Suite.

ParishSOFT SuccessLabs Click Here

· This site has various webinars that can be signed up for.

Sizing web pages (Zoom): By pressing the control key (ctrl) and the + key or – key will make the screen size larger or smaller.

Automatic logoff: After 30 minutes of no activity, you will need to log back in.

Standard Operating Procedures (SOP)

· Standard Operating Procedures(SOP) for the ParishSOFT software. These SOP’s are standards that will help make data uniform for use throughout the diocese.

· Registration Status for Family DSB-1001 (Estado de registro de una familia -- DSB-1001)

· Data Entry Standards for Salutations & Addresses DSB-1003 (Normas de ingreso de datos para saludos y direcciones – DSB-1003)

· Invalid Mailing Address DSB-1008

· Pastoral Center Input of New Families DSB1009 (Registro de Nuevas Familias del Centro Pastoral -- DSB-1009)

Changing the Parish

· In the upper left corner of the screen is the parish whose data this is currently being seen. By clicking on that name, a drop down will appear below that will allow you to switch to a different parish if you have access to it.

Primary Contact For ParishSOFT at Location (place with ParishSOFT)

· Each Location has a person who is the primary contact for ParishSOFT at each parish. This person is typically not the pastor but was designated by the pastor. The reason for this is that it is up to the parish to manage the logins for ParishSOFT and what access a user has to ParishSOFT. This person also serves as a first response to any issues that users at the parish are having and can then get the appropriate people involved.

The primary contact is given the System Admin privilege. The System Admin privilege allows only the person with this privilege to: add, delete or modify the rights of users, work with the setup of funds and permissions to those funds, modify various lists, and use the family merge process. By default, users with the System Admin privilege can do everything within the software. On ParishSOFT’s web site a more detailed document on rights can be found. Since the System Admin has full rights to the software it is important to limit who has this privilege but note more than one person can have this privilege.

· It recommended to review those users with rights to the software to see if users should be removed, added or changes should be made.

Logins

· Who can access:

· The location (place with ParishSOFT) determines who can have access to the software. Each user should have their own login and generic accounts should not be used. Passwords should not be shared. List of users should be reviewed frequently and users no longer at parish should be removed. If a password is forgotten the staff member with System admin privileges can reset it. The data stored in the software contains information which should not be used for any purpose other than what it is intended for. Professional integrity needs to be enforced in the handling of the data, which should only be accessed when the task requires it to be accessed and data is not to be used for personal purposes.

The above is meant as a summary of some of the information found in the Diocesan Electronic Communications Policy:

http://sbdiocese.wixsite.com/communications/resources

Each employee (includes volunteers with access to computers) should have read this document and signed it.

Each user of the software needs to have their own sign in which is not shared with anyone.

· Instructions on how to Add New Staff and Assign Rights.

· After Assigning rights for Offering permission needs to be granted to the fund(s) the person will be allowed to use. This is done through the Fund Permissions button on the Offering – Funds screen. Circled in Red on the picture below:

More about this can be found:

· Permission by fund

· Permission by staff.

· Position: If Position needed is not in the list please send an e-mail to ITsupport@sbdiocese.org with the positions that need to be added.

· Note: If the staff member you are trying to add is not found it is recommended to add or search from Family Directory using Family List and Member List to prevent duplicates from being created.

User Guides

· There is not a user guide that can be printed or view for the entire product. There are several places to go for instruction.

· Release notes is a link that is centered below the login page and has a list of dates on when the software was updated with links to documents that will explain the enhancements made to that version of the software. Those changes remain unless update by future enhancements of the software.

· Help is a link located in the upper right of the screen that when hovered over with the mouse will give you options on what type of help is needed. Clicking on one of those options will then take you to further information.

· PATHFinder is ParishSOFT’s Learning Management System and contains videos on how to use the web version of the software and is free to sign up for and use. The instructions are located at the top of this column

Family Directory

· Family records with no names: in the desktop version if a family’s last name and tag name were deleted, they would no longer show in the listing with the transfer of the data to the web version these families now show.

o First check to see if there are member names present.

§ If so, update Family information from the member information and update their registration status as appropriate.

§ If not, update the family record to unregistered and inactive.

· Note: We will continue to investigate how to better handle these records after all parishes have transitioned.

§ If first name for the family are unknown or blank then the families first name should be “family of” (span: “Familia”)

· If the first name for the member is unknown then it should be “Member of” (span: “Membro de la Familia”)

· Family Merge

o Instructions on how to merge families can be found in PATHFinder or by clicking on the following link:

§ How to merge families

o It is also possible to merge members

§ How to merge members

o The following link provides a method to look for possible duplicates.

§ Click here for a method to look for possible duplicates

· Sacrament Notification Letters

o The software does not have a feature like this built in. A mail merge template can be set up and used from the add/edit sacraments. Instructions for how to use the Mail Merge feature can be found at:

§ PSFS Family Directory - Mail Merge: How to create a mail merge template

§ PSFS Family Directory - Mail Merge: How to create a Mail Merge template from an existing document

· Mailing Labels: Click here to see instructions.

· Member record “Date of Death”

o The “Member Details” tab shows the “date of the death” but it is not entered directly for that screen. The “Date of Death” is added through the Funeral Record for that member which cannot be created from that screen either. To make the funeral record first make note of the “First name”, “Last name” and “Member DUID” of the person. Then go to “Sacraments” menu item under the “Family Directory Tab”. From there you would select “Funeral” type in the “last name” and “first name” and click on search. If the person’s name shows up, then click on the view/edit sacrament button and make sure the “Member DUID” matches to the written down. If it doesn’t or if the person is not listed then Click on the “Create new Funeral Record” button search for the person verifying that the “Member DUID” is a match, click on accept and then enter in all the pertinent information. Click here for instructions from ParishSOFT.

o Note: After adding in the Funeral record date of death go back and mark the member status as deceased and if that is the only member or all head of house hold members are deceased then mark the family as deceased and unregister them.

· Best Practice: Adult Children in Families

o How in ParishSOFT do we handle children as they become adults? This document explains some ways in which this can be done.

· Related PATHFinder Courses – The following courses or learning Paths will help to explain how to use the software but note that there may be others resources that will help as well and that this is not a comprehensive list.

o The Family Suite – Family Directory – Basics Course (Note: these links will only work if you are signed into PATHFinder)

Click here to view this Course(https://parishsoft.litmos.com/home/course/1615703?r=False&ts=637987498617629864)

DDF Reports

· How to run reports on DDF

Sacrament Input

· Add new Celebrant

o Click here for instructions on adding a new Celebrant to the list.

· Sacramental Input Best Practices Document

o This document explains how to input the sacraments into ParishSOFT so that the yearly stats can be pulled easier and that the data input for new or corrected information to the sacramental books is used as a backup to the scans that were done a few years ago.

· Add Custom Organization: By clicking here you can learn how to add a custom organizations (like Parishes from other countries).

How to list Family Groups

· Document on how to list Family Groups

Religious Education (Note: the parish can change the name of this tab)

· Classes where some students receive sacraments

· There may be some classes where some of the students are receiving sacraments and some are not. There are 2 ways this can be handled. For this example, the class is “4th Grade”

· The “4th Grade” class would contain all the students. A second class would be created called “4th Grade Sacraments” only the students needing sacraments would be added to this class.

· When setting up a class, there can be multiple grades selected for that class. Typically there is only a “4” that can be selected for 4th grade. Using “Lookup Management” under “Religious Education” click on “Grades”. Here a grade of “4 Sac” can be added. (“4S” or “4 Sacrament” can be used as well, just be consistent for your parish.) Now you can edit the “4th Grade” class and under grades check off both “4” and “4 Sac”. Now when adding students to the class they can be assigned to either grade. When the class list is printed out it will indicate the grade level for the student. Also under “Classes” the “view by” can be set to “Grade” which will then list the classes that have that grade part of them.

· Online Registration process

· ParishSOFT does have a process for allowing families to register for Religious Education classes through the software using my own church. Click here for instructions on setting this up.

· Notes:

· This process will only allow a family who has the registration status checked off for that parish to register for that parishes RE program. If the family was added to the parish as non-registered the family will not be able to utilize this process.

· If using a registration form and or a form of payment through the “Pay Now” button the system does not update the ParishSOFT Family suite information with that information.

· Director of Religious Education - ParishSOFT Family Suite

· Family Suite – Religious Education – Administration

· The Family Suite – Religious Education – Basics Course (Note: these links will only work if you are signed into PATHFinder)

Click here to view this Course(https://parishsoft.litmos.com/home/course/1644198?r=False&ts=637987497622924219)

· The Family Suite – Religious Education – Students & Leaders Course (Note: these links will only work if you are signed into PATHFinder)

Click here to view this Course(https://parishsoft.litmos.com/home/course/1644201?r=False&ts=637987498617786110)

· The Family Suite – Religious Education – Class Details & Reports Course (Note: these links will only work if you are signed into PATHFinder)

Click here to view this Course(https://parishsoft.litmos.com/home/course/1644202?r=False&ts=637987498617786110)

Religious Education Tuition

· This module is used to track the tuition for the family at the parish.

o Note: It is now possible to post an entry after the “Due on” date for the invoice

o Note: it is now possible to finalize a $0 invoice.

o The Family Suite – Tuition – Overview Course (Note: these links will only work if you are signed into PATHFinder)

Click here to view this Course(https://parishsoft.litmos.com/home/course/1644208?r=False&ts=637987498617786110)

o Family Suite – Religious Education – Basics

§ PSFS - Religious Education - Adding Terms, Sessions and Classes (8:56)

Offering (DMO “Development Manager Offering”)

· Help documents for Offering click here

· Videos on how to use Offering Module

· Webinar Series: Introduction to ParishSOFT Offering

· Webinar Series: Newly Redesigned Offering Advanced Processes

· How to import offering batch from vendor

· Guidelines for recording Donations to ParishSOFT from the Office of Parish Assistance

· Link To Guide

· Batches

· It is recommended that all contribution entries are done within a batch and that once balanced the batch is then closed.

· It is recommended that each batch is only posted against one fund and to one date to prevent accidental posting to the wrong fund and date.

· The program does not prevent you from doing this and there may be times when this needs to be done but generally the above is recommended to follow.

· Note that when importing a batch that the above may not apply.

· If changes are needed, then those are done within another batch which is often referred to as a correction batch. Note: See the section below called “Correction Batch” on a feature that automates this aspect for you.

· Type of corrections may be that the wrong amount was entered, the amount was posted to the wrong fund or date, a check came back as insufficient funds, etc…

· To help prevent errors in closed batches it is highly recommended that the export to PDF is done prior to closing, that is to say before the batch is closed, to verify the batch name, date contributions were posted to, Fund that they were posted to, and the total is correct. Doing this before the batch is closed allows for corrections to made prior to closing the batch.

· Correction Batch

· ParishSOFT has a feature that will allow you to create a correction Batch based off of a selection of contributions. This can help correct a batch that was posted to the wrong fund, the wrong date, etc. Click here to find out more.

· Using the above feature you can reverse (add a negative amount to cancel out an entry in a closed batch) either for one entry or the whole batch. Click here for instructions to do this.

· Archive Funds

· How to archive a fund

· Add “Z-Archived-” to the beginning of the name for the fund.

· For example, a fund named “Offering 2001” would become “Z-Archived-Offering 2001”

· Set the start date and end date to a date that the fund currently doesn’t have any contributions posted to it. (This date should probably be a few years old)

· For example, for the fund above after some research we find that the last contribution posted to it was 3-12-2002. The start date and end date could then be set to 3-13-2002.

· Save the fund.

· Doing these steps will make the fund fall at the end of the list and will only allow you to post to that fund for the one date that the start date and end date were set to. This will help prevent accidental postings to that fund and allow that fund to show up on reports if needed.

· Note: Leave the fund is active checkbox checked. If this box is unchecked then the fund will not show when running reports even if items are posted to the date range you want on the report.

· End-of-Year Processes

· Click here to see a list of help documents pertaining to how-to-do’s for End-of-Year statements.

· IO Reports - Differences: How PSFS Offering Reports compare to PSIO Reports this explains how to locate reports in offering that were found in the previous version.

· End of year toolkit from ParishSOFT for 2022

ParishSOFT Staff Management

· Click here for more information about how to manage your staff listing.

· Note since the software is web based it can be used anywhere any time by those with rights to use it. Administrator should review on a regular basis and remove those that should no longer have access and modify rights as needed.

Ministry Scheduler

· Click here for more information on how to use.

IQ – Create queries from your data

· IQ queries: Queries that are available to use in the Intelligent Query (IQ) module.

Status Animarum (SA) and Official Catholic Directory (OCD)

· These are two web sites that are part of the ParishSOFT software used to record the statistical information for the Status Animarum and Kennedy Directory.

· Click here for the links to login and manuals.

· Video: How to login to SA/OCD

· Video: Snipping Tool

· Staff Management Help Document

· IQ queries: Queries that are available to use in the Intelligent Query (IQ) module.

· How to find Status Animarum Statistical Data

· Sacramental Input Best Practices Document

· Note: Passwords to access this module can’t be than 12 characters. This is because ParishSOFT has not updated the password policy for this module.

ParishSOFT Facility Calendar

Some of you may be using the Facility Calendar from ParishSOFT the following links will help to better understand that module. In addition to these links there are training videos in PATHFinder as well. See above for instruction on how to use PATHFinder. Please contact ParishSOFT support with any questions about the Facility Calendar and PATHFinder at support@parishsoft.com or 866-930-4774.

· ParishSOFT Facility Calendar Articles

· PSFC Setup - Overview: How to set up ParishSOFT Facility Calendar

· PSFC Setup - People: How to add permission roles and assign them to users

· PSFC Admin - Free Trial or New Customer: Transition, Training, and Support (FAQs)

Data analysis in Excel

· Compare rows from Set B that are not in Set A

System Requirements:

Recommended Internet speed

ParishSOFT Success Labs

· ParishSOFT Success Labs

· This site has some free trainings from parishsoft.

· https://www.parishsoft.com/training/

Enhancement Requests Made to ParishSOFT

Enhancement requests can be made to ParishSOFT for improvements seen by users that would improve the functionality of the software.

The following is a list of those that have been submitted. The number in parentheses is a reference number used by ITS to track these requests.

(26630) Notification letters back to the Parish of Baptism.

(26635) Religious Education report: Class Roster & Schedule - Parents Only and Birthdays Only reports do not generate data

Archived Information

Video: May 28^th ParishSOFT Orientation

· Recording of the ParishSOFT Orientation given on May 28^th, 2019 at the Pastoral Center. Give a general overview of ParishSOFT, Transition process and Web version of software.

· PowerPoint Slides

Training Materials used for 2-day Trainings:

· The following link will take you to the list of documents used for the 2-day trainings done from May to December in 2019. These documents can be used with Demo data website mentioned under PATHFinder.

o Training documents for Two-day trainings

2 Day Training Documents

· Training Outline

· Getting Started Guide

· Family Directory

· Workgroup

· Sacrament

· Administration

· IQ – Intelligent Query

· Offering

· Pledges

· Religious Education