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By Michael Castrilli

Which Church Financial Accounting Software Do I Choose?

St. Charles Borromeo Seminary

“What is the best church financial accounting software?” If I had a dollar for the number of times I have been asked this question in a webinar or workshop, I would be rich! It is a great question and one that I like to answer as objectively as possible.

When you search Google for the question, over 87 million results are returned!  Sorting through this maze of results can be overwhelming, to say the least.

For the record, I receive no advertising dollars for this recommendation, but there is one resource where I always send people – Church Leaders – Church Management Software Guide.

What I love about this site is that it allows you to “click” all of the features you are looking for in church financial accounting software.  As you “click” through options, the list of available software options narrows based on the features you seek.

For example, are you interested in software that has Membership features? When you click Membership, the section opens a series of boxes that you can checkmark like, “tracks special events in the life of members” or “tracks attendance.” Maybe you are looking for website integration and you want to provide online giving, you can also select this option under Website Features. Ministry Tech by Church Leaders is also open about their disclaimer for those software companies that advertise on their site.

It’s a great resource! Check it out and let me know what you think!

https://churchleaders.com/church-management-software

St. Charles Borromeo Seminary

Filed Under: Church Budget and Finance, Church Financial Accounting Software Tagged With: Which Church Financial Accounting Software Should I Choose?

By Michael Castrilli

Accessible Church Accounting

Tip 16, make accounting fun and a picture of the walkway at St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, Italy

Accounting has roots in the church! Did you know that one of the most important contributors to modern-day accounting was a Franciscan Friar, Luca Pacioli (1447-1517)?

Pacioli literally wrote the book on the double-entry accounting system and made tremendous contributions to accounting concepts that we use today. Interesting enough, he is also the same guy that taught math to Leonardo Da Vinci.

I think accounting gets a bad rap! I understand the frustration for some people, as I mentioned yesterday, finance is like learning a new language. But, if you make learning accounting an enjoyable experience, quite frankly, I think it can be really fun!

I am not a CPA, so maybe you are like me – I love finance, but I always want to make sure I am using concepts correctly, avoiding mistakes, and having the ability to look up terms and concepts quickly.

In our book, Parish Finance, Dr. Chuck Zech and I dedicated a chapter to accounting, tailored specifically for the church. But, you may be looking for even more than one chapter.

At times, I think accounting is like solving a puzzle by using numbers, formulas, and actions to make the best financial decisions. Over the years, I have found some great resources that break accounting down into component parts and make it accessible.

Below is a sampling of resources that I think you might enjoy:

  • NonProfitAccountingBasics.org
  • United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Financial Reporting Office – Resources tailored for churches
    • Document: Diocesan Fiscal Management Website: Financial Management (Guide to Best Practices) -Great resource written by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
  • EdX: Free Online Courses – Take free online courses from the best universities and institutions in the world
  • Blog Post: Which Church Financial Accounting Do I Choose?  – A blog post that I wrote on a great resource for finding church financial accounting software
  • TeachMeFinance.com – A simple site, a great resource if you are trying to understand easy-to-follow instructions on concepts like the Time Value of Money
  • Book: Nonprofit Financial Planning Made Easy

Read More Church Finance 30/30 – 30 Tips in 30 Days

St. Paul Outside the Walls, Rome, Italy

Filed Under: Church Financial Accounting Software Tagged With: Church Finance Resources

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