5 Questions to Ask Before Choosing a Church Management System

Photo by Campaign Creators on Unsplash

While at church number 2, we became a multisite church. As we were preparing for the launch, I started to think about kids check-in and the best way we can do it at two locations at the same time. Our current check-in system was part of a local network church management system (ChMS) and if you don’t know what that means, basically we could only use the system if you were on the church’s internet.

So, I was left with three options.

1. Come up an analog way to do check-in
2. Set up a separate server with our check-in system at the other location
3. Find another system.

The analog system could have worked, but then the kids’ leaders would have to report back to me weekly attendance data, and then someone would have to hand key that info into our digital system. In addition, we wanted to have as close to the same experience at both locations, and the analog way would not have achieved this goal.  Not ideal; but workable.

The separate server wasn’t really an option because of the cost and the other site would be mobile. Having to set up a network every Sunday was more trouble than it was worth.

So, we landed on option 3. Find another system. But that’s far easier said than done. After weeks of meetings and weighing our options, we finally landed on a cloud based system that suited our needs far more than our previous system.

If you’re starting the same journey, here are 5 questions you should ask before you pick one that’s best for your church.

1. What’s wrong with our current system?

A wise man once said, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” As a systems guy, that means I try to make the existing system work for my current needs. If it can’t, then I’ll scrap it and look for something else.

A lot of times, we want to change just for the sake of change. And while I agree change is generally good, there a lot of people out there who don’t like it. Every time you change something you’re spending relational capital to convince everyone else that the status quo is no longer sufficient.

In my story, the fact that we were limited to a local network system was just one of the many limitations of the software. It was clunky, looked like it was designed during the Windows 98 era, and so difficult to use the company suggested that you attend an all day training every 6 months!

Most of us hated it, but it’s what we had and making that big of a change needed a catalyst. Thankfully launching a second campus was what we needed.

Before you go to your leadership asking for a change, make sure you know why you want to change it. Is the software limited in some way? Is it not user friendly? Is your frustration based on your lack of training and/or understanding?

Do your homework first and try to make it work. If it still doesn’t, make a list. This will be the foundation for what you’re actually looking for in a new system.

2. With our current needs is it cost effective? What if we grow?

At one church I served, they provided our cell phones. We had unlimited data when that kind of plan was unheard of, and we were paying a premium for it. However, the data was so slow, it was unusable.

One time I tried to use Siri while literally sitting under a cell phone tower, and she timed out…three times. I did my research and convinced the administrator to change our service provider. The new provider gave us better coverage for far less money. The catch was we didn’t have unlimited data, but that didn’t matter because we could get all we needed for almost half the cost.

However, once we got on the new plan, our data skyrocketed as did our bill. Part of the reason everything went up was because when the data speed was so slow, we didn’t use it. Now that it was faster, we used it all the time.

The same can happen when picking a ChMS.

Every product has it’s own pricing structure, but most of them base their cost on factors like congregation size, number of groups, volunteers, check-ins, and so on. You’ll need to know these numbers to figure out what the program is going to cost you right out the gate.

Additionally, you should future cast and look at how the cost will change over time as you grow. You’ll add new people into the database and more people will use your new system. The introductory cost may be cheaper than what you’re paying now, but what about in a year or 5?

This is your best guess, but understanding what the system will cost now and, in the future, will help you narrow down your options.

3. Does it serve all departments?

Since our ChMS was so limited, many other departments bought and used their own systems to get what they needed to get done. Pretty much the only people who were using the program were me, for kids check-in, bookkeeping, and the church secretary, for a glorified phone book.

Our systems were a patchwork of complexity, and a new volunteer could get easily lost and annoyed. So, when we started shopping for a new system, we talked to each department head, found what they were using, and what they would need.

This was the most time consuming part of the decision. We had endless meetings and debates. As we did sales calls and videos everyone voiced their opinion on what they liked and what they didn’t. We barely reached a consensus but did compromise on a system that worked best for everyone.

4. Does it also do bookkeeping?

This may seem like an odd question, but it's an important one.  

A lot of the early ChMS were an all-in-one solution. They didn’t just do people management, they also did bookkeeping, managing all the logistical and administrative tasks of the church. While those programs are still around with their own cloud-based solutions, many of the newer players don’t have bookkeeping. Including the one we ultimately chose.

The general philosophy of the all in one system is just that. It’s all-in-one. You can manage all of the church’s business in one program, both income and expenses.

The philosophy of the newer systems is they manage the people not the finances. They will have a giving module that manages contributions, but you’ll need a separate program to manage the church books like QuickBooks. The giving module will export that week’s giving into one lump sum of income that your bookkeeper will import into their financial software.

This question was almost a dealbreaker for us since the church administrator had final say on our decision. The bookkeeper was never happy about changing systems, and we had to compromise to keep the old system just for her, while everyone else made the switch. Ultimately it was more expensive, and the bookkeeper had to change when the old program was no longer supported, but that was years later.

If you’re going to make the switch, you need to answer this question and be able to live with the answer.

5. Is it user friendly?

I mentioned before how unuser friendly our old system was. The straw that broke the camel’s back for me was when I was trying to run an attendance report, I clicked an option that opened a window with 6 blank fields and no explanations. Then I couldn’t click out of it until I put something in the fields but wouldn’t tell me what was supposed to go there. I ultimately had to force quit and start over.

These ChMS are complex and it’s nearly impossible for someone to understand all it’s modules. But most people don’t have to. They really only need to understand the one they use week in and week out. You should have at least one person on staff that has a working understanding of the whole system so you’re not wasting time on tech support.

When picking out the program, look at the customer support. Can you call? Email? Chat? Does it cost to talk to a person? (I’m not kidding, some companies charge to ask questions) How easy is it to figure out on your own? How easy is it to break? Is there support for changing from your system to the new one? How much does that cost?

You’re going to need to know the answer to all these questions before you make a decision and be happy with the answers.

Picking a ChMS is like transplanting an organ. The system is the backbone of your church and shouldn’t be changed out lightly. Making the transition from one system to the other at my church was one of the hardest administrative jobs in ministry I’ve ever had. So much so that I’ve avoided it since.

However, if your current system is holding you back from further ministry and reaching your community, then change is in order. Answering these questions should help.

Have you ever changed systems? What system do you use?