CMS released the latest versions of the CMS Fund Accounting and CMS People Products to our clients in December 2007 and the response has been tremendous! Here are just a few of the improvements:

• Gone are the Angels in the background! Your CMS now has a new clean, fresh look and feel.
• Prompts to remind you to complete upcoming Memorized Transactions and show you that listing on the Ledger & Payables Main Menu.
• Track electronic payments, as well as manual and handwritten checks, as you're paying your bills with the new Electronic Payment feature.
• Export into Excel more easily with the redesigned Statement of Financial Position report.
• Limits for Personal Time have been added to the Payroll system Employee Entry. The system will not accumulate personal time beyond the limits you set!
• Alerts during Payroll Calculation if the employee has exceeded available personal time.

Download your update today! Click File > Update > click FTP Update and type: UPDATE in the Source Folder. Then, click OK.

"Wow! What an improvement!" is the standard response for everyone downloading their latest CMS People Product Updates! Our Main Menus now displays useful information tailored specifically for each user, depending on their security access rights.

• Use the CMS Services and Support section to find just the answers you need. Quick "How do I..." links to helpful CMS Online Help Articles, links to ChristianChurchesOnline.com to check your church calendar, links to the ChurchManagementSolutions.com web site to sign up for TeleTraining, as well as quick reference to the Online Help to answer your questions.
• Find, at-a-glance, the listing of unposted batches in the Contribution System Main Menu.
• View the listing of upcoming birthdays on the Membership Main Menu. Click the hyperlink to print a report of those birthdays. Also, an alphabetical listing of all of the members of the church is available on the Membership Main Menu. Hold your mouse over a name and a pop up box will display, showing that person's address, phone and basic membership information.

Download your update today! Click File > Update > click FTP Update and type: UPDATE in the Source Folder. Then, click OK.

The CMS End of Year TeleTraining Classes are filling up fast, but there are still some openings! This year, approach the End of the Year with confidence knowing you have all of those lovely little ducks lined up perfectly in one straight little row!

Sign up now for the CMS End of Year Hands-On TeleTraining Classes. These are offered in convenient 60 minute sessions, led by our top rated instructors! Go to ChurchManagementSolutions.com/Training and reserve your spot in the class of your choice today... before time really does run out!

• Learn tips for end of year processing, archiving, and backing up your data.
• Transition smoothly to the new year for processing next year's pledges and envelope numbers.
• Insure accurate end of year Contributor Statements with quick tips on reviewing and cleaning up your data and suppressing corrections from printing on statements.
• Enter and report non-cash and IRA transfers from donors.
• Print the reports and analyses that your Board wants.

• Streamline reporting for all financial statement requirements.
• Effectively prepare the new budget, provide historical data, and create projections.
• Close out the year with time saving techniques for end of year reports, fiscal roll-up summaries, archiving, and backing up data. Make prior year data available.
• Handle year-end audit adjustments.

• Process W2's and 1099's efficiently, learn best practices for reviewing and printing the forms and reconciling your tax deferred deductions and allowances.
• Review changes to the 2007 tax forms.
• Transition smoothly to the new year for performing employee maintenance, archiving, and backing up your data. Prepare needed year-end employee reports and payroll forms.

Are you just finding out about the CMS Updates today? Hadn't heard about the End of Year TeleTraining until now? Don't be left in the dark!

Send us your email address and you will be included on all future update notifications, training events, and seminars in your area, as well as receiving the CMS Newsletter!

Email your Name, Church Name, City, State and Serial Number to Support@ChurchManagmentSolutions.com and we'll update our records and keep you in the light.

...what? You don't have an email address?

You can sign up for a free email address as part of the FREE ChristianChurchesOnline.com Web Solutions. Web Solutions are a free service offered to our clients with an Annual Support Contract. With Web Solutions, you get:

• Web Site
• Email
• Church Calendar
• Facility Scheduler

Fill out and submit the Web Site Activation Form online at www.ChristianChurchesOnline.com today to get started!

It was a tough decision! There were lots of great changes in the updates this year!

The new displays are fresh and clean!

Knowing all of your bank account balances at a glance has been so handy!

And the added Support and Services box was a God-send!

But the winner of The Best New Feature in 2007 has to go to the Record Electronic Bill Payment method.

This highly anticipated item has changed the former Assign Check Number button on the Bill's display to a more comprehensive Pay Bills button. Click the Pay Bills button and you now can choose from Manual Check, Print Check, or the new Record Electronic Payment.

The Electronic Payment will default an automated electronic reference/check number. This Electronic reference number is structured as, 10 for electronic payment type, the year, month, day, and a two digit sequential number. For example, pay a bill with an electronic payment on March 8th and the number will default to: 1008030601. You'll also notice a handy Cancel button that will allow you to cancel the assignment of a check or electronic payment! The Electronic Reference numbers will not affect your sequential check numbers, but they will display on your bank reconciliation each month for clearing!

It's true, you liked it, you really, really liked it!

Chris Mann, Technical Support Representative

Chris began with CMS in October of 2007. He brings 5 years of IT Management for a 21 location company and 12 years of Web Design and Consulting experience to CMS. Chris has an extensive background in customer service combined with software implementation and conversions. He's enjoying the opportunity to use these skills to assist CMS customers.

Chris, his wife and young daughter live in the suburbs of Minneapolis. Originally from California, Chris is still adjusting to Minnesota winters.

He enjoys all the Minnesota winter activities like: sitting inside and watching TV, eating fried food, driving erratically and blowing snow into his neighbors yard!

Scott Dobovsky, Technical Support Representative

Scott grew up in Minneapolis and has lived in the Twin Cities area most of his life, with four years away in Ohio for college and two years in Illinois for graduate school. He has a twin brother who is nothing like him and an older sister who likes to feel like she has control of her younger brothers. His parents were both high school history teachers, so family vacations were usually to various historical sites around the country.

Prior to coming to CMS Scott served as the Director of Children and Youth Ministries for Plymouth Presbyterian church. He also has worked in retail, financial and law businesses in various roles. He continues to enjoy doing volunteer youth ministries with the Presbytery of the Twin Cities area and Presbyterian Clearwater Forest, a church camp and conference center located near Brainerd.

In his free time Scott enjoys following sports, especially the Auburn University football team, which is perennially one the top teams in the country. He currently lives in Maple Grove and appreciates having a town home whenever there is a large snowfall.

 
Congratulations to Jim Nelson for completing over 5,000 Support Tickets in one year! What an accomplishment!