Effectively managing your ministry’s money is an enormous responsibility.
Your congregation trusts you to be a good steward of the money they give. They are counting on you to spend every dollar wisely and in ways that further the Gospel.
There’s a lot more to effectively managing your church’s finances than simply spending the funds wisely. You must account for the tithes and offerings of your congregation, manage the payroll for your staff, remit payment on invoices for outside services, track incoming and outgoing funds to balance the budget, and so much more.
Stewarding your ministry’s finances is no easy task and requires significant knowledge and unending patience.
With such intricate tasks and the weight of such responsibility on your shoulders, why would you make the job more complicated by using systems that don’t talk to each other?
Suppose you’re using one program for your bookkeeping, another for online giving, and yet another for payroll. In that case, you’ll spend your days constantly switching between tools and checking to ensure the numbers align.
Even if you have a dedicated financial secretary or accountant, you don’t want them spending all of their time double-checking numbers or waiting for programs to load.
Here are three reasons why implementing an integrated financial system like Realm will make managing your money much easier.
Reason #1: Integrated systems increase productivity.
One of your most valuable resources besides money is your time. You have dozens of tasks on your to-do list and limited windows in which to get everything accomplished.
Time spent waiting and double- or even triple-checking your numbers eats away at such a resource and stunts productivity.
Utilizing an integrated accounting, giving, and payroll solution will free up your time switching between systems and verifying information.
If you’ve invested in a single tool, whether you need to reconcile an account or print year-end giving statements, you simply open the right tab rather than closing one program or having to log into another.
No more twiddling your thumbs while you wait for this spreadsheet to open or that page to load. Moving between tasks becomes a seamless process rather than a tedious transition.
By eliminating the wait, you’re giving your financial manager back their time. You’re removing frustration and making a large responsibility easier to bear.
Productivity increases and things get done when time is spent just as wisely as your money.
Reason #2: Integrated systems guarantee data accuracy.
One decimal point can be the difference in your ministry having plenty of money left in the budget this year and panicking that you’ll have to find a way to make ends meet.
If you’re constantly trying to move data from your accounting system to your giving tool to payroll and back again, you’re increasing your margin of error and opening yourself up to all kinds of problems triggered by inaccurate information.
Data accuracy is directly linked to its quality. Poor quality data can lead to:
- Misguided decisions that are costing your ministry significant time and resources.
- Non-compliance with legal or regulatory standards which can potentially result in fines or other legal ramifications.
- Disruption of operations across your church hinders your ability to effectively share the Gospel and disciple your members.
- Loss of trust is impacting relationships with your congregation and community.
When all of your tools are connected, you don’t have to worry about syncing data or verifying that everything is transferred correctly. You’ll be able to trust that each number you’re seeing matches everything else in your system.
Reason #3: Integrated systems save money.
In the quest to effectively manage your ministry’s finances, you don’t want to spend money unnecessarily.
Every solution you add comes with its own fees, sometimes requiring additional compensation to access the functionality your ministry needs.
By choosing an integrated accounting and giving program, you only have to pay one cost for all of your financial systems, and depending on which solution you invest in, you may get more than just financials.
Bundling your money management with your congregational database, communication tools, and website builder eliminates much of the cost associated with digitizing your church’s information, which saves every area of your ministry time and money.
Using a single, integrated financial solution means you’re no longer spending excess money on multiple tools, especially if you can meet additional needs simultaneously.
Rather than paying for each program separately, adding up significantly over time, you’d only be spending your church’s money on one system.
Conclusion
Investing in an integrated accounting system increases your church’s productivity, guarantees the accuracy of your data, and ultimately saves the precious money you’re looking to manage.
Your goal is to be a good steward of your ministry’s resources, especially your financials, and investing in a single fund management solution is the key.
Managing your church’s finances shouldn’t be a burden. It’s time to invest in a tool that can help!
ACS Technologies
ACS Technologies sets a new standard in church technology, offering a holistic suite of solutions that streamline administrative tasks and empower your staff to excel in their roles and your church to excel in your community.
In the ever-evolving landscape of church engagement and management, ACS Technologies rises above the rest. Our comprehensive church solutions, bespoke digital offerings, streamlined communication tools, comprehensive ministry consulting, and training make us the trusted choice for over fifty thousand churches. Experience the ACS Technologies advantage and elevate your church’s online presence, connectivity, and generosity today. Join us in redefining church technology for the digital age, where your ministry’s success becomes our shared mission.
