Tools - Released December 2-3, 2024
Introducing the Realm Accounting integration with MinistryPlatform! This release also includes several new enhancements, like ability to submit a new background check before your old one expires, as well as your regularly scheduled improvements.
Realm Accounting & MinistryPlatform
- Realm Accounting can now integrate with MinistryPlatform to streamline your deposit process, eliminate data discrepancies, and reduce your workload.
- This integration eliminates the need for exports, imports, and double-entry work to get donations from MinistryPlatform to Realm Accounting.
- You can use the Create Deposit Tool to push your deposits to Realm Accounting.
- See the videos below for more information.
Add A Payment Tool
- *ENHANCEMENT* You can now select event participants with a participation status of 20 Abandoned or 21 Awaiting Payment from the Select a Participant drop-down list. Why is this big for payments? Because now the Add A Payment Tool will create or update payments for people with those statuses, just as it would for existing registrations! If you apply a payment from within the tool, it changes the participation status of the selected records to 02 Registered and updates the invoice status accordingly based on what they paid. Note: What happens if someone registers through Widgets without paying and makes a payment in person while their invoice is still on hold? Won't MinistryPlatform cancel the invoice after the holding period lapses? Not to worry! The Abandoned Invoice Process recognizes and acknowledges when someone makes a payment through the Add A Payment Tool while the invoice is still on hold. That means the invoice will NOT be canceled.
Add/Edit Event Tool
- *ENHANCEMENT* Previously, if you used the Add/Edit Event Tool to remove a room from the event, the tool also removed any groups attached to that event without warning. Now if you remove a room from the event and don't assign the event group a new room, a reminder message will display reminding you to assign a room to the group. This will help streamline your event process - even when you need to make changes.
Add/Edit Family Tool
- Fixed an issue in the Add/Edit Family Tool where, if you tabbed through the fields to enter information, a string of numbers displayed after you entered a date. Back to normal!
Add/Edit Sacrament Tool
Note: This tool is available in Catholic instances only. But, we know that other denominations track sacraments and may need to mass enter information. If that's you, please let us know how we can serve your needs by entering your feedback on the Idea Board.
- *ENHANCEMENT* The Date Received and Date Received Accuracy fields are no longer required! We do encourage you to enter information into these fields if you know the date a member received a sacrament, but now you won't have to estimate a date if you don't know it. This will help ensure more accurate record keeping.
- We've updated the Add/Edit Sacrament Tool's parish field display from Lookup/Create Contact to Lookup/Create Parish. Now there shouldn't be any confusion!
- Fixed an issue where the Add/Edit Sacrament Tool was slow to load contacts or would time out when you searched for contacts.
- Fixed an issue where, when adding a Baptism sacrament, if you selected the Enter Name Only option to enter the mother's maiden name, the tool deleted the information. Let's keep Mom included on these special occasions!
Assign Participant Tool
- Fixed an issue where an error would occur in the Assign Participant Tool if you created more than one participant for another default contact on the same event. It would let you create the first household, but if you tried another default contact, it would throw an error. Now you can add multiple participants for the same event without closing out and starting over. No one wants a tedious task, right?
Background Check Tool
- *ENHANCEMENT* You can now submit a new background check before your current one expires! Previously, you had to wait until your old background check expired or submit a different type of background check. Now, you can request a new background check before your old one expires, so a simple background check won't slow you down!
- *ENHANCEMENT* You can now select a background check type so the tool will assess Background Check records that match that type. Previously, the tool examined any Background Check records for the person you selected, assessed whether any were active, and prevented you from submitting a new request for anyone with the current background check type. Now, you can select a specific background check type first, and the Background Check Tool will only assess Background Check records that match the background check type you selected. This way, you can request multiple types of background checks for a single person, as needed.
- *ENHANCEMENT* A small but mighty change - you'll notice a new message by the Check Alias check box. This is just a reminder that, if you select this check box, additional charges apply.
- Those using Protect My Ministry must now select the Accept FCRA check box to run a background check. This just ensures you secured authorization and will adhere to legal requirements based on the Fair Credit Reporting Act. While this information will be in an information bubble on the screen, here is what you certify by selecting this check box:
- You have provided the job applicant/volunteer with a clear and conspicuous disclosure advising them that a background check report may be obtained for employment/volunteer purposes and have received their authorization to obtain the report;
- You will comply with any adverse action requirements as described in the Fair Credit Reporting Act, if applicable (15 U.S.C. §§ 1681b(3) and 1681m(a)); and
- You will not use information contained in the background check report in violation of any applicable Federal or State equal employment opportunity law or regulation.
- The COMMON, BackgroundCheckCustomer background check setting is now optional because this option only applies to BIS settings.
Combine Contacts Tool
- Fixed an issue where some churches received an Unexpected Error message when they tried using the Combine Contacts Tool.
Connection Card Tool
- Fixed an issue where programs associated with the churchwide congregation didn't display when you selected a program in the Connection Card Tool. You should be able to find programs associated with the churchwide congregation again!
- Fixed an issue where the tool included all publications from the drop-down list, even if you selected a congregation. Now you can filter publications based on the congregation you selected. Your publications will be filtered as long as there is a congregation set on the publication's record or the publication is associated with the churchwide congregation or parish.
- Fixed an issue where the tool included end-dated programs in drop-down lists for feedback and milestones. This will ensure your data is accurate and updated.
Contact Log Tool
- Fixed an issue where the Contact Log Tool timed out when you use the tool to record data for a large number of records.
Copy/Reverse Payment Tool
- Fixed an issue where the Copy/Reverse Payment Tool created Reverse Payment records at 12 EST. This would throw off reporting because donation dates would be set to the previous day. For our churches in other time zones, now your reporting will be more accurate!
Deceased Person Tool
- Fixed an issue where the Deceased Person Tool only transferred the first 1,000 donations to a deceased donor's living spouse and any excess donations remained on the deceased donor's record. Now when you use the tool and select the Transfer Donations check box, all the deceased donor's donations should transfer to their living spouse.
Form Responses Tool
- Fixed an issue where, if you established a specific field order when you downloaded responses from the From Responses Tool, the responses wouldn't honor the field order you established. Now when you download form responses from an opportunity or event, your fields should be in the order you established.
- Fixed an issue where the tool timed out with a large number of Response records. You should once again be able to export all your form responses in a timely manner - without any workarounds!
Template Editor Tool
- *ENHANCEMENT* We've added an Audit tab to the Template Editor Tool! The Audit tab flags common issues so you can fix them before you finish your email or page design. Simply click to expand the issue to see the issue's explanation and jump directly to the part of the template that's causing the issue. Common issues include:
- Images missing alt text
- Images missing URLs
- Buttons missing URLs
As an added bonus, the more you use the Audit tab to fix issues, the more likely you are to avoid them in the future!
Transfer Responsibilities Tool
- Fixed an issue where you couldn't print reports from the Transfer Responsibilities Tool in Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge. You should now be able to print your reports prior to removing or transferring rights and records from all browsers.
Trim Selection Tool
- Fixed an issue where the Trim Selection Tool would throw an error and freeze if you clicked the Remove button when you used the age range parameter but didn't select any records. Back to normal!