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Sync the Data

PDS Connects is housed on our secure, password protected web server, so you must sign on to use it. After that, you can sync your database with PDS Connects.

  1. On the File menu, click Data Synchronization > Synchronize with PDS Connects.
  2. Verify your organization ID and user name. These are based on your PDS Church settings.
  3. Select your transfer options, then click Next.
    • Get Contributions Made Online in PDS Connects—Import contributions recorded by PDS Connects users. Use the grid fields to manually add any contributions that were not downloaded from PDS Connects. You can also edit contributions that need to be updated. Click Post Info to upload the contributions to the secure web server.
    • Get Updated Data From PDS Connects—Automatically check for changes that have been made to data since the last transfer. This isn't necessary for the first sync but typically, you select this option.
    • Upload Pictures to PDS Connects—Include members' pictures in the upload.
    • Upload Fund / Financial Information to PDS Connects—Upload any fund changes made in Church Office to the secure web server. Select member types who can view all the non-associated contributions that are uploaded. The member types you don't select can only view their own financial information. At any time, you can stop showing financial information by clearing this option and uploading the data again.
  4. If you selected Get Contributions Made Online in PDS Connects, the Select Contributions to Post window displays. Otherwise, skip to the next step.
    1. Edit contributions that need to be updated. Select the check box beside contributions to post, and click Next.
    2. Click Post Contributions to upload the selected contributions to the secure web server. When the posting is complete, click Next.
  5. If you selected Get Updated Data From PDS Connects, the Review Changes window displays. Otherwise, skip to the next step.
    1. On the List of Requested Changes tab, you can view all the requested changes.
    2. Select a requested change in the list, and then click the Details of the Current Item tab to view more information about the change.
    3. Click the Picture Changes tab to view requested changes for pictures.
    4. Go back to the Details of the Current Item tab to accept or reject the requested changes:
      • Accept or reject the requested changes. Differences in the record are highlighted in red. If you click Accept Changes, the record is selected in the List of Requested Changes tab also. Arrow direction indicates which changes were made in PDS Connects and will be imported into Church Office.
        CAUTION: Any changes that you reject during this sync are lost. They won't be available the next time you transfer data.
      • Click Next. To apply your accepted changes, click Start Update. When the update is complete, your Church Office information is on the web server.
  6. To upload your latest Church Office changes to PDS Connects, click Next.
  7. Select the families whose data you want to sync with PDS Connects. If you want to send your whole database, select Include Active Families and Include Inactive Families. If you only want to sync specific families, you can select Only Include Families With ID/Env Numbers and/or use Additional Selections. Then, click Next.
    CAUTION: Only the records you include are transferred to PDS Connects. Any previously uploaded families are removed from PDS Connects.
  8. If you selected Upload Fund/Financial Information to PDS Connects, the Upload Fund Activities window displays. Otherwise, skip to the next step.
    1. Select the fund activities you want to upload to PDS Connects. These are the only activities that display under the parishioner's My Giving History in PDS Connects.
    2. Select the member types that you want to give viewing rights to. Those selected can view non-associated contributions and the contributions associated with the other selected member types. Click Next.
  9. Click Start Transfer to sync the selected information with PDS Connects.
  10. When the sync is complete, click Finish.