Set Initial Program Options
In the Initial Setup window, you can specify various program options, preferences, and default subdirectories. On the File menu in your PDS program, click . Most of these options are also available under the Setup Options menu when you click the gear icon in any data entry window.
Initial Program Options Field Information
- Don't Use Filters
- Disable the filters you set up in the program. This option only displays when you're not sharing data.
- Default Picture Subdirectory / Default Documents Subdirectory
- Enter the path where you want to store the pictures and/or documents you attach or create in the program.Note: In order for the images/documents to be included in automatic data backups, set the default location to the Pictures or Documents folder inside the PDS program data folder. For example: X:\PDSOffice\Data\Pictures or X:\PDSOffice\Data\Documents. This increases the size of your backup. If you set the default location outside of the PDS Data folder, you must remember to manually back up the digital images/documents.CAUTION: If you change the default picture or document folder once you've started using it, make sure you move all your files to the new location. To automatically update all existing paths for the pictures or documents you've added in PDS, click Yes when prompted.
- Automatically Update
- At the scheduled time, if an update is available, a notice displays on the Home Screen. You must enter an email address in the License Information window before using this feature.
Program Options
- Weekly is Weekly on Sunday
- Calculates recurring terms and rates based on the number of Sundays in the recurring period. When you set up a recurring charge and select the terms in the Tuition & Fees window, by default, the amount is calculated based on the number of times that day of the week falls within the recurring period. For example, if the starting date is on a Wednesday and you select Weekly, the recurring charge applies every week on Wednesday. This can affect how the amount is calculated because a year may have 53 Wednesdays, but only 52 Sundays.
- Warn if Change ID or Name / Warn if Change Class/Session Name
- These options can help you correct unintended mistakes before they happen. If selected, a warning message displays when you change an ID, name, or class/session name on a record. In the message dialog box, you can then select Yes to keep the change or No to revert back to what was there before the change.
- Save Order when Exit Program
- You can save the order that you navigate records in the Family, Student, Sacramental Register, and Tuition & Fees windows. Otherwise, the navigation order resets after you leave a window or exit the program.
- Processes Should Affect Family Date Changed
- Alters the Screen Changed date in the family record every time you run a process.
- Ask for Reason on Significant Changes
- Logs occurrences of important changes to family data and the reasons for the changes. The reasons for changes display in red if they were made in another PDS program that is synced with the current PDS program. If selected, you're prompted when you make changes to the following information:
- Family Name
- Street Address
- City/State
- ZIP/Postal
- Family Status (active or inactive)
- Delete a family, member, or email address
- Sync information with the diocese
- Mark a member deceased
- Change Area Code
- Change Case of Information
- Change Names
- Change Addresses
Note: You can view logged changes and reasons from three locations within the program:- The Reason for Changes link in the Families navigation pane
- The View Log of User Activity dialog box
- The Synchronize with Diocese process
- Disable Editing Messages
- When editing records, you receive several messages to confirm your actions and prompt additional changes. You can turn off these messages to save time during one program session. For details, see Disable Messages Temporarily.Note: This is a temporary option that will be reset each time you exit the program.
- Default to Student Personal Window
- If selected, when you click Students on the Information tab, the Personal window displays. If cleared, the Detail window displays first.
- Disable Add Head/Spouse when Adding Family
- When you add a new family record, the Head or Spouse type isn't automatically assigned.
- Hide Head/Spouse Gender when Adding Family
- When you add a new family record, the Gender field is hidden. The head will be Male and the spouse will be Female.
- Disable Family/Member Name Change Help
- Disables the question dialog box that normally displays when you change family or member names.
- Default to Show Totals for All Funds
- Displays the totals for all funds in the Tuition & Fees windows. Otherwise, the fund totals are hidden.
- Processes Should Affect Member Date Changed
- Alters the Screen Changed date in the member record every time you run a process.
- Rates can be Charges or Payments
- Sets a recurring activity as either a charge or a payment. If you clear this, the recurring activity must be a charge.
- Split M/M if Spouse has Different Last Name
- Splits the compound title for a family if the spouse's last name is different. For example, "Mr." and "Mrs." instead of "M/M".
- Add to top of lists (Lists of keywords, ministries, safe env.)
- Select if you want to add new keywords, ministries, and safe environment entries at the top of a list instead of the bottom. An item at the top of a list is considered the primary or more important information.
- Sharing Data Options
- If you share data with another Office program, select which information to share. You can also allow other Office programs to add or remove records in this program.
- Preferred Family Title
- Select how you want the titles of married couples to display on family records. This applies to most titles, including M/D, Mr. & Dr., Mr. and Dr.; S/S, Señor & Señora, Señor and Señora; and so on. This option also determines whether "&" or "and" prints in family titles on reports.
- Family Mailing Name and Family Formal Salutation
- Select which names to show in the Mailing Name and Formal Salutation. For example, Head First Name Only would show something like "Mr. & Mrs. John Baxter", whereas Both Head and Spouse First Names would show "Mr. & Mrs. John & Mary Baxter".
Student & Family Options
- Sacrament Sponsor Format
- Select how you want sponsor names to print on sacrament certificates.
- Include Middle Names when using the Use Default Values Button
- When entering sacrament information, you can click the Use Default Values button to automatically fill in father's and mother's names from the member records. Select this option to include middle names.
- Student Fields 1, 2, 3, 4
- Edit the default Student Field values. These values display as the tab names at the bottom of the student's Detail window.
- Use School Attendance Choices
- If you used School Office to take attendance and have moved to Formation, you can use the attendance types from School. Once selected, you're prompted to select the values to use for your existing attendance. Make sure you back up your data before changing this option. Note:
Formation attendance choices include Absent, Present, Excused, Unexcused, and Tardy.
School attendance choices are AE - Absent Excused, AU - Absent Unexcused, HU - Absent Half Day (Unexcused), HE - Absent Half Day (Excused), AM - Absent Medical (Excused), TE - Tardy Excused, TU - Tardy Unexcused, TM - Tardy Medical (Excused), ED - Early Dismissal (Excused), MM - Morning Medical Absence (Excused), AA - Afternoon Medical Absence (Excused), and MD - Make-up Day.
- Include Middle Initials in Family and Member First Names
- If you enter middle initials as part of family and member first names, such as "Mary T.", select this option to always print the middle initial with the first name. This is helpful if you use middle initials to identify folks with the same or similar names.
- Automatically Add Family Phones/Emails to Members
- If selected, when you add, edit, or delete phone numbers and email addresses on a family's record, the same information is added, edited, or deleted on all the family members' records as well. This only applies to future records you add after you select this. When you select this option, you're prompted to run the Family/Member Phones/Emails process to update existing records. If you'd rather select which individual members to add/edit/delete information for, clear this option and select to show the Complete List instead.
- Show the Complete List of Family and Members when managing phones/emails
- If selected, the list of all family and member phone numbers or emails displays when you click in the grid on the record. If you would rather add or edit phones and emails in the grid directly, clear this option. If you do that, you can still view the full list by clicking Manage above each grid.
- Checkbox 1 Name / Checkbox 2 Name
- By default, these checkboxes display at the top-right of family and member windows and are used to identify School and Daycare records. However, if you don't have an affiliated school or daycare, you can change the name of either option to fit your needs. Be sure the name makes sense for a checkbox. Select which windows should show each checkbox.
Personnel Options
- Other Benefits Names
- You can set up to four custom benefit names to display in the personnel's Health/Insurance window.
- Sharing Personnel Data Options
- Select whether to share certain personnel data from this program with other Office programs.