training
Shepherd's Staff is Proud to Announce Regional Training!
Shepherd's Staff is bringing training to you. Each training class features hands-on interactive training along with comprehensive manuals featuring lots of screen shots, taught by a Shepherd's Staff technician. You will learn how to get the most out of every Shepherd's Staff module, including Membership, Attendance, Contributions, Finance, Report Writer and Scheduler, from the people who know the program best—our technicians.
Click on the links below to learn more about these
training opportunities:
Training Class
Agenda
How to Enroll
Event Dates and Locations
Cancellation Policy
Can’t attend a class in person? Order one of our interactive training videos on CD-ROM. Each video walks you through click-by-click on all major functions in each Shepherd’s Staff module. Each CD also includes an electronic copy of our training manual. Order individually or save by ordering all 6.
Intro to Membership: (Running time: 53:09) $39.99
This video is great for the beginner or the experienced user who needs a refresher. Learn how to enter consistent person and household records to obtain accurate reports and concisely manage data related to the activity of church members, visitors, or anyone you want to track. Learn to quickly and easily build subgroups and generate reports such as mailing labels and a church directory. Finally, understand how to use the data utilities Shepherd’s Staff provides.
Advanced Membership: (Running time: 41:24) $39.99
The Advanced Membership video is geared towards experienced users and system administrators looking to get more out of the Membership module. Learn how to track your congregation statistics with various advanced membership reports and how to track and fill positions within your ministry with the Ministry Position Manager. Learn how to build advanced subgroups and create custom labels and letters. Finally, understand how and when to use the data utilities Shepherd’s Staff provides.
Attendance: (Running time: 28:37) $29.99
This video is great for the beginner and experienced user who is looking to get more out of the Attendance module. Learn how to track attendance by first creating events then by using the batch entry to record those individuals who have attended. Afterwards, you’ll learn how to track visitor counts using the Event Summary record and track attendance by creating reports. You’ll conclude the video with Attendance utilities and learn how to work with the tools Shepherd’s Staff provides.
Contributions: (Running time: 52:15) $39.99
The Contributions video is beneficial to all experience levels. You’ll begin the video with learning how to enter funds, assign contributors, and record pledges and offerings. Focus will then be brought to the management of envelopes in special scenarios such as marriages, divorces, and deaths. The video is concluded with Contribution Reports, such as Contributor Statements and Contribution Analysis and contribution utilities and how to work with those tools.
Finance: (Running time: 48:23) $49.99
The Finance Video is split into 5 sections. You’ll begin with an overview of basic accounting principles. Then, you’ll create a chart of accounts and learn how to enter transactions in the form of Checks, Deposits, and Journal Entries as well as add vendors. Afterwards, you’ll be shown each Report in the Finance module and be shown how to use the Finance Utilities provided by Shepherd’s Staff.
Year End: (Running time: 16:36) $29.99
The Year End video will take you through, step-by-step, the Year End process for each module. This CD includes the Year End Training manual which includes a helpful Year End checklist.
Online Training: Online Training is now available! This much-anticipated feature allows us to combine the same great inter-activity from our Hands-On Training with todays' technology; our customers now have the ability to attend training without having to leave their homes or offices!
Check often for an up-to-date listing of events!
We currently have the following 'webinars' available:
Date |
Topic |
Time (CT) |
Cost |
Time |
3/8/2010 |
Introduction to Membership |
9:00 AM |
$39.99 |
Approx 2 hours |
3/11/2010 |
Intermediate Membership |
1:00 PM |
$39.99 |
Approx 2 hours |
3/12/2010 |
Advanced Membership |
9:00 AM |
$39.99 |
Approx 2 hours |
3/22/2010 |
Introduction to Finance |
1:00 PM |
$39.99 |
Approx 2 hours |
3/25/2010 |
Advance Finance |
1:00 PM |
$39.99 |
Approx 2 hours |
4/12/2010 |
Attendance |
3:00 PM |
$39.99 |
Approx 2 hours |
4/15/2010 |
Intro to Contributions |
9:00 AM |
$39.99 |
Approx 2 hours |
4/16/2010 |
Advance Contributions |
9:00 AM |
$39.99 |
Approx 2 hours |
5/10/2010 |
Introduction to Finance |
1:00 PM |
$39.99 |
Approx 2 hours |
5/13/2010 |
Advance Finance |
1:00 PM |
$39.99 |
Approx 2 hours |
Introduction to Membership
As an introduction to the Membership module, this online training class focuses on entering consistent person and household data. Afterwards, methods for correctly updating and maintaining changes for situations such as marriages, divorces, births, and deaths will be taught. The class concludes by teaching students how to setup and properly use subgroups and selected membership reports.
Intermediate Membership
This online training class opens by teaching how to track your member’s activities, skills, and training. It continues by reviewing how to track and schedule visits by pastors or other church staff, as well as using the church register to track weddings, baptisms, confirmation, and other historic events in the life of the congregation. Finally, the class concludes with reports and utilities related to tracking Sunday School information.
Advanced Membership
This webinar will appeal to System Administrators and those seeking to get more use out of their database. Topics covered will include: configuring Shepherd’s Staff settings, managing user access and security, proper backup procedures, and understanding how and when to use the system’s data utilities. The class concludes with a thorough review of the Mail Merge report, using it to create form letters in Microsoft Word and to export custom data reports to Microsoft Excel.
Attendance
This class offers an in-depth review of the Attendance module: beginning with the entry of events and attendance batches, continuing with a review of enrollees and the attendance types, and ending with an overview of attendance reports.
Intro to Contributions
A webinar reviewing the basics of recording and tracking your congregation’s contributions. Data entry topics are covered first: creating funds and contributors, recording offerings, and entering gifts-in-kind. Following that, producing contribution statements and labels will be reviewed. Finally, the class will close with an overview of Contribution reports related to offerings.
Advance Contributions
This online class will appeal to those who are interested in analyzing pledges and gifts made by their contributors. Topics covered in this class include: the proper entry of pledges, common issues related to pledges, and utilities for use with pledges in the Contributions module. The class completes by reviewing the use of reports for tracking pledges and their related offerings.
Introduction to Finance
The class begins by reviewing the basic accounting principles that are used by the Finance module. Next, students will learn to properly setup, create, and enter a chart of accounts. The class ends by showing how to enter budgets for your income and expense accounts and how to enter and maintain vendor records.
Advanced Finance
The webinar begins by teaching how to properly record deposits, checks, and journal entries in the finance module. It continues with a review of the check printing process and the use of the bank account reconciliation utility. It concludes by reviewing reports used to track your congregation’s financial information.
Space is limited. Please call (800) 346-6120 to make your reservation.
Minimum system requirements for online training:
- Internet Explorer 5.0 or newer, Netscape 6.0 or newer, Mozilla Firefox 1.0 or newer
- JavaScript and Java enabled
- Windows 2000, XP, 2003 Server or Vista
- Cable modem, DSL, or better Internet connection
- Minimum of Pentium 400MHz with 256MB of RAM (recommended)
Day 1: 8:30am Check-In ~ 9:00am Class Begins
Day 2: 8:45am Check-In ~ 9:00am Class Begins
Day 3 (Contributions): 8:45am Check-In ~ 9:00am Class Begins
Day 3 (Finance): 12:45pm Check-In ~ 1:00pm Class Begins
All students must be pre-registered by registering online.
| Day 1: |
Introduction to Membership/Attendance The first day of the seminar will appeal to those new or beginning Shepherd’s Staff. As an introduction, this class will focus on the fundamentals of Membership and consistent data entry. Other topics covered in Membership will include recording Activities/Skills/Training, basic Subgroups and many useful Reports. After establishing Membership basics, Attendance will be covered in depth. Recording Attendance, editing Records and generating Reports will conclude the day. |
| Day 2: |
System Administration/Advanced Membership/Reports/Scheduler The second day will appeal to System Administrators or those already familiar with Shepherd’s Staff but seeking to get more use out of their database. The class will begin with the Main Menu Utilities and general discussion of basic networking and printing. Afterwards, advanced Membership features will be covered such as Mail Merging, complex Subgroups, customizing Reports, grid features, etc. After Membership, the class will be creating customized reports and graphs using the Reports module. The day will conclude using the Scheduler module to create calendars, loans and recording maintenance. Typically, this class will move at a quicker pace than the first day. |
| Day 3: |
AM—Contributions The morning class covers everything in the Contribution module. First covered are creating Funds/Contributors, recording Pledges/Offerings and Reporting. After finishing the data entry aspects, printing Contribution Statements will be detailed. After printing, steps on handling situations such as marriages, divorces and deaths will be taught. Finally, this class will exhaust the wide range of Reports and Utilities available for Contributions. PM—Finance This class will be creating a Finance module from scratch. First, students will create a mock Chart of Accounts. Next, forming single Budgets and importing multiple Budgets will be covered along with Vendors. After Budgets, all transactions (checks, deposits and Journals) will be created using the Chart of Accounts and Vendors including commonly used transactions such as recording interest, bank charges, etc. The day will conclude with Reports and Utilities. |
How to
Enroll
New! Click to enroll online!
Click to download a printable registration form. This form requires Adobe® Reader® 3.0 or higher. If you do not have Adobe® Reader® you may download it for free from Adobe's® website.
For more information, call Buffy Flores at 1-800-346-6120.
Our newly updated training facility in St. Louis, MO
For Hotel and Driving Directions, click on the event you wish to attend.
| Date | City and State | |
November 10 - 12, 2009 |
Saint Louis, MO | |
December 8-10, 2009 |
Saint Louis, MO | |
March 16 - 18, 2010 |
Saint Louis, MO | |
April 27 - 29, 2010 |
Saint Louis, MO | |
June 1 - 3, 2010 |
Saint Louis, MO | |
August 10 - 12, 2010 |
Saint Louis, MO | |
September 21 - 23, 2010 |
Saint Louis, MO | |
November 2 - 4, 2010 |
Saint Louis, MO |
More dates coming soon. Check back frequently.
Cancellation
Policy:
Verbal cancellation required at
least fifteen days prior to training start date. No refunds will be given for
cancellation after fifteen-day period. Shepherd's Staff reserves the
right to cancel or change dates due to low participation.
Training locations are based on customer demand and ease of access to facilities and airports.
