Word processors, spreadsheets, and small-business accounting software lack the features needed to manage a growing church. Here's a step-by-step guide for finding just the right software developed specifically for your needs.

Church management software (CMS) programs go far beyond word processor and spreadsheet-based solutions. Some of the benefits of church-specific software solutions include:

• The membership database is family-oriented rather than customer-oriented.

• The financial database is designed to record receipt of funds from tithes and pledges, rather than from sales.

• Most programs integrate financial and membership databases, so data needs to be entered only one time.

• The financial modules are designed for non profit organizations and for multiple-fund accounting.

• Standard report formats are designed for church needs.

Some church leaders choose to stay with the limited software solutions they know rather than risk buying a church-specific program they aren't sure about. To help make the transition, your church got some advice from Cristina Stensvaag, marketing director for Capterra, a company that specializes in helping all kinds of businesses find just the right software solutions. Stensvaag recommends the following step-by-step process for finding a CMS program that you will be happy with.

1. Identify everyone who will be using the software and make sure each one is involved in the decision-making process of buying the software. It is important that these stakeholders are involved, not just informed, throughout the entire process.

2. Outline the business and management processes currently in place. Note any problems or limitations, and determine how these processes can be improved. This step is critical. You need to know what you are currently doing to make sure you get a CMS program with those capabilities, and to avoid paying for features you don't need.

3. Clearly define goals for the new software, which should include doing many of the tasks identified in the previous step, as well as those things you'd like to do.

4. Given the goals just established, define the specific requirements for the new software. Write these requirements in a prioritized list. Include budget constraints—both for the purchase price and for the cost of on-going support and maintenance. Define the level of service and support you think you'll need.

5. Identify all of the potential software options that seem to fit your requirements. This is where Capterra can play a vital role. Submit your list of software requirements (capterra.com) and let them identify possible solutions from their database of programs.

6. If necessary, narrow the list of software options down to the five to eight best solutions.

7. For each of these potential CMS solutions, obtain and use a demo or trial program. Obtain and review the training materials for each program. Schedule a sales presentation for each. Evaluate each program against your list of requirements.

8. Ask each vendor for customer references to organizations that are similar to your organization in size and requirements. Call these references and talk with them. Also get each vendor's customer list and call a few customers that were not used as references.

9. Let everyone who was involved in this evaluation have a say in deciding which product to purchase.

This selection process could break down at some point. For example, you might have high expectations for functionality of a program but an unrealistically low budget. Make some adjustments in your requirements, budget, or both, and start again.

Because administrative tasks are heavily software-oriented, a CMS program will be the primary tool in the church office. Getting the right tool takes time and effort, but in the long run it will save you time and money. Perhaps more importantly, with the right tools in place, increasing administrative burdens won't be barriers to church growth.

Thomas G. Dolan is a freelance writer who covers a variety of business topics.