Complete Guide
End-to-End Workflow Guide
Follow this complete workflow to understand how Ecclesly connects member management, donations, accounting, and governance into one seamless system.
The Complete Flow
PHASE 1: DATA ENTRY
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PHASE 2: ACCOUNTING
PHASE 3: REPORTING & COMPLIANCE
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Data flows automatically
Step 1→
Add a New Member
Start by creating a member profile for new attendees or existing congregation members.
How to do it:
- 1Navigate to Members in the sidebar
- 2Click Add Member
- 3Enter first name and last name (required)
- 4Optionally add a Member ID for your own tracking
- 5Enter contact information (email, phone)
- 6Add address details (street, city, state, ZIP code)
- 7Select the member's primary campus (required)
- 8Set membership status (Visitor, Active Member, or Inactive)
- 9Click Add Member to save
Pro Tip: Use the Import feature to bulk upload members from a CSV file if you're migrating from another system.
Step 2→
Record a Donation
When a member gives, record their donation to track giving and generate statements.
How to do it:
- 1Navigate to Donations in the sidebar
- 2Click Record Donation
- 3Search for and select the donor (or leave blank for anonymous)
- 4Enter the donation amount (required)
- 5Select the fund (e.g., General Fund, Building Fund, Missions)
- 6Select the campus
- 7Choose the payment method (Cash, Check, Bank Transfer, Credit Card)
- 8Enter the donation date
- 9Add check number if paying by check
- 10Optionally add notes
- 11Click Record Donation to save
Pro Tip: Check the Anonymous box if the donor wishes to remain unnamed in reports.
Step 3→
Monitor the Accounting Dashboard
The Accounting Dashboard gives you a real-time overview of your church's financial health.
How to do it:
- 1Navigate to Accounting in the sidebar to see the Dashboard
- 2Review the current accounting period and KPIs (Cash Balance, Income, Expenses, Net Income)
- 3Check the monthly trend chart for income vs expenses patterns
- 4Review alerts for draft journal entries, draft expenses, and unreconciled items
- 5Use quick action buttons to create journal entries, add expenses, or run reports
- 6Click on recent activity items to view transaction details
Pro Tip: The Dashboard shows only posted transactions. Draft entries don't appear in the financial metrics until posted.
Step 4→
Record Expenses & Manage Vendors
Track church expenditures, manage vendors, and handle 1099 reporting requirements.
How to do it:
- 1Navigate to Accounting > Vendors to add your payees
- 2For 1099 vendors, enter their Tax ID and mark as '1099 Required'
- 3Navigate to Accounting > Expenses and click Add Expense
- 4Select or create a vendor, enter the expense date and description
- 5Add expense lines with accounts, funds, and amounts
- 6Save as draft or post directly to the general ledger
- 7Mark expenses as paid when payment is made
Pro Tip: Set a default expense account on vendors to auto-fill when creating expenses for that vendor.
Step 5→
Review Journal Entries
Review journal entries from donations and expenses, or create manual entries for adjustments.
How to do it:
- 1Navigate to Accounting > Journal Entries
- 2Review auto-generated entries from donations and expenses
- 3Verify debits and credits are correctly mapped to accounts
- 4Create manual entries for adjustments, transfers, or corrections
- 5Post draft entries to record them in the general ledger
- 6Use the reverse function to undo posted entries if needed
Pro Tip: Each journal entry line can be assigned to a different fund and campus for detailed tracking.
Step 6→
Connect Banks & Reconcile
Connect your bank accounts via Plaid for automatic transaction import and reconciliation.
How to do it:
- 1Navigate to Accounting > Banking
- 2Click Link Bank Account to connect via Plaid
- 3Select your bank and log in securely
- 4Transactions sync automatically (or click Sync manually)
- 5Navigate to Accounting > Reconciliations
- 6Start a new reconciliation with statement date and balances
- 7Mark cleared items that appear on your bank statement
- 8Complete reconciliation when the difference reaches $0.00
Pro Tip: Create matching rules (Banking > Rules) to auto-categorize recurring transactions like payroll or utilities.
Step 7→
Close the Accounting Period
Close periods to lock transactions and maintain data integrity. Periods can be Future, Open, Closed, or Locked.
How to do it:
- 1Navigate to Accounting > Periods
- 2Ensure all transactions for the period are entered and posted
- 3Verify bank reconciliation is complete
- 4Run a Trial Balance report to verify debits equal credits
- 5Click Close Period to prevent new transactions
- 6After audit, click Lock Period to permanently seal
- 7Closed periods can be reopened; Locked periods cannot
Pro Tip: The system won't let you close a period with draft expenses or journal entries - post or delete them first.
Step 8→
Generate Financial Reports
Generate 10 different financial reports for board meetings, audits, and compliance.
How to do it:
- 1Navigate to Accounting > Reports
- 2Choose from 10 report types:
- 3Trial Balance, General Ledger, Income Statement, Balance Sheet
- 4Functional Expenses, Budget vs Actual, Comparative Period
- 51099 Report, Bank Reconciliation, Audit Trail
- 6Select filters: period, fund, campus, or date range
- 7Click Generate Report
- 8View on screen or download as PDF
Pro Tip: Use the 1099 Report at year-end to identify vendors who need 1099 forms filed.
Step 9→
Board Attestation
Create permanent records of board and committee approval for governance compliance.
How to do it:
- 1Navigate to Governance > Attestations
- 2Click Create Attestation
- 3Select the attestation type (Period Close, Financial Statement, etc.)
- 4Link to the relevant accounting period or document
- 5Enter a descriptive title
- 6Select your role (Board Chair, Treasurer, etc.)
- 7Add any notes about the review
- 8Click Create Attestation to permanently record
Pro Tip: Attestations are immutable and cannot be deleted, providing a permanent audit trail for compliance.
Step 10
Generate Giving Statements
At year-end, generate tax-deductible giving statements for your donors.
How to do it:
- 1Navigate to Donations > Reports
- 2Click Giving Statements
- 3Select the calendar year
- 4Choose all donors or filter by criteria
- 5Preview sample statements
- 6Customize the statement template if needed
- 7Generate statements for all selected donors
- 8Download PDFs or send directly via email
Pro Tip: Run a test batch first to verify formatting before sending to all donors.
The Ecclesly Advantage
By following this workflow, your church benefits from:
Connected data - Members, donations, and accounting all linked
Real-time dashboard - KPIs, alerts, and trends at a glance
Expense & vendor tracking - 1099 reporting built-in
Bank integration - Connect via Plaid, auto-import transactions
Audit-ready compliance - Attestations, audit trail, period locking
10 financial reports - Including Budget vs Actual and 1099
Fund & campus tracking - Multi-site and restricted fund support
Donor stewardship - Easy year-end giving statements