THE PARISH INFORMATION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (PIMS)

The recently developed Parish Information Management System (PIMS), specially so designed to assist the parishes in recording and monitoring their daily transactions, has been well received by its intended users.  Interestingly, more than a hundred parishes are now using the system, 20 of them from the Diocese of Parañaque, seven from the Dioceses of Novaliches, and 79 from the Archdiocese of Manila.

PIMS was conceptualize through the initiative of Ms. Anita Castro, RCAM’s Internal Audit Manager, with the support of Rev. Fr. Nicardo Blanquisco, to provide parishes with intermediate systems aligned with the central setup earlier implemented at the RCAM Accounting.  Significantly, the project is calculated to reduce clerical workloads and ensure accuracy and timeless of transaction recording and regular report preparations in the parishes.

Last May 26, the seminar-forum jointly sponsored by the Chancery Office and the Manila Archdiocesan Commission for the Conservation of the Patrimony of Art and History of the Church (MACC), RCAM’s Internal Audit was given a brief timeslot to give a demonstration on how to use the system.  Mr. Andrew Macawile, one of the auditors was the one designated for the task on behalf of the Internal Audit.

The system, if we may say so, is practically a “be-all” of the parish’s data management and monitoring needs, including those which relate to Accounting Process and Properties (Inventory) control techniques.

Specifically, the following are the system’s feature:

Parish Books Features:

• Records Baptismal, Confirmation, Matrimony and Death entries.
• Contains easy-to-use look-up facility which allows users to quickly locate entries on file.
• Prints certificates upon request.  Certificates can be formatted to fit into the parish’s pre-printed certificate forms.

Accounting Features:

• Defines accounts, controls accounts (account groups), and subsidiary accounts.
• Provides facilities for Official Receipts, Check Vouchers, and Petty Cash Vouchers, Deposits, Journal Vouchers, and other user-defined transaction sources (e.g. Payable Vouchers, Payroll Vouchers, etc.).
• Up-to-date reporting allows users access to accounting reports without the need for posting or journalizing.  By just entering transactions, the reports are automatically produced and are ready for printing.
• Generates reports such as Ledger, Trial Balance, Statement of Receipts and Disbursements, Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Fund Equities, cash Position Report, Receipt Register, Disbursement Register, Journal Register, Petty Cash Register, Deposit Register, and others.
• Allows for automated computation and processing of monthly sharing (Parish Priest’s Apostolate Fund) and year-end closing of Revenue and Expense accounts.
• Locks transactions from posting or editing on specified date.

Properties (Inventory) Features:

• Defines Property Items whether they be Real Estate or Non-Real-Estate.  The system also allows grouping of properties for organization and reporting purposes.
• Identifies Locations and Locations Group.
• Comes up with such reports as Schedule of Real Estate Taxes, Schedule of Insurance, Schedule of Depreciation and others.
• Prints Property Info Sheets and Property Labels.

Other Features:

• Data maintenance facilities allow users to back up and restore data files, thereby ensuring data integrity.
• Access Security features define authorization for users to allow usage of all or some of the system’s features.
• Network-ready system allows for its simultaneous usage by multiple users over the network.

Note: parishes interested to adopt the system may contact RCAM’s Audit Department at Tel. No. 527-7631 to 36 local 210.