Why churches are leaving Planning Center
Planning Center is a solid platform, but many churches find themselves paying $100-$300+ per month for features they could get for free. As budgets tighten and churches look for ways to redirect funds toward ministry, the cost of church management software is one of the first line items under scrutiny.
Relius offers the same core features — people management, groups, giving, check-in, and volunteer scheduling — at no cost. And with AI-powered tools built in, you actually get more functionality than most paid platforms provide.
Step 1: Export your data from Planning Center
Planning Center makes it straightforward to export your data. Log in to your Planning Center account, navigate to People, and use the export function to download your member data as a CSV file. Repeat this for your groups, giving records, and any other modules you use.
Pro tip
Export each module separately (People, Groups, Giving) for the cleanest import. Label your files clearly so you know which is which.
Step 2: Prepare your data for import
Open your exported CSV files and review them for accuracy. Remove any test records, duplicate entries, or outdated information. This is a great opportunity to clean up your database before importing into a fresh system.
Relius accepts standard CSV formats and can map most Planning Center fields automatically. If you have custom fields, make a note of them so you can recreate them in Relius before importing.
Step 3: Import into Relius
In your Relius dashboard, navigate to Settings > Data Import. Upload your CSV files one at a time, starting with People. Relius will show you a field mapping screen where you can match your Planning Center columns to Relius fields.
After mapping, review the preview to make sure everything looks correct, then confirm the import. Repeat for Groups and Giving data.
Step 4: Set up your team
Invite your staff and key volunteers to Relius. Assign appropriate roles and permissions so everyone has access to what they need. Relius uses role-based access controls, so you can ensure volunteers only see what is relevant to their ministry area.
Schedule a 30-minute training session with your team to walk through the new interface. Most people find Relius intuitive, but a quick orientation helps everyone start strong.
Step 5: Go live and cancel Planning Center
Once your data is imported and your team is trained, you are ready to go live. Run both systems in parallel for one or two weeks if you want extra confidence, then cancel your Planning Center subscription.
Need help?
Relius offers free migration support. Contact our team and we will walk you through the entire process.