Migration to Relius

Quick Summary: Switching church management systems doesn't have to be scary—we've designed Relius migration to be smooth, supported, and stress-free.

Overview

Changing your church management system is a big decision. You're not just moving data—you're trusting a new platform with the heart of your ministry. We understand the weight of this decision, and we've built our migration process to honor it.

Whether you're coming from Planning Center, ChurchTrac, FellowshipOne, or another system, we'll walk beside you through the major steps. We'll help you review what exports, map fields, test the result, and plan your cutover so your team knows what to expect.

This guide gives you the big picture—what migrates, what doesn't, and what the timeline looks like. From there, you can dive into platform-specific guides for detailed steps. Let's make this transition as painless as possible.

Why Switch to Relius?

Before we talk logistics, let's talk "why." You might be considering Relius because:

Your current system is expensive: Relius publishes a Free plan and transparent paid tiers. Compare the current inclusions and total cost with your existing setup.
AI features excite you: Optional AI-assisted drafting and planning can support sermon preparation, communications, and ministry workflows, with human review before use.
You want modern, intuitive software: If your current system feels clunky or outdated, Relius is built with modern UX and mobile-first design.
Consolidation matters: Manage people, giving, events, communications, and website in one platform instead of juggling multiple tools.
Support actually supports: You need a partner, not a ticket queue. Relius offers responsive, ministry-aware support.

Whatever your reason, we're honored you're considering the move. Let's make it happen smoothly.

Key Concepts

Data Migration: Transferring your existing information (people, families, groups, giving records) into Relius.
Field Mapping: Matching data fields from your old system to Relius fields (e.g., "household" becomes "family").
Parallel Running: Using both systems simultaneously during a transition period to ensure nothing is lost.
Cutover Date: The official date you stop using your old system and go fully live with Relius.
Migration Specialist: A Relius team member assigned to guide your church through the entire process.

What Transfers to Relius

Most critical data migrates successfully. Here's what typically comes over:

✅ Data That Migrates Well

People records: Names, contact info, birthdays, addresses, custom fields
Family relationships: Household structures and relationships
Groups: Small groups, classes, teams with member lists
Giving history: Donation records, fund designations, donor totals
Tags & categories: Custom labels and segments
Notes & interactions: Care notes, visit logs, communication history

⚠️ Data That Requires Adjustment

Custom workflows: Must be recreated in Relius (we'll help map them)
Forms: Registration and survey forms need to be rebuilt
Reporting templates: Custom reports require redesign in Relius
Email templates: Need to be recreated, though text can be copy-pasted

❌ Data That Doesn't Migrate

Old service plans: Archival liturgies or past service orders (keep PDFs for records)
Attachments in notes: File attachments usually don't transfer (download important ones first)
Historical reports: Pre-migration reports should be exported as PDFs for your records
User login history: Audit logs and login records don't transfer

Migration Process

Here's what a typical migration looks like from start to finish:

Phase 1: Planning & Kickoff

Meet with your Migration Specialist
Review your current data structure
Identify customizations and special requirements
Set a target cutover date after confirming scope, dependencies, and team readiness

Phase 2: Data Preparation

Export data from your current system
Clean up duplicate records or outdated information
Map custom fields to Relius equivalents
Run a test migration to spot issues

Phase 3: Training & Parallel Running

Train staff and key volunteers on Relius
Start entering new data in Relius while maintaining old system
Test workflows, communications, and giving processes
Address any hiccups or questions

Phase 4: Final Migration & Launch

Perform final data migration (includes records added since test migration)
Verify all critical data transferred correctly
Announce cutover date to staff and congregation
Go live! 🎉

After Launch: Ongoing Support

Confirm post-launch migration support and its availability with the Relius team
Address any "wait, how do I..." questions
Fine-tune settings and workflows
Transition to standard Relius support

Getting Started

Step 1: Contact Our Migration Team

Reach out to migrations@relius.church or use the chat in your Relius account. Let us know:

What system you're migrating from
Approximate number of people records
Any special requirements or concerns
Your ideal timeline

Step 2: Schedule a Migration Planning Call

We'll set up a 45-minute video call to walk through your data, answer questions, and create a customized migration plan. Come prepared with admin access to your current system so we can take a look together.

Step 3: Choose Your Platform-Specific Guide

Once you're ready to proceed, dive into the detailed guide for your current platform:

Migrating from Planning Center

Step-by-step guide for transitioning from Planning Center People, Giving, and Groups.

Migrating from ChurchTrac

Detailed instructions for moving from ChurchTrac's all-in-one system to Relius.

Best Practices

Clean data before migrating: Now is the perfect time to merge duplicates, remove inactive records, and update outdated info.
Don't rush: Set a timeline based on confirmed data scope, export quality, dependencies, and team readiness.
Involve your team early: Get buy-in from staff and volunteers who will use Relius daily. Their input matters.
Export everything from your old system: Even if it doesn't migrate, you'll want archives of reports, old emails, and historical data.
Test giving first: Donations are critical. Make test gifts to ensure everything flows correctly before going live.
Communicate with your congregation: Let members know about changes, especially if login portals or giving pages are affected.

Common Questions

Q: How much does migration cost?

A: Basic migration support is included with your Relius subscription. Complex migrations (very large churches, heavy customization) may incur a one-time service fee. We'll discuss this upfront during planning.

Q: What if we need to keep our old system for a while?

A: That's fine! Many churches run systems in parallel for a transition period that fits their scope and readiness. Check the cost of maintaining both systems, and set a clear cutover date to avoid prolonged double-entry.

Q: Can we migrate in phases (e.g., people first, then giving)?

A: Absolutely. Phased migrations reduce risk and learning curve overwhelm. Common approach: People & Groups → Giving → Communications → Events.

Q: What if something goes wrong during migration?

A: Review the imported records against your source reports and retain the original exports according to your church's record-retention practices. If issues arise, pause the cutover and resolve them with your team before changing systems.

Q: Will our congregation notice the change?

A: Member-facing changes (giving page URL, member portal login) will be different. Communicate these changes ahead of time with clear instructions. Most members adapt quickly, especially if the new experience is better.