Migrating from ChurchTrac

Quick Summary: Transition from ChurchTrac to Relius while preserving your member data, giving records, and groups—plus gain modern features and AI capabilities.

Overview

ChurchTrac has served many churches well as an affordable, all-in-one solution. If you're considering the move to Relius, it's likely because you're ready for a more modern interface, powerful AI features, or capabilities ChurchTrac doesn't offer—like integrated websites, advanced analytics, or AI-driven ministry insights.

The good news: ChurchTrac's straightforward data structure makes migration relatively smooth. Your people records, families, groups, and giving history transfer cleanly. The challenge is that ChurchTrac's export tools are somewhat limited, so we'll work together to get everything over.

This guide covers the entire migration journey from ChurchTrac to Relius—what exports you'll need, how data maps between systems, and what the transition timeline looks like. We'll preserve your critical information while opening doors to new ministry possibilities.

Key Concepts

ChurchTrac Members: Your people database; transfers directly to Relius People.
ChurchTrac Families: Household groupings; become Relius Families.
ChurchTrac Contributions: Donation records; migrate to Relius Giving.
ChurchTrac Groups: Classes and small groups; transfer to Relius Groups.
ChurchTrac Attendance: Service attendance records (historical data for reference).

What Migrates from ChurchTrac

✅ Members & Families

Your member database transfers completely:

Names, emails, phone numbers, addresses
Birthdates, anniversaries, and demographics
Family relationships (heads of household, spouses, children)
Member photos (requires manual export and re-upload)
Member status (active, inactive, visitor)
Custom fields (we'll recreate them in Relius)
Notes and contact history

✅ Giving Records

Complete contribution history comes over:

Individual donations with dates and amounts
Fund categories (General, Building, Missions, etc.)
Payment types (check, cash, card, online)
Donor giving totals by year
Batch information (if you track batches)

✅ Groups & Classes

Your groups structure transfers:

Group names and descriptions
Group leaders and member rosters
Group categories/types
Meeting schedules and locations (as text)

✅ Attendance Records

Historical attendance data can be imported for reporting:

Service attendance by date
Individual attendance history
Small group attendance

⚠️ Requires Manual Recreation

Custom reports: ChurchTrac reports don't export. You'll build new ones in Relius (often easier with our reporting tools).
Email templates: Copy text content and rebuild in Relius's email builder.
Forms: Registration and survey forms need to be recreated. Relius's form builder is drag-and-drop simple.
User accounts: Staff logins don't transfer. You'll create new Relius accounts and assign permissions.

Step-by-Step Migration Process

Phase 1: Preparation

Step 1: Clean Your ChurchTrac Data

Before exporting, tidy up your database:

Merge duplicate member records
Update or remove members who left years ago
Correct any obvious data errors (wrong addresses, outdated phone numbers)
Document your custom fields and what they mean
Note any special processes or workflows you want in Relius

Step 2: Export Data from ChurchTrac

ChurchTrac provides several export options:

Members Export:

Go to Members → Reports
Select Member List Report
Include all fields: contact info, demographics, family relationships, custom fields
Export to Excel/CSV
Save the file

Contributions Export:

Navigate to Contributions → Reports
Choose Contribution Detail Report
Set date range (we recommend 5-7 years for tax records)
Include: donor name, date, amount, fund, payment type
Export to CSV

Groups Export:

Go to Groups → Reports
Select Group Roster Report
Export all groups with member lists
Save as CSV

Attendance Export (optional):

Under Attendance, run a historical report
Export by date range (e.g., last 2 years)
Save for import into Relius

Step 3: Submit Exports to Relius

Send your CSV files to your Migration Specialist via secure upload link or email. We'll analyze the structure and prepare for import.

Phase 2: Mapping & Testing

Step 4: Data Mapping Session

We'll schedule a video call to map ChurchTrac fields to Relius:

Member ID → Person ID: Unique identifiers preserved for continuity
Family Head → Family Primary Contact: Family structure carries over
Member Status: Active, Inactive, Visitor maps directly
Custom Fields: We recreate your custom fields (membership class, spiritual gifts, etc.)
Contribution Funds: Your fund categories transfer one-to-one

Step 5: Test Import

We import your data into a test Relius environment:

Review sample member records for accuracy
Verify family relationships (parents linked to children)
Check giving totals against ChurchTrac reports
Confirm group membership lists are correct
Identify any issues to address before final migration

You'll have access to the test environment to explore and ask questions.

Phase 3: Training & Parallel Running

Step 6: Team Training

Available training topics may include:

People Management: Adding members, updating info, and tracking visitors
Giving Tracking: Recording donations, running reports, and managing funds
Groups & Events: Creating groups, scheduling events, and tracking attendance
Communications: Email campaigns, SMS, and announcements

Ask the Relius team which training formats and recordings are currently available for your plan.

Step 7: Dual System Period

During a transition period suited to your confirmed scope and team readiness, you may run ChurchTrac and Relius in parallel:

Add new members in Relius (not ChurchTrac)
Record giving in both systems temporarily to ensure accuracy
Test workflows: sending emails, creating events, tracking attendance
Maintain ChurchTrac as your official system until cutover

This can give your team time to review workflows and learn Relius before cutover; define the review period and responsibilities in your transition plan.

Phase 4: Final Migration & Go-Live

Step 8: Final Data Sync

Capture any new data added to ChurchTrac during parallel running:

Export members added/updated since test migration
Export recent contributions
Import into Relius, merging with existing records

Step 9: Verification Checklist

Before going live, verify:

✅ Total giving in Relius matches ChurchTrac year-to-date reports
✅ Active member count matches between systems
✅ Key families have correct relationships (spouses, children)
✅ Groups have accurate member rosters
✅ Online giving page is live and tested with real transactions

Step 10: Communicate the Switch

Inform your congregation about changes:

New online giving URL (update website, email signatures)
New member portal login (they'll receive password reset emails)
Updated contact for tech support questions
Positive framing: "We're upgrading to better serve you!"

Features You'll Gain in Relius

Beyond migrated data, Relius offers capabilities ChurchTrac doesn't:

AI Sermon Planning: Generate outlines, find relevant scriptures, plan series with AI
Giving review tools: Explore recorded giving history and draft possible follow-up ideas for human review where optional AI tools are enabled
Built-in Website: A modern church website that updates automatically from your data
Advanced Pipelines: Track visitor journeys from first visit to membership
Semantic Bible Search: Search by meaning, not just keywords ("passages about grace")
Multilingual Support: Real-time translation for international congregations

Common ChurchTrac → Relius Scenarios

Scenario 1: Smaller church (illustrative only)

A straightforward data structure may require fewer mapping items to review; actual timing depends on confirmed scope, export quality, and team readiness.

Scenario 2: Mid-size church (illustrative only)

Multiple funds, campaigns, groups, or custom workflows may require additional mapping and review; actual timing depends on confirmed scope, export quality, and team readiness.

Scenario 3: Multi-site church (illustrative only)

Campus-specific data, giving funds, or groups may require campus-by-campus mapping and review; actual timing depends on confirmed scope, export quality, and team readiness.

Best Practices

Export before you clean: Keep the original ChurchTrac export available for reference before cleaning, following your church's retention and access practices.
Test online giving early: Make several test donations in different scenarios (one-time, recurring, various funds) before announcing to members.
Don't cancel ChurchTrac prematurely: Keep access until your team has validated the Relius workflows and records it needs and has confirmed a cutover plan.
Involve volunteers in training: Don't just train staff—include check-in volunteers, group leaders, and communications team.
Export year-end statements from ChurchTrac: Before leaving, run and save giving statements for the current year. You'll want these for comparison.
Update recurring donors personally: ChurchTrac's recurring gifts won't auto-transfer. Email these donors with simple setup instructions and a thank-you for their faithfulness.

Common Questions

Q: Will ChurchTrac member photos transfer?

A: Photos don't export via CSV. However, ChurchTrac support can sometimes provide a bulk photo download. We can then match and upload them in Relius. Alternatively, you can re-upload key photos (staff, leaders) manually.

Q: What happens to our ChurchTrac custom forms?

A: Forms don't migrate. You'll recreate them in Relius using our drag-and-drop form builder. Many churches find this a good chance to simplify and improve their forms.

Q: Can we migrate attendance records?

A: Yes! Export attendance from ChurchTrac and we'll import it into Relius. This preserves historical trends for reporting. Going forward, you'll track attendance natively in Relius.

Q: How do we handle existing online givers during the transition?

A: Coordinate any pause or change to ChurchTrac online giving with your processor and cutover plan. Send online givers the new Relius giving page link and instructions, and provide support for questions during the transition.

Q: Will our ChurchTrac check-in codes work in Relius?

A: No, Relius uses its own check-in system with QR codes. You'll generate new family codes in Relius. The upside: Relius check-in is faster and works on any device.

Q: Can Relius import our ChurchTrac text message history?

A: Text message logs don't transfer. You may retain an export for reference according to your church's record-retention practices; Relius SMS starts with new messages.