Printing Lists and Reports > Print a church directory > ASCII Export (for Church Directory)

The ASCII Export option discussed in this help topic is the ASCII Export option on the Format combo box when you select Church Directory as the Output Form on the Print Control page of the Print Names dialog. There is a separate ASCII Export Output Form, which is discussed in its own help topic.

If one of the built-in formats for a church directory are not adequate for your needs, you can use this option to export the church directory data to an ASCII text file which you can then import into another data base, spreadsheet file, or merge file in your word processor. This enables you to create more complex forms or forms that contain data not normally included in the CMD’s built-in formats.

In addition to the basic information, this ASCII Export option contains anniversary date, dates of birth for all names in the family, ages for all names in the family, their Membership Status and Family Status fields. All addresses associated with the family are also included. Fields for up to 10 dependents are also included.

When the text file is created, a header line identifying each field is written to the text file as the first record. This enables Word, Excel, or other similar programs to present you with a list of fields that you can use in the layout of your church directory form.

Software for Ministry assumes no responsibility for helping you create your specialized form. That task is yours. All we present you with is the data that you can work with! However, merging is quite easy in most modern word processors and page layout programs, so it should be easy to create a form that works with your needs. You’ll probably need to do some minor editing after the merge to clean up some blank lines, etc.