This article explains how to enter a Business or Organization record in ParishSOFT, so it displays correctly in Family and Member lists and meets system requirements. Use these guidelines when adding non‑family entities, such as vendors or organizations, to the Family Directory.

When to Use These Guidelines

Use this process when you need to add:

• A business
• An organization
• A non‑family entity that should appear in the Family List

These guidelines apply when entering the record from the Add New Family page.

Required Field Setup

Follow these field‑level guidelines to ensure the record saves correctly and is easy to find later.

Prefix

• Select Unknown as the prefix.
• If Unknown is not available:
  • A diocesan or parish administrator can add it, or
  • Select another prefix temporarily and remove it after saving the record.

First Name

• Enter either:
  • A period (.), or
  • A dash (-)

This satisfies the required field without affecting how the business name displays in lists.

Last Name

• Enter the full business or organization name in the Last Name field.

This allows for consistent and easy lookup in Family and Member lists. 

Member Type

• Set Member Type to Head.

Gender

• Enter M or F consistently for all business records.

Family Group

• Select the Family Group based on diocesan or parish preference.
• Most commonly, this is set to Active. 

Registration Status

• Leave Registration Status unchecked (Not Registered).

Mailing Name and Salutation

Populate these fields manually to control how mailings and communications are addressed.

• Enter the full business name, or
• Enter the owner’s name (if preferred by the parish or diocese), or
• Use a generic salutation such as “Friend”

If you selected a prefix other than Unknown, update the Auto Fill Fields to remove titles such as Mr. or Mrs. before continuing.

Saving the Record

1. Select Save & Edit.
2. Choose Use Suggested Address or Use Entered Address, as appropriate.

Removing a Temporary Prefix (If Used)

If you could not initially select Unknown as the prefix, complete the following cleanup steps after saving.

1. Select the Member Details tab.
2. Select Change Tab & Lose Changes.
3. Select Edit Details.
4. Clear the Title field so it is blank.
5. Select Save and Close.

• Pro-Tip: Using these guidelines ensures that Business and Organization records:
• Meet required field rules
• Display correctly in lists
• Remain easy to search and maintain
• Always follow diocesan or parish conventions when applying these settings