Biometric Scanning System for Church Attendance

2007-11-05T01:08:00.000-08:00

Hi all,

I have been working on a biometric system for my Youth Track software that will allow kids to scan their thumb/finger to show they are present for the class or it could be used for a check in/out system. I thought of all the different ways that are being used for attendance. Especially the big one, bar-coding. I just thought there has to be an easier way. I actually visited a couple of churches where they used a biometrics lock system to get in and out of the office. A key-less entry system. But not only that, a way to track who entered at what time and who left at what time. I then started thinking about all sorts of applications for a biometric system. I know a lot of churches have a day care. Those who are responsible for picking up their children and their children could be scanned to make sure the child is picked up by the right person and it is all documented. Youth Track could actually print a picture of each child with finger/thumb prints included to aid the Police if something bad were to happen (of course, we all hope nothing like that would ever happen, but we live in dangerous times.

I almost have the biometric attendance feature finished for Youth Track. I just need to change the screen a bit (I didn't like how I first designed it) and now I'm going to have to find a different biometric device because the one I started with does not have a Vista driver at this time and I know that will become an issue later. It works so smoothly. I let my daughter and son-in-law scan their thumb and registered them for a class. Then opened up the auto-attendance and had them scan their thumb and the screen displayed my daughter and my son-in-law and the screen had them select which class if there was more than one they were registered for on that day. They really thought it was so cool!

I have talked to a lot of youth workers and most do not see this type of attendance scanning system as a problem at all. However, some of the more fundamental churches like in our small towns and such, didn't like the idea because of a passage in Revelation. I personally think this passage is being taken out of context in this case. However, you can't have churches start splitting because they don't believe in this system. I'm thinking I may have to have a the biometric system and then some other system in place for those that are very much against it. It could be the current manual attendance system could still be used because I imagine most of these churches would be the smaller churches. Just a hunch.

I'd like to know how you feel about this type of scanning system for Youth Track (and also for our Church Management System software in the future). I am letting all this out at the risk of a competitor beating me to the idea (maybe they already have). But I thought it was very important to ask the Christian community what they thought of this type of system. You'd walk in the door and scan your finger or thumb and that would be it. If a visitor, a very easy way to enter the visitor information could be done with or without the finger/thumb print if they felt uneasy about letting themselves be scanned. :-)

What do you think? I'd really like to hear from as many as possible. Especially, those of you who are currently using Youth Track or have an interest in Youth Track. Would you purchase a system like this if it were available? I'm sure you would have to go before the Elders or the membership to see what everyone thought about it.

If someone does this to find out what their Pastor, Elders and membership thought about using a software product that tracks attendance using a finger/thumb print, I sure would be interested in hearing what they have to say! I am so close to being ready to distribute this only if it doesn't stir up trouble in the church. :-) If I can determine that even 50% would have absolutely no trouble using this type of system, I will release it early next year.

Thanks so much!

James Moore
President
Ministry Tracking Software, Inc.
http://www.youthtrack.com
james@youthtrack.com
512-947-2418