Many parishes have entered the digital era of the Church and, with software such as Ecclesiared, want to computerize the entire parish archive in order to preserve all the history of their parishioners in the future.
Undoubtedly, computerization is a great step to improve our services as parish priests and parishes to our parishioners. However, sometimes doubts arise as to how to proceed with the computerization of the parish archives.
Where should I start to computerize my parish’s parish books?
From Ecclesiared we always advise that the introduction of data should start with the present year. That is to say, we should begin to introduce the year in which we are and as we can, we should gradually go backwards in time.
The explanation is very simple. Although the objective is to computerize the entire history of the parish to be able to preserve it forever, it is preferable that the beginning be as close to the present day as possible, since it is difficult for a person from 1760 to come to us to ask for a baptismal certificate, while those closest to their baptism, for example, will do so to marry you.