I’m excited to see that ACS is now employing people to focus on software architecture. Due to a number of circumstances, they ended up with about 7 different unconnected calendars across their various products. Now, with the help of architects like Jamey, they are working to integrate their products more and more.

While all the pieces aren’t there, the future is bright, just looking from the calendaring perspective alone, here are some of the ideas that we’re looking to employ in our church.

• Integrating Facility Scheduler (FS) with an EMS to control HVAC systems. This reduces energy consumption and personnel costs!
• Integrating FS with our alarm system to arm and disarm the building on a schedule
• Integrating FS with our door locks to lock and unlock doors on a schedule
• Integrating FS with digital signage around the campus to display coming events
• Integrating FS with LCD screens on the rooms of doors to display what’s happening in that room
• Integrating FS with our Web site to display upcoming events
• Integrating FS with Outlook to display calendar events where our users spend most of their time
• Integrating FS with services like Upcoming.org to publicize events

All of these things work to reduce operational and personnel costs, which translates directly to more money ending up in missions and ministries.

The ACS convention is finished, and I’m back home after a short 3-hour drive.  I had a great time at the convention, and my blog picked up a number of new readers.  Welcome.  Since there are so many new ACS readers on the blog, plan on getting some good ACS posts in the future mixed with my normal fare of Church IT and personal stuff.  I learned quickly that one thing that would help a number of churches is simple training videos.  (By the way, the link to the AccessACS video targeted to our church members can be found here.)

If you haven’t subscribed to me, I’d suggest that you visit the subscribe page to learn how.

Last night was the karaoke night at the ACS Convention. What a fun experience. I sang a couple of songs and led a dance. However, I thoroughly enjoyed the rest of the singers. It was so cool to see the human side of the people that support our ministry on a daily basis. I already knew Dean was a goof-ball, but the others are pretty goofy too. Just check out the photo above of the ACS girls “singing” It’s Raining Men.

Click to see all 64 photos from Karaoke Night.

Somehow I always end up being the center of attention, even when I try to fly under the radar. Today, a not-so-random selection process took place that landed me on stage in front of the entire convention doing some goofy dance. It was a lot of fun, but Cindy - it’s on. When I come to Florence, I won’t forget it. :)

Click to see the whole set with me, the other guys, and the comedian grannies in action.

I was a bit embarrassed by Darci Shelley yesterday at the Enterprise/Megachurch Luncheon. She’s a driving force behind ACS’ Facility Scheduler product. I mentioned to her that several of the people at ACS don’t look like I expected them to.

It’s kind of like listening to the radio. You hear the DJ every morning and you get some subconscious image of their appearance. Working with all of these people from Florence, South Carolina by phone, I began to get this impression in my mind. I’m thinking that those beautiful southern accents contributed to this image of grey-haired grannies who love to make delicious dishes, like Paula Deen (at right).

Well, I told this to Darci who saw it fit to tell it to the entire megachurch luncheon that Matthew Irvine thought that all the ACS employees were 50-60 year olds. She made me look like I had a problem with those more mature than myself. However, I love Paula, so I think Darci and the rest of the ACS crew should be encouraged.

This is what Darci really looks like (at left). I think she enjoyed making me squirm just a little too much.

So, the name Paula Deen was circulating around the convention center for the rest of the afternoon.