Welcome to the Assistant Secretary Database program (AS). The AS is a computer program for the lodge secretary, treasure, and other members (District Deputies, etc) to keep track of membership, visitors, widows, multiple lodges, financials, dues, inventory, send letters (post or email), lodge minutes, events, and much more. You can implement the AS to replace or augment your current paper-based membership tracking.

Unlike other database programs that are difficult to use and understand the AS is easy to learn and use. We include a help manual, along with help videos so you will never feel lost. If you do happen to head North, we offer top-quality free support.

A detailed description of the features in the Assistant Secretary listed below

Please read the manual and look at the videos before starting any work in the Assistant Secretary. If you do not, you will become frustrated and not realize the full benefit of the software. While not difficult to use, the Assistant Secretary does require initial setup (e.g., must add your Lodge), before you can start adding members.

To gain access to the system once you download:

Username: admin

Password: admin

These videos do not explain everything in the program, but when used along with the help manual, there should be little room for "feeling lost."

All videos are available in two versions:

Flash - to watch online. The flash videos are smaller in size but require a commonly used component to be loaded on your computer (Flash player).

Videos - to watch online or download to your computer. These videos are larger, but once you click on the .exe, the video automatically plays. You do not need any additional components loaded on your computer.

1) Assistant Secretary 3.5 - This is our full version. If you are looking for the best Masonic Database for your Lodge, look no further. The Assistant Secretary 3.5 includes the most benefits, and features of any product currently on the market, at a lower price. Please do not confuse "lower price" with cheap; our total package is well worth the money spent. We invite you to download the Assistant Secretary, read the help manual, and review the videos.

2) Assistant Secretary 3.5 SE - This is similar to our full version except it does not include minutes, letters, or report designer windows. In testing, we found that many Brothers simply wanted a database to keep track of membership and found our basic reports suited their needs. In addition, with our export feature, they were able to create their own letters (using merge) in the editor of their choice (e.g. MS Word, Word Perfect, Open Office). If you purchase SE and find you want the full version later, you can purchase the upgrade without fear of losing information.

3) Assistant Secretary 3.5 LT - This version ships with both Assistant Secretary 3.5 and Assistant Secretary 3.5 SE. It excludes the Masonic Classification System and Lodge Handouts, although both eBooks can be activated upon purchase of Assistant Secretary 3.5 or SE. LT was build for Brothers who do not have a fast internet connection but want to test the program. Pay only shipping to receive the CD, but can activate at any time by purchasing Assistant Secretary 3.5 or SE.

Masonic Classification System, Lodge Handouts, and Help Videos:

1) Masonic Classification System is similar to the Dewey Decimal System, except it was developed for Masonic Libraries. The Assistant Secretary has the ability to track items checked out (e.g. books). We support Masonic education, so we included the Classification System with hopes your Lodge will develop a library or improve on the current library.

2) Lodge Handouts are used to help the Lodge Secretary during meetings to keep track of visiting members. The handouts are also useful during the setup of Assistant Secretary 3.5.

3) Help Videos The help videos are another way to familiarize yourself with the Assistant Secretary 3.5.

The Assistant Secretary Masonic Database is packed with the features you need. As a matter of fact, many of the features were requested by Brothers just like you.

Registration:

Keep track of members, visitors, widows, and non-members/vendors. For example, when you have information on visitors you can invite them back into the lodge for a meeting or special events. Assistant Secretary also keeps track of all affiliate/appendant information, dates and degrees on members, committees of members and more.

Petition information: Basic information for all types of petition information. You can add types of petitions at any time.

Affiliations: keep track of member affiliations with other lodges or appendant bodies.

Dates and degrees: keep track of all member dates and degrees.

Committee: Keep track of the members of the different committees, how many committees a single member may belong.

Grand Lodge: Place your Grand Lodge information in this field

Lodge: Enter your home Lodge or enter as many lodges as you wish. This is perfect for a DDGM or any member who has membership in many lodges.

Accounting:

Keep track of all monies coming in and going out of your lodge.

Sources of funds: You can name all sources of funds. You can also name check or cash and whom the money came. Also, keep track of all dues payments and arrears for all members. You can check how much a member owes for dues in about 30 seconds with this program.

Uses of funds: You can name all uses of funds. You can pay by cash or check. Keep track of dues in an orderly fashion. This program will also keep track of arrears. If a members calls, you can tell them in about 30 seconds how much dues they owe.

Other:

Minutes feature: The program will allow you to keep track of minutes by providing a place to store a "boiler" set of minutes. Once your boiler is set, each lodge meeting (or after) you open the minutes and type your information.

Letters feature: Keep any number of boiler letters. The program will allow you to automatically insert the names, dues owed, and other fields directly into the boiler letter automatically.

History Windows: Dates of seats Keep all dates of seats in one section. Now you can find the dates of a member's seats held in one area. Committees and dates Keep track of all the committees a member was a part.

Events: You can keep track of all lodge events or multiple lodge events.

Reports: All of our reports can be saved to Microsoft Word, Excel or other formats. For example, you can save a report to Word and send as an attachment to everyone in our e-mail group or print and handout at the lodge meeting.

Print Labels: Print mailing labels so you can easily send reports, memos, etc. to all members. Inventory: Save money by keeping an inventory of an entire lodge, and/or a lodge library. Always know where your items are located.

Grand Lodges: Can be updated for the Grand Lodge to import information all Lodges of a jurisdiction (This would be a custom database). In anticipation of a Grand Lodge using this program the program can already keep track of several (unlimited) lodges! Since every Grand Lodge will have different needs/wants all Grand Lodges will have to purchase a custom database.

Adobe Acrobat Reader to read eBooks.

Windows 98SE, ME, 2000, XP, or Vista

Computer monitor with at least 256 colors and at least 800 x 600 resolution

350 MHz processor or greater

128 MB RAM or greater

At least 20 MB of hard drive space for program installation

Install latest Microsoft updates (http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com)