Chapter
Six
PrayTimer
2.0 Instructions. This version of the instructions do not include the screen
shots to allow for quicker downloads and access. The screen shots are available
in another file.
You have
joined more than 11,000 people who have purchased the PrayTimer prayer software
and outreach Bible study. The PrayTimer software is available on the CD-ROM in
this book. Visit www.praytimer.org/downloads
for updated versions, updated online help files, updated Quick Start Guide,
answers to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ), printable copies of each file, and a growing library of import file options.
The
software helps maximize and expand the believer's prayer life. It provides
tools for individuals, prayer coordinators, and church staff to manage, print,
and distribute personal, congregational, or small group prayer requests. Step-by-step instructions are included in this
chapter. As you prepare to use the software, begin by reviewing the lessons on effective prayer in the first five chapters.
Features include: Customizable calendar options
for prayer requests with daily, weekly, and monthly calendar views. Manage and
customize personal, congregational, national, and international prayer
requests. Customizable lists of prayer requests can be printed for personal and
corporate use by calendar dates, subject, reason, or source. Downloadable files
are included to pray for specific national and international requests, as well
as missionaries on their birthdays. Also included is a schedule of verses to
read through the Bible in a year.
Import
files for local prayer requests are easy to create and add to the prayer
database. Export files can be created easily and distributed to church members
or other people using the software. Requests can be exported from PrayTimer
into the Microsoft Outlook Calendar program and from there into a PDA.
Files can
be imported and exported easily between any PrayTimer version or edition. The
CPMS Edition is a component of NAMB's Church Planter Management System (CPMS).
New Features in version
2.0 include: Sort and prioritize prayer requests on the daily and weekly pages,
expanded help files, streamlined export to Microsoft Outlook, export to Lotus
Notes, an undelete feature, a customizable back up file, customizable ACTS
acrostic, calendar through 2010, automatic expanding of all print options, print
blank pages, hyperlink (if you are online) directly to the
praytimer.org/downloads web page, and streamlined navigation throughout the
software.
The praytimer.org/downloads web page now offers a customizable
search engine to create tab files for specific NAMB missionaries. Create tab
file lists for NAMB missionaries by name, location, or assignment. The library
of updated .tab files continues to grow at the NAMB and IMB PrayTimer web
pages.
Instructions for the PrayTimer 2.0
Software
PrayTimer
2.0 was created on FileMaker Pro 6 software. The
instructions for this edition are different from the CPMS edition. Refer to the
CPMS edition guidebook under Tab 7 of the CPMS Ministry Manual for those
specific directions.
General Instructions/Overview
1. Visit
www.praytimer.org/register to register as a PrayTimer user and gain access to
technical support. This will also help us provide you with information on
updates and new versions. You will be asked to confirm that you are using an
original CD, not a copy, and loaded on a single
computer.
2. The
PrayTimer software maintains prayer data files in a master list (see Figure 10)
containing each imported or added prayer request. A second database includes
calendar views for each of those prayer requests. This master list page allows
you to search by category, or choose to print customized lists. You can import
data files into the master list and choose to schedule those prayers by date.
3. You
can create individual prayer requests. Those requests are automatically saved
to the master list. In fact, a blank file is saved to the master list if you
click on the "add new request" button and do not add data.
4. You
may choose to schedule a specific date to pray for each prayer request. You can
schedule the date to begin and the date to end praying for that request. You
also can determine if you want to pray for that request once, daily, once or
more per week, once or more per month, or once or more per year.
5. The
subject categories include believers, unbelievers, and personal spiritual need.
Including one of those categories can help you balance biblical prayer. You can add any additional categories that you like to use.
6. You
can export any prayer requests into other calendar programs that accept .tab or
.txt files.
7. You
can create a .txt data file of any information you want to automatically import
into the calendar fields. (.txt and .tab files are file extensions that can be
managed by PrayTimer and other database programs.)
8. All of
the import files are located in the Import Files Folder. Please do not delete
any of the .ptm files in the PrayTimer folder. Each one is needed to ensure proper
operation of each function. Files with the extension .ptm will not import or
export properly. Use the export instructions to export data into a new version
or into any updated edition.
9. It is normal to see up to four small blue minimized screens at the
bottom left of the page, including a Schedule.usr page. These screens assist
with the undo and back up features and can be ignored.
PrayTimer Quick Start Guide.
Detailed
instructions are found later in this chapter. Download and print updated copies
of this guide, updated software instructions, and FAQ files at
www.praytimer.org. Follow the link from there to register for technical
support.
1.
Microsoft Windows (All versions from 3.2-XP):
Insert the PrayTimer CD into your CD-ROM disk drive. The self-executable
installation wizard should begin automatically. If it does not, navigate to
your CD-ROM drive and click on "SETUP" or "SETUP
RESOURCES." Follow the onscreen instructions. You are given the option to
install the software separately from the "PrayTimer
RESOURCES."
The Adobe Acrobat reader is needed to
read the PDF files of all the materials on the CD. The PowerPoint Viewer allows
you to use the PowerPoint cells even if you do not have the PowerPoint program
installed on your computer. Further installation directions can be found in
Appendix C. Access this installed information on your hard drive by clicking
start>Programs>PrayTimer or >PrayTimer Resources. You also can use
Microsoft Explorer to navigate to those files for easier access.
Macintosh (All versions): Insert the
PrayTimer CD into your CD-ROM disk drive. The program should begin
automatically. If it fails to do so, double-click the "PRAYTIMER"
icon on your desktop. This will open a window containing the installer files.
Double-click "Start Here." Follow the onscreen instructions. An
uninstall program is not needed. Remove the program or any of the resources by
dragging and dropping into the trash icon.
The Adobe Acrobat Reader is needed to
read the PDF files of all the materials on the CD. The PowerPoint Viewer allows
you to use the PowerPoint cells, even if you do not have the PowerPoint program
installed on your computer.
2. The
first PrayTimer screen will ask for a user name. Add the name you want to see
in the field that tells where the prayer request originated. Use your name for
personal requests or your church or class name for church requests.
3. The
first thing you may want to do is import the Read the Bible through in a year
verses and the 31dayprayermap (a schedule of secular and denominational leaders
by state). To do this:
a. Click on the "Import"
button (see Chapter 6, Figure 12 for detailed instructions).
b. On
the next screen, double click on the Import Files folder, (if the file looks
empty, change the type of files at the bottom of that screen to “show all files”)
then double click on the .tab file you wish to open (i.e., the Bibleinayear).
Click on the "Import" option that comes up. Depending on the speed of
your computer, it will take several minutes to add the text into your calendar
every day. (The Bibleinayear can take 5 minutes on a Pentium computer.)
c. The
next screen that comes up gives you the option to import the data into your
calendar program (click yes) or just into the master list (click no). You probably
want to click yes.
d. When that file is finished loading,
click on import again and choose the next .txt or .tab file in the Import Files
folder (i.e., 31dayprayermap). Import each of the missionary files as you wish.
e. Visit www.praytimer.org/downloads
for updated and additional import files.
4. Create
and add your denominational, individual, and/or congregational prayer requests.
You can also use this process to update an existing
file (see Figure 6 for detailed instructions).
a. Click on the "Add New"
button.
b. Type in the prayer request for the
first day.
c. Click on the "Set calendar
schedule"(Figure 9) button and create the schedule for how often and when
this prayer request should appear on the calendar.
d. Click on the "Add to calendar"
button.
e. Repeat the process to create each
day's prayer request and the schedule that you wish to export.
f. Check the "Calendar Dates
Scheduled for this prayer" box to confirm the schedule.
5. You
can export files for other PrayTimer users, to your Outlook calendar, or to your Lotus Notes calendar too. (See Figure 13
for detailed instructions).
6. You
can import any data that is saved in comma-delimited text (.txt files) or
tab-delimited (.tab) files.
7. Please
do not forget to register as a PrayTimer user at www.praytimer.org/register.
For customer support, visit our Frequently Asked Questions file at
www.praytimer.org, write praytimer@namb.net, or call 1 888 749-7479. This call
is free to you for the first six months after purchasing the software, but we
pay for each phone call, so please help us to be good stewards of that line by
reading the instructions first.
PrayTimer Instructions
Insert
the PrayTimer CD into your CD-ROM disk drive. The self-executable installation
wizard should begin automatically. If it does not, navigate to your CD drive
and click on "SETUP" or "SETUP RESOURCES." Follow the
onscreen instructions. You are given the option to install the software
separately from the "Teacher Resources." The Adobe Acrobat reader is
needed to read the PDF files of all the materials on the CD. The PowerPoint
Viewer allows you to use the PowerPoint cells even if you do not have the
PowerPoint program installed on your computer. Further installation directions
can be found in Appendix C. Access this information by clicking
start>Programs>PrayTimer or >PrayTimer Teacher Resources. You also can
use Microsoft Explorer to navigate to those files for easier access.
Macintosh:
Insert the PrayTimer CD into your CD-ROM disk drive. The program should begin
automatically. If it fails to do so, double-click the "PRAYTIMER"
icon on your desktop. This will open a window containing the installer files.
Double-click "Start Here." Follow the onscreen instructions.
The Adobe
Acrobat Reader is needed to read the PDF files of all the materials on the CD.
The PowerPoint Viewer allows you to use the PowerPoint cells, even if you do
not have PowerPoint installed on your computer.
Figure 1:
Opening Screens
The
PrayTimer software opens the first time (Figure 1) on a screen requesting a user name. The name you use
here will be placed in the source column of the prayer requests you
create. That column lists where the prayer request originated. (See Figure 6
for an example.) DO NOT HIT THE ENTER KEY just click on continue. You can
change this name on the Preferences page (See Figure 11). Prayer Coordinators
may want to use the name of your church or Bible study class.
Figure 2:
Enter Privacy Code screen
The first
time you enter PrayTimer, you will need to create a privacy code. Key in your
privacy code. DO NOT HIT THE ENTER KEY, just click on continue. The privacy
code is case sensitive. Please write down this code to remember it. There is no
way that customer service can help you open files if you lose your password. You
will need to reinstall the program.
Figure
2a: You will come to the privacy code screen every time you launch the
PrayTimer software. Key in your privacy code.
The
Unlock button allows you to unlock private prayers so that these may be
included in mailed or printed lists.
The Leave
Private Prayers Locked button allows you to prevent prayers from being seen by
anyone. Prayers are initially locked on the "Add New" page and can be
unlocked from there. A locked prayer will appear on the screen as "Private
prayer."
Figure 3:
Daily Prayer Plan Page
The next
screen is the Daily Prayer Plan Page. This page lists all of the requests that
have been added or imported for a specific date.
The first
thing you may want to do is import the Read the Bible through in a year verses,
prayer grams, and 31dayprayermap. All import files are located in the Import
Files folder. (See the Quick Start Guide at the beginning of this chapter, or
Figure 12 for specific instructions. Please visit www.praytimer.org/downloads for updated and additional import files).
On Figure
3, the yellow dot on the small calendar indicates the date chosen. It defaults
to the computer date upon entering the program.
Click on
arrows or date fields to change dates up to 2010.
Click in each text box to see all of the text in that field.
Adoration
Confession, Thanksgiving (ACTS) fields: Key in your individual responses for
these three fields. The preferences area allows you to choose to include or
exclude these fields when you print. NEW! You also may customize these three fields to replace those
words with any other categories you prefer.
Supplication
area: Fill in this area when you use the "Import" button or the
"Add New" request button.
Folder
tabs: Click on the tabs to the far right to go to pages that allow print,
views, and customization options. (You may have to use the right arrow at the
bottom of your Windows screen to move the view area to the right).
Add New
button: Click here to add/change a prayer request (see Figure 6). A blank entry
is added to the master list if you access this page without adding data.
Import
button: Allows you to import .tab data files. All import files are located in
the Import Files folder. (See Figure 12 or the Quick Start Guide at the
beginning of this chapter for specific import directions.) The import function
help page is located on the "Add New" page. Click on the question
mark at the bottom left of the screen and proceed through each page.
Export
button: Allows you to send requests to Outlook, to other PrayTimer users, or
other calendar programs. Under this tab, the day you have displayed will be
exported (See Figure 13 for specific export directions. See Figure 13b for
specific instructions to export to Microsoft Outlook). The export function help
page is located on the "Add New" page. Click on the question mark and
proceed through each page by clicking on the "More" button.
Print Blank: NEW! Allows you to print a blank template for daily
prayer.
Print
button: Allows you to print the daily page in the chosen format. You can choose
on the preferences page (see Figure 11) to print with the ACTS fields or
without them. Choose the 5.5 x 8.5 to print on a precut commercial calendar
page. On most printers, feed from the front with the holes going into the
printer first.
8.5 x 11
portrait: Allows you to choose from six print styles. In version 1.1 and 2.0 all calendar print options expand so you can
see all of the prayer requests when you print. If you use a calendar binder,
you have several options to fit your calendar binder style. Landscape means the
calendar will print long ways on the paper.
There are also options for a 3 x 5 card and for a prayer list without
the calendar templates. (Avery Laser Rotary cards # 5386 work very well in
laser printers).
Preferences: Allows you to access the preferences page (see figure
11).
Prioritize: Allows you to manually rearrange and sort prayer
requests. Prioritizing also can be done in the small square box in the top left
corner of each prayer request line (see figure 3).
NEW! If you are online you can click on the
www.praytimer.org/downloads to go directly to that web page. Download additional import files
into your import files folder.
Bottom
left of the screen navigation bar: The first three icons help adjust the
viewing size for different computer monitors or presentations.
The next icon provides a left of the screen status panel that allows you to
navigate through the entire master list of records and
screens. The browse button allows you to access
a find and preview option. Browse brings you to the default screens. Find
allows you to search for specific prayers and screens. Preview allows you to
preview any screen for printing without going through the print command.
PrayTimer will only inhabit a portion of the monitor screen with higher
resolution monitors.
Figure
3a: Question Mark/Help Pages
NEW! Help pages can be accessed by clicking on the help button at
the top right of navigation bar on each screen. The help screen for each
page can be accessed by clicking on the question mark at the lower left
corner of the screen.
Question
mark: Allows you to open the help file screen beginning
at that page. Exit the help screen files by clicking on the "Go
back to Daily Prayer Plan" button at the bottom left of the help page.
Figure 4:
Weekly Prayer View
This page
provides a weekly template of requests for private use or for larger groups. Many prayer coordinators and church staff have said that this
page is excellent for distributing prayer requests at prayer meetings.
Click on
arrows or date fields to change dates up to 2010. The top left identifies which week you are
currently viewing. If you are online, click on the
www.praytimer.org link to access that web page.
ACTS fields: Lists any data you entered here from the daily page. These
fields allow you to key in your adoration, confession, thanksgiving, and
supplication. These titles can be customized on the preferences page. The
preferences page also allows you to choose to include (or not) these fields
when you print. Prayer coordinators often use these fields as a teaching tool to
offer suggestions under each area.
Click on each text field to see all of the text in that field.
Add New
button: Click here to add/change a prayer request (see Figure 6). A blank entry
is added to the master list if you access this page without adding data. You
can edit prayer requests on this page or from the master list (see Figure 10).
Import
button: Allows you to import .tab data files. All import files are located in
the Import Files folder. (See Figure 12 or the Quick Start Guide at the
beginning of this chapter for specific import directions.) The import help page
is located on the prayer page in the help pages.
Preferences
button: Click here to go to the preferences page and change the beginning day
of the week. You may prefer to distribute prayer lists from Thursday to Wednesday, or Monday to Sunday (see Figure
11).
Print Blank: NEW! Allows you to print a blank template for weekly
prayer.
Export
button: Allows you to back-up your data, send requests to other PrayTimer
users, to Outlook, Lotus Notes, or other
calendar programs. Under this tab, the week you have selected will be exported.
(See Figure 13 for specific export directions. See Figure 13b for specific
instructions to export to Microsoft Outlook. See figure
15 for instructions to export into Lotus).
The export help pages are located on the prayer page when you click on the
question mark.
Prioritize: Allows you to manually arrange or sort the prayer
requests.
Print
button: Allows you to print the weekly page in the chosen format. You can go to
preferences to choose to print with or without the ACTS fields (or whatever you customized those fields to read). You
can add a customized header and logo from the preferences page.
8.5 x 11
portrait button: Allows you to choose from six print styles. In version 1.1
each print option expands so you can see all of the prayer requests when you
print. If you use a calendar binder, you have several options to fit your
calendar binder style. Landscape means the calendar will print long ways on the
paper. When the amount of text exceeds the size of the daily field, click on
the field to see all text.
Question
mark: Allows you to open the help file screens beginning
at that page. Exit the help screen files by clicking on the "Go
back to weekly prayer plan" button at the bottom left of the help page.
Figure 5:
Monthly Prayer View
This page
provides a monthly template to help manage the number of daily requests. Click on any calendar day to see that day’s text on the expanded
right hand view. Click on any box to see the full text.
Print
button: Allows you to print the monthly page in the chosen format. You can
choose to print with the ACTS acrostic fields or
without them. You can customize the ACTS titles on the
preferences page.
8.5 x 11
portrait button: Allows you to choose from six print styles. If you use a
calendar binder, you have several options to fit your calendar binder style.
Landscape means the calendar will print long ways on the paper. There are
options for a 3 x 5 card and for a prayer list without the calendar templates.
The prayer list report is your best option to show all text in each field.
Click on
the arrows or date fields to change dates up to 2010.
Question
mark: Allows you to open the help file screens beginning
at that page. Exit the help screen files by clicking on the "Go
back to monthly prayer plan" button at the bottom left of the help page.
Figure 6:
Add, Update, or Delete a Prayer Request (Prayer Detail) Page (same as the
"Add New" button)
Use this
page to add individual and corporate prayer requests.
Subject
and Reason boxes: Optional fields to help you categorize the prayer request.
Modify the field by double-clicking in the box.
You may want to limit these fields to a few generic areas. Otherwise that list
can become difficult to manage. The pull down menu
remembers each field you enter.
Source:
Describes where the prayer originated. It identifies the import file or the
name entered in the preferences field. You can change the source name you use
from the preferences page.
Prayer:
Enter the prayer request. The field will allow an unlimited amount of text but
you probably want to keep these to three lines for easy printing and
distribution.
Answer:
Enter how the request is answered. The answer is
displayed on the master list too.
Answer
date: Allows you to include the date this prayer was answered.
Calendar
dates scheduled for this Prayer: Shows how often and when each prayer request
is scheduled. (This is changed by using the "Set Calendar Schedule"
button.)
Private
button: Locks the request so it cannot be sent, mailed, or printed. Locked
prayers will be listed as "Private Prayer" in the correct date
fields. Please be sensitive to the confidential nature
of many prayer requests.
Public
button: Allows you to determine whether each prayer is for public sharing.
Question
mark: Allows you to open the help file screens. Exit the help screen files by
clicking on the "Go back to prayer detail view" button at the bottom
left of the help page. Click on the "More" button to see more help
files including the export and import instructions.
Search
Button: Helps you locate a prayer request. See Figure 7 for detailed search
help.
Prayer
Navigation: Allows navigation through the entire master prayer list.
Print
button: Allows you to print prayer requests in the
chosen format.
Add New
button: Add/change prayer requests. Each request is automatically saved to the
master list. In fact, a blank file is saved to the master list if you click on
that button and do not add data.
Duplicate
button: Allows you to duplicate this screen so you can change part of the data
or so you can import, export, or add to calendar.
Delete
button: Allows you to permanently remove the active prayer request.
Undo Delete: NEW! Allows you to undelete a file or list of files.
Preferences
button: Allows you to set your identity, password,
print headers, and change ACTS acrostic titles, set back up schedules, and
other preferences (see Figure 11).
Import
button: Allows you to import .tab data files (see Figure 12 or the Quick Start
Guide for specific import directions). Import instructions are found on the
help files for this page.
Export
button: Allows you to send requests to other PrayTimer users, Outlook, Lotus Notes, or other
calendar programs. (See Figures 13-15 for
specific export directions.) Export instructions are found on the help files
for this page (click on the question mark).
Email
button: Allows you to e-mail a single prayer request or multiple requests. See
Figure 8 for detailed instructions.
Set
Calendar Schedule button: See Figure 9 for complete instructions on scheduling
prayer requests.
Figure 7.
Add, Update, or Delete a Prayer Request Screen (Search feature)
Search
button: Helps you find a prayer request. Click the Search button. A 'blank'
prayer request screen will be displayed. Records can be filtered based on any
one or several of the fields displayed, including the date or time they are
scheduled. To select records for a particular month, complete the screen as
shown in Figure 7 by typing 3/1/2005 . . .
3/31/2005 in the calendar date field. Click the
Search button. In this example, only the prayers scheduled for the month of
March are available. You will only see the first of the found prayers. Notice
the complete found list is available in the Prayer Navigation area (top right
under logo). Click on the Export button. Click PrayTimer. Click OK.
The
Figure 7a dialog box will appear. Use the Save In: box to choose the directory
where you wish to store the file. Type the desired file name in the File name:
box. Click Save.
!
NOTE: The file has been saved as a
tab-delimited text file. This file can be sent to other people to import into
PrayTimer or any other program they have that will import tab-delimited files.
Figure
7b. Advanced Search Feature
1. Click
on Search. A 'blank' prayer request screen will be displayed. Records can be
filtered based on any one or several of the fields displayed. In this example,
select prayers with a Source of June Global PrayerGram. To select two different
sources in one criteria, this entails setting up two search screens (One for
June Global PrayerGram and one for a different source).
2. In the
Source drop down box, select 'June Global PrayerGram' as shown in Figure 7b.
3. Click
Add New.
4. A
second blank Prayer Detail screen will appear. In the source drop down box,
select another source.
5. Click
Search.
6. The
prayers with a source 'June Global PrayerGram' or other source are the ones
available. Scrolling through the records will only display the records that
matched the criteria.
!
NOTE: Click on Master List and, once
again, only those prayers that match the criteria will be displayed. You can
now review the list.
! To
remove the filter, click the Search button twice.
! Once
the prayers have been selected under the Add-Remove Prayers tab, they become
the 'current found set'. To export those prayers to a PrayTimer file, click the
Export button. Select Export/PrayTimer. The only prayers that are exported will
be the ones selected in the search.
Figure 8.
E-mail button: Allows you to e-mail a single request or a found set of files to
other people. Click on the E-mail button and Figure 8 appears. Choose between
sending the list of prayers in the found set on the Master list or just the
current request.
If Figure
8a appears, the Profile Name box should default to the current e-mail program
being used. If it does not, e-mail may not be set up properly on the computer.
Select New to set up an e-mail account or click Cancel and check the email
program that is available. Click OK.
The
prayer request(s) will be displayed in an e-mail message similar to Figure 8b.
This screen allows you to enter the e-mail addresses. You also can change the
subject heading from the default or add text in the message area. Click on Send
when you are ready to mail it.
Figure 9:
Schedule How Often and When to Pray Page
Use this
page to schedule how often and when you wish to include each prayer request on
your calendar.
Selected
Prayer: You can edit the selected prayer request in this box.
Subject:
Optional fields to help you categorize the prayer request. You can add
additional requests as needed. You may want to limit the subjects to a few
generic ones or that list becomes difficult to manage. This is the same list as
the prayer detail page.
Reason:
Optional field to help you categorize requests. IMPORTANT: You can edit and add
whatever reason fields you wish to include. You probably want to limit these to
a few generic ones or that file becomes difficult to manage. The pull-down menus remember any text you have entered.
You can delete entries in the reason field on the master list.
Source:
Describes where the prayer originated. It identifies the import file or the
name entered in the preferences field. You can edit your name on the
preferences page (see Figure 11).
Prayer:
Enter the prayer request.
Scheduled
Occurrences for this Prayer: Shows how often and when each prayer request is
currently scheduled. Notice how it adds the information when you "Setup
your scheduling options" below. If this field is blank, this prayer
request is not scheduled to show up on any dated prayer lists. Be sure to use
this option to confirm dates scheduled before exporting or e-mailing to others.
Setup
your scheduling options box:
• Between
Date and Date: Set the date you want to begin and end praying for this request.
The default beginning is the current computer date and the default ending date
is the end of the current year.
•
Schedule this prayer: Determine if you want to pray for this request once,
daily, once or more per week, once or more per month, or yearly. Notice that
you can check the schedule in the Scheduled Occurrences box above.
• Time:
The time applies when exporting to another calendar program.
Add to
Calendar: Be sure to click here to add this request to the calendars. Prayer
requests will then be added to your calendar in accordance with the date and
frequency instructions you have given. Check the "Scheduled Occurrences
for this Prayer" box to confirm the schedule for each prayer request. The
red border around "Add to Calendar" is permanent and does not change
after adding the file to the calendar.
If you
click on the "Add to Calendar" button and receive Figure 9a, you have
already added this request. Clicking on "Replace" allows you to
change the current request. Clicking on "Add" indicates you want to
duplicate the request. You can delete an entire import by going to the master
list.
Done:
Click to return to the prayer summary page. Be sure to click on the "Add
to calendar" button first if you want to save this data.
If you are online, you can click on the link to
www.praytimer.org/downloads to access that live web page.
Figure
10: Master Prayer Request List
This page
lists all prayer requests separate from the calendars.
Click in
any field to see the entire prayer request.
Mark
Found button: Allows you to add a check mark to all prayer request boxes in
this list. Check the record indicator to confirm the number of files marked.
Un-mark
button: Allows you to remove the check mark from all prayer request boxes in
this list.
Search
button: Allows you to search existing prayer requests. Use this feature to
find, mark, and delete the former months and quarters of prayer requests.
Otherwise you will acquire a very large database on your hard drive. Click on
the "Search" button. Click on the field you want to search (subject,
reason, source, etc.) Key in the text you wish to find. Click on the
"Search" button again. This search feature differs from the
instructions given in Figure 7.
Find
Marked button: Allows you to sort the marked boxes to the top of the list.
Show All
button: Allows you to show all prayer requests in the master list, canceling
the find marked list.
Print
button: Allows you to print all marked entries.
Lock All
button: Allows you to lock private prayers to ensure these are not exported or
mailed. Locked prayers will be listed as "Private Prayer" in the
correct date fields.
Unlock
All button: Allows you to unlock private prayers for export or sending.
Add New
button: To add/change prayer requests. Those requests are automatically saved
to the master list. In fact, a blank file is saved to the master list if you
click on that button and do not add data (see Figure 6).
Delete
List button: Allows you to click on multiple files and delete them
simultaneously. Caution: This button will delete the entire master list (marked
or unmarked) if no other set of files is found. Be sure to click on the
"Un-mark" button before marking the files you wish to delete. You may
want to double check the marked files for deletion by clicking on the
"Show All" button. The program remembers the file you just downloaded
as a set of files. You can delete that download if it is a duplication or if you
changed your mind. Use the search function to locate a large number of files
for deletion without having to click on these individually.
Import
button: Allows you to import .tab and .txt data files. All import files are
located in the Import Files folder. (See Figure 12 or the Quick Start Guide for
specific import directions). Import directions are also on the help pages under
the "Add New" page.
Export
button: Allows you to send requests to other PrayTimer users, Outlook, or other
calendar programs. (See Figure 13 for specific export directions. See Figure
13b for specific instructions to export into Microsoft Outlook.)
Prioritize: Allows you to rearrange and sort your prayer requests.
Undo delete: Allows you to undelete a file or list of files.
Record area:
(at the top right) Allows you to navigate through the master list. You may sort
the records by column.
Mark
column (boxes): Check these boxes to choose a prayer request to view, change,
export, e-mail, or print.
Subject
column: Presents the subject you typed in or imported for the prayer request.
The color-coded subject area helps you balance prayer requests for unbelievers
(red), believers (green), and personal spiritual needs (blue).
Prayer
column: Abbreviates each prayer request. Click on the field to see the complete
prayer request.
Reason
column: Why you typed in or imported the prayer request. This field can be
modified.
Answer
column: Click in the answer column of the request to type how the prayer is
answered. (Be sure to include the date answered.)
Source
column: Shows where this request came from, including imported files.
Red Dash:
Clicking on the red dash allows you to delete a prayer request. There is no
undo. You probably will want to delete earlier prayer lists to keep from
creating a large database on your hard drive.
Blue
Arrow: (on the left of each request). Clicking on the arrow takes you to a
screen that allows you to edit and determine if the chosen prayer request is to
be scheduled once, every day, once a week, once a month, or once a year. Set
the date to begin and end each prayer request.
Status
Bar (to the left of the screen): Allows you to navigate between pages of the
master list.
Question
mark: Allows you to open the help file screens. Exit the help screen files by
clicking on the "Go back to prayer list view" button at the bottom
left of the help page.
Figure
11: Preferences Page
This page
allows you to set preferences for the PrayTimer software.
My Name:
This name is used to identify the source of the new prayers that you add to
PrayTimer and that you share (export) to others. You may want to use your
church or class name here.
Privacy:
Allows you to 1) set all new prayers to default as private, meaning that they
will not be included in any exported or mailed lists. Locked prayers will be
listed as "Private Prayers" in the correct date fields. 2) Set all
new prayers to default as public, meaning the entire text can be viewed,
exported, and mailed. Please be careful to honor the
confidential nature of many prayer requests.
Change
Privacy Code: Allows you to change your privacy code. Write down your privacy
code so you do not forget it. The code is case sensitive (capital letters or
lowercase letters must always be capital or lowercase as you originally
entered). Customer support cannot help if you lose your privacy code.
Default
Prayer Time: You may include a default time to include on your prayer request
when exported to Outlook.
Logo:
Allows you to change the logo on the PrayTimer pages. Click on the red
"X" to delete this logo. Click on the green "plus" sign to
add a new logo from clip art or notepad.
First Day
of Week: Allows you to change the first day of the week for your calendars.
(For example, you may prefer Thursday if you distribute the request lists on
Wednesday night.) Press the "Update Calendars" button to change the
calendars to the day of the week you have chosen.
Printing:
Allows you to choose 1) To include the information you key into the ACTS fields
when printing calendars or lists, or 2) To NOT include the information from the
ACTS fields on the printed calendars or lists. 3) This
choice applies to information using any new titles you create in the next step.
NEW! Customize the ACTS acrostic. There are many acrostics/ outlines
to help remind people to pray. Users can now change any of the titles to better
reflect how you are led to pray. Double-click on the field you wish to change.
Key in the text you wish to use. You may key in as much text as you wish but
only first 10-12 characters will show in the field. Click on the field to see
the entire text. Click on done. The original ACTS acrostic remains in a pull
down menu if you wish return to the default words.
Calendar
Headers: Allows you to customize the headers of each printed calendar or list.
Key in the header you wish to include for each of the calendar templates.
NEW! Back up Frequency: An automatic back up file saves data when
you exit PrayTimer. This can take several minutes depending on the number of
files and activity. You can choose the frequency to back up these files. You
can choose any frequency schedule from every day to every 30 days. It is not
recommended to back up less frequently than every 30 days.
Next Scheduled Back up: Provides the date currently scheduled for
your next back. (Access to these back up files requires help from PrayTimer
customer service, praytimer@namb.net).
Question
Mark: Takes you to the help files for this page. Exit the help screen page by
clicking on the "Go back to preferences dialog" button at the bottom
left of the help page.
Figure
12: Import Screen
This page
explains how to import a .tab or .txt file. Import instructions also can be
found under the help pages on the Prayer page. To find those directions, click
on the Prayer tab. Then click on the question mark in the lower left of the
screen. Click on the "more" button until you come to import
instructions.
Clicking
on the "Import" button brings you to this screen (see Figure 12).
PrayTimer allows you to import tab and text-delimited files.
Navigate
to the Import Files folder in the PrayTimer Program files. The Import Files
folder includes several files for your use (see Figure 12a). Updated files and additional options can be downloaded from
www.praytimer.org.downloads 1) The 31dayprayermap.tab files (for 2003 and 2004) provide a daily list of secular
political leaders and Southern Baptist denominational leaders for each North
American state and province. Governors, as well as local and national
denominational leaders are listed by name. The files also include the name of a
focus country from the "10/40 window" that has been identified for
corporate daily intercession. 2) The Bibleinayear.tab files (for 2003, 2204 and 2005) provide daily verses to help you
read through the Bible in a year. 3) The NAMB and IMB PrayerGrams offer a
sample of the monthly missionary prayer list that is available each month at
www.praytimer.org/downloads. 4) The IMB and NAMB missionary files provide
quarterly lists of missionaries on their birthdays. These specific requests
from the field help you to pray for each listed missionary request. It provides
an example of what can be created for other denominations, agencies, and
congregations. To import a database, double-click on the file. Then click on
the Import button. Visit the downloads page to create a
customized file of NAMB missionaries by location, name, or category of service.
This is a new feature to help believers to pray for missionaries they know or
serve in their area of interest or geographical region.
Figure
12a: Navigate to the .tab or .txt file you wish to import and double click on
the file. PrayTimer will import the list into the master prayer list.
(See
Figure 6 for instructions to create your own customized database by using the
"Add New" screen.)
Figure
12b: The program will then give you the option of importing each prayer request
on the calendar so that each prayer request will appear on the scheduled day's
prayer list. You probably want to say yes. If you choose "no" the
files will be imported into the master list but not added to your calendars.
!
NOTE: Once the prayers have been
imported, check them for accuracy by clicking on the Master List tab. At this
time, the prayers just imported are the only prayers available. If they are
incorrect, select Mark Found / Delete List / OK. This will delete the prayers
that were imported incorrectly.
See
Figure 14 to import into Microsoft Outlook.
Figure
13: Export Screen
This page
explains how to export a file. Export instructions also can be found under the
help pages on the Prayer page. Click on the Prayer tab. Then click on the
question mark in the lower left of the screen. Click on the "More"
button until you come to the export instructions.
1.
Clicking on export in each page will default to exporting the files highlighted
on that page.
2. To
create a customized export file, Click on the "Master List" button to
take you to the master prayer list (see Figure 10).
3. Click
in the box beside each request you wish to export. (Create additional requests
by clicking on the "Add New" button.)
4. Click
on the "Find Marked" button.
5. Click
on the "Export" button, create the file name, and save the file.
Remember
where you save the file.
See
Figure 8 for instructions how to e-mail that file to your sponsor congregations,
friends, class, or anyone you wish to add this file to any PrayTimer editions.
Use the export option to create back-up files periodically for your prayer
requests.
Figure
13a. When you click on the "Export" button you are given this screen.
It allows you to choose to export a file(s) into your Microsoft Outlook
calendar program and from there to your PDA or Palm
computers.
Figure
13b. Exporting Prayers to Outlook. When you
click on Outlook you are brought to this screen. It allows you to determine which
files you wish to export into Outlook.
1.
To search
for a particular set of records, enter criteria in one of the 6 fields
available (Subject, Reason, Source, Prayer, Date or Time).
2.
For
example, click in the Source box and
select a source from the list.
3.
Click Perform Find.
4.
A file
named PTExport.csv has been created
in the PrayTimer directory.
!NOTE: Once the steps above are completed, follow
the directions on Importing PrayTimer Prayer Requests into Microsoft Outlook
(see Figure 14).
Figure 14: Importing PrayTimer Prayer Requests into Microsoft
Outlook.
1.
Export the
Prayer Requests from PrayTimer using the Outlook
option.
2.
Open Microsoft Outlook.
3.
From the menu bar, select File
/ Import and Export…
4.
A dialog box will appear (see Figure 14):
5.
Select Import from another
program or file.
6.
Click Next.
7.
A dialog box will appear (see Figure 14a).
8.
Select Comma Separated Values
(Windows). If necessary, scroll down until it appears in the window.
9.
Click Next.
10.
A dialog box will appear (see Figure 14b).
11.
Choose the desired Option (Replace duplicate records, Allow
duplicates or Do not import duplicate records).
12.
To locate the appropriate Directory, click the Browse button.
13.
A dialog box will appear (see Figure 14c):
14.
In the Look In: box,
select the PrayTimer Folder. The file
to select is PTExport.csv. Click once on it to highlight it and then
double click on it. (It will then
appear in the File Name box) and then click OK.
15.
Click Next on the wizard
dialog box.
16.
A dialog box will appear (see Figure 14d):
17.
Select Calendar and click
Next.
18.
A dialog box will appear see Figure 14e):. Click on Map Custom Fields
if this window doesn’t appear automatically, after clicking in the checkbox.
19.
Click inside the checkbox: A dialog box will appear see Figure 14f):.
IMPORTANT NOTE: The date field MUST be displayed with four
digits for the year. If it is displayed
with two digits, it is necessary to change the date format to four digits by
canceling this process and exiting out of Outlook. To do so, click on Cancel
to exit the Import Wizard and close Outlook.
Click on the Start Button /
Settings / Control Panel / Regional Settings / Date tab. Select M/DD/YYYY as the desired format. Click Apply. Go back to step #1 and repeat the process
from the beginning.
20.
Click and drag the first field shown on the left side to the Subject field on the right side. Click and drag the second field on the left
over to the Start Date field on the
right. (It’s necessary for the date to display with four digits. It will not import properly if formatted otherwise. See important note below for further
instructions).
The third line will display the time if it was entered in PrayTimer. Map that field to Start Time. (see Figure
14g)
Finally, drag the prayer request itself over to the Description
field. (It will be necessary to scroll
down until Description appears in the screen of Figure 14h)
21. Click OK.
22. Click Finish.
Figure 15. Export to Lotus Notes. Click on the export button. Choose
Lotus notes. Follow the onscreen process.
Figure 16. Import into Lotus Notes Calendar. Follow the import
process in Lotus Notes Help.
Technical Support: Technical support is available
free for the first six months to registered purchasers of the PrayTimer
software. Visit www.praytimer.org/register to register. Registered users can
e-mail praytimer@namb.net or call 1 888 749-7479 in the afternoons, Eastern
time. This is a free call to you for the first six months that you own the
software, but we pay for each minute. Please help us be good stewards of this
line.
Conclusion
The
technology can be helpful as a means and not an end in itself. Please use it to
maximize your personal prayer time and see what the Lord will do.
"Now
to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the
presence of His glory blameless with great joy, to the only God our Savior,
through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority,
before all time and now and forever. Amen " (Jude 1:24-25).
A lot of
kneeling will keep you in good standing