Frequently Asked Questions

About Steward

What is First7 Steward?

First7 Steward is a simple financial stewardship tool designed to help individuals and ministries record, organize, and review their financial transactions.

Steward is intentionally focused. It is designed to make everyday financial record-keeping clear without becoming a large or complicated accounting system.

Who is Steward for?

Steward can be used by a ministry, small organization, or individual who wants a simple way to keep financial records.

The current version is especially suited to users who want local, straightforward financial record-keeping rather than a full accounting platform.

Do I need to create an account?

No. The current version of Steward does not require an account.

Does Steward connect to my bank?

No. Steward does not currently connect to bank accounts or automatically import bank transactions.

Does Steward move or hold money?

No. Steward records financial information. It does not hold money, process payments, transfer funds, or act as a bank.

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Your Data & Privacy

Where is my financial data stored?

The current version of Steward stores your financial data locally in your web browser using browser storage.

Your transaction records are associated with the Steward installation in the browser you are using.

Can First7 see my financial records?

Steward is designed as a local-first application. The current version does not require a cloud database for your financial records.

Does Steward send my financial records to a server?

The current version does not require a server or cloud database to store your financial ledger.

This means Steward can operate without sending your transaction records to a central financial database.

Does Steward use my financial information for advertising?

No. Steward is not designed to sell or use your financial records for advertising.

What happens if I clear my browser data?

Because Steward stores its working data locally in your browser, clearing the browser’s site data can remove your local Steward records.

This is why maintaining a backup is important.

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Transactions & History

Can I correct a transaction?

Yes. Steward provides transaction management so that recorded information can be corrected when appropriate.

Why does Steward use voiding instead of simply deleting transactions?

Financial history should remain understandable.

When a transaction is no longer valid, Steward can mark it as voided while preserving the original record and the reason for voiding.

This helps prevent accidental loss of financial history.

Can I see voided transactions?

Yes. Steward’s transaction history can distinguish between active and voided transactions.

Can I search my transactions?

Yes. The current transaction history supports searching and filtering so that recorded transactions can be reviewed more easily.

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Backup & Restore

How do I back up my Steward data?

Use Steward’s Data area and choose Export Backup.

Steward creates a backup file containing the application’s stored financial data.

What is a .steward backup file?

A .steward file is Steward’s complete backup format.

It is intended for restoring, moving, migrating, or preserving your Steward data.

Can I move my Steward data to another computer?

Yes. Export a Steward backup from the original browser, then use Import Backup on the other computer.

The backup must pass Steward’s validation before it can be restored.

What happens if a backup file is damaged or invalid?

Steward validates the backup before restoring it.

An invalid backup is rejected rather than partially imported.

Does restoring a backup replace my current data?

Yes.

Restoring a backup replaces the current local Steward dataset with the validated backup.

For that reason, make sure you have a current backup of your existing data before restoring another backup.

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Practical Questions

Does Steward require an internet connection?

The current Steward application is designed around local data storage, but the web application itself is delivered through the browser.

Once loaded, many of Steward’s core data operations do not require a cloud financial database.

Can I use Steward for my ministry?

Yes. Steward is designed with ministry financial stewardship in mind and can also be used for simple personal or small-organization record-keeping.

Is Steward full accounting software?

No.

Steward is intentionally simpler than a full accounting system. It currently focuses on clear transaction recording, history, data management, and backup and restore.

More advanced financial capabilities may be added over time.

Is Steward financial advice?

No.

Steward is a record-keeping tool. It does not provide financial, tax, investment, or legal advice.

You are responsible for determining how your financial records should be maintained and used.

Is Steward free?

The current public beta is intended to be available free of charge.

Is Steward finished?

Steward is under active development.

The current version provides the foundation for local financial record-keeping, transaction history, validation, and backup and restore. Additional capabilities may be added as the project develops.

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Please Back Up Your Data

Steward is designed to keep your financial records under your control in your browser.

That also means you are responsible for keeping a backup of important financial records.

We recommend exporting a Steward backup regularly and keeping an additional copy somewhere safe.

A backup can help protect your records if you clear browser data, change computers, or need to restore your Steward data later.