The Detailed Posting page enables you to post contributions into ParishSOFT Offering individually or in batches. This topic describes the features on this page.
Overview of the Detailed Posting Page
ParishSOFT Offering provides two methods for entering contributions into the system: Detailed Posting and Quick Entry Posting. While both methods require you to enter contribution details into a data entry form, the Detailed Posting method, as the name implies, uses a more detailed form with considerably more options,filters, and input fields for recording contribution details.
The Detailed Posting page gives you the option of posting payments and contributions individually or in a batch. We recommend using batches to post all contributions and credits and to correct entries because they provide easy access to specific information about payments and contributions and offer easier reconciliation after posting. Using batches is also considered a best handling practice. They provide greater transparency and better safeguarding of your church finances because they provide audit trails on all cash movement. Batch processing is also recommended if you plan to export ParishSOFT contributions into QuickBooks.
Before posting contributions, read the related topic Guidelines for Using the Detailed Posting Process to Post Contributions, which provides some tips to make the process more efficient.
The illustration below identifies the main elements on the Detailed Posting page. Place your mouse pointer over a hyperlink (without clicking) to view a general description of the element. Click the link to jump to the section on this page to read more detailed information.
To access the Detailed Posting page, you must have Add/Edit permissions to the Offering module. Contact your administrator for assistance if you need access to the page. In addition, the batches available for selection on this page are associated with specific funds. Therefore, you see only those batches associated with the funds you have permission to access.
The organization associated with your ParishSOFT login credentials automatically appears in the Organization list, which is located in the upper-right corner of the Contribution Posting page. If you manage several organizations, select the organization from the list whose pledges you want to work with. The page reloads, and the Pledge list shows you the pledges associated with the funds in the organization you selected.
Pledges are made to specific funds. Therefore, the pledges you see are only those associated with the funds you have permission to access.
The Batch Information section summarizes information in the batch currently selected from the Batch list in the Default Posting Data section:
● Cash:
Total: total dollar amount of cash that was specified for the batch when the batch was created. The system uses this total to verify the accuracy of cash entries into the batch.
Balance: cash amount remaining (equals the total cash amount specified in the batch when it was created minus the total cash amounts of transactions already entered into the batch). Each transaction entered is an offsetting entry so that after all transactions are entered, this value is zero.
● Pledges:
Total: total dollar amount of pledges specified for the batch when the batch was created.
Balance: dollar amount of pledges remaining (equals the total pledge amount specified in the batch minus the total pledge amounts of transactions already entered into the batch). Each transaction entered is an offsetting entry so that after all transactions are entered, this value is zero.
● Transactions:
Total: total number of entries specified for the batch when the batch was created.
Balance: total number of transactions remaining.
The filters in this section let you filter the contribution records. Applying these filters can speed data entry because they enable you to narrow down the list so that you are able to work with a select group of families.
● Family Registration Status: select an option to search for contribution records having that specific registration status only. To ensure that you are working with all families, select Both.
● Family Group: select an option to search for contribution records having that family group membership only. To ensure that you are working with all family groups, select All Groups.
In the Default Posting Data section, you can define default values for the contribution data you plan to enter. You can speed data entry by sorting your contributions in stacks by batch, fund, and payment type and then setting the default posting data filters to match a stack of contributions that you plan to enter sequentially. Your selections remain in effect until you change them to match the next stack.
The system "remembers" your Default Posting Data selections. That is, when you leave the Contribution Posting page and return to it either during the same login session or a subsequent login session, the defaults you selected are still loaded in to the filters.
● Batch: select the batch that contains the contribution. If the contribution is not part of a batch, select NONE.
To help you choose
the right batch, the batch ID appears in parentheses after the name of
the batch.
● Fund: select the fund receiving the contribution.
● Payment Type: select the payment method used for the contribution.
Sorting your contributions into groups by family and by member, and then posting them by group into the system can help speed the data entry process. In the Posting Options section, you can configure your data entry preferences to match how you organized your contributions (by family or by group) for data entry and also indicate how you want to enter them (for example, by envelope number).
Two types of options are available: Input For and Input By. Selecting these options can greatly improve system performance. When looking up records of contributors, the system searches your database based on the posting options you specify. Two posting options are available:
● Input For:
Family: select this option if the stack of contributions you are posting is grouped by family.
Member: select this option if the stack of contributions you are posting is grouped by member.
● Input By:
The option you select is
associated with the Post To field.
So, for example, if you select Envelope
Number as the means by which the system searches for records, the
Post To field accepts envelope number
entries.
Name: select this option to search for records by the family's or member's name.
Envelope Number: select this option to search for records by the family's or member's envelope number.
ID: select this option to search for records by the family or member's ID.
The Posting section is where you enter information about the contribution you are posting:
In
supported browsers, you can use the Tab
key or the Enter key to advance
the cursor from one entry field to the next.
● Posting Date: the date the contribution was received.
When you specify
a date range for contribution statements, the system uses the posting
date to determine what information to include in the statements.
● Pledge: if the contribution is in pledge form, select the pledge the contribution is associated with from the list.
● Post To: this search field is associated with the option selected from the Input By dropdown list in the Posting Options section. For example, if Input By is set to Name, type the first few letters of the name of the donor you are searching for in this field. If Input By is set to Envelope Number, type the envelope number of the giver you are searching for in this field.
● ID: Family DUID of the selected donor.
● Env #: giver's envelope number.
● Amount: dollar amount of the contribution.
● Check Number: check number if the payment was made by check.
● Memo: this field lets you record notes related to the transaction you are posting.
An information-only area that shows you the selected giver's address and other personal information. Use this information to verify that you are working with the correct donor.
Click this link to open a new tab in your web browser. The tab shows the contribution history for the family or member whose name is shown in the Post to Preview section.
This is an information-only field that shows you the date, name of the donor, envelope number, and amount of the last contribution posted. The field provides a useful point of reference during data entry especially when you are posting a large volume of contributions.
If
no envelope number is available, the Env#
field is blank.
.png)
saves
and posts the contribution.
deletes
(resets to blank) the text entry fields in the Posting
section.
Guidelines for Using the Detailed Posting Process to Post Contributions
How to Post Anonymous and Loose Cash Contributions
How to Post One Payment to Multiple Funds (Split Donation)
How to Post a Non-Cash (Soft Gifts) Contribution
How to Post a Matching Gift Contribution
How to Post Contributions and Offerings by Batch
How to Post Individual (Non-Batch) Contributions and Offerings
How to Post Payments to a Pledge by Batch
How to Post Individual (Non-Batch) Payments to a Pledge
How to Process a Check Returned for Non-sufficient Funds
How to Correct an Incorrect Posting in an Open Batch or No Batch
About the Contribution List Page