How to Enter Contributions or Pledge Payments into a Quick Entry Batch

After you set up a batch entry form for a quick entry batch, you can enter contributions or pledge payments into the batch. This topic shows you how.

Things to Keep in Mind While Entering Contributions

Entering Contributions

Things to Keep in Mind While Entering Contributions

Here are a few things to keep in mind while entering contributions into a batch.

●       For any line item, you can change the default values for posting data. To do this, click to open the Default Posting Data for Line Item window. Select the desired values from the dropdown lists. Save your changes to apply them to that line item only.

●       To delete a line item from the batch entry form, click .

●       To advance to the next field or to next line item in the batch entry form, you can either press the Tab key or the Enter key.

●       If you set up the form to include both the Env # and Last Name as lookup fields, during data entry the system automatically skips the second lookup field and places the cursor in the Amount field if you enter a value in the first lookup field. To force the system not to skip the second lookup field, on your keyboard press Shift + Tab.

●       The system automatically saves your work after you enter a line item. You can always see when the system last saved your work by looking at the timestamp in the top-right corner of the batch entry form.

●       You can exit the form at any time. To do this, click X in the top-right corner or click at the bottom. The system saves your work before closing. You can return to the batch later to continue working.

Entering Contributions

The following instructions assume that the quick-entry batch is created and set up. If you need to create a quick-entry batch, go to How to Create a Quick-Entry Batch. If you need to set up the batch, go to How to Set Up a Batch for Quick Entry Posting.

1. Select the desired organization from the Organization dropdown list.
2. Click . From the dropdown menu, select the Quick Entry Posting option to display the Quick Entry Posting page.

The Posting dropdown menu is available only if you have Add/Edit permissions in the Offering module. Contact your administrator for assistance.

The Quick Entry Posting page is displayed. The grid shows open quick-entry batches only. For example:

3. Select the desired batch. Then, click .

The system does the following:

• If other users are working in the batch, a message is displayed to inform you that you do not have exclusive use of the batch.

CAUTION

The quick entry posting process allows multiple users to work simultaneously in a batch. Be aware that users do not see one another’s changes to a batch that affect such elements as the transaction count and the batch balance.

• If no other users are working in the batch, a Welcome window opens to inform you that the system automatically saves your data as you work so you do not need to be concerned about losing data if you are interrupted or leave the page.

4. Do one of the following:

• If you received a notification that other users are working in the batch, click to exit the informational message.
• If the Welcome window is displayed, click the desired link to hide the tip and close the window. The Quick Entry Contribution Posting page is displayed. You are now viewing the entry form for the batch you selected. Here’s an example of the form

5. Enter a contribution into the form. Do the following:

1. Search for the giver. To do this, click inside the lookup field for the contribution entry. Type a value in the field.

For example, if in the setup you selected the envelope number as the lookup field, type the family or member’s envelope number in the Env # field.

2. Press the Tab or Enter key to advance to the Amount field. Type the amount of the contribution, and then press the Tab or Enter key.

The system validates the information you entered.

• If your lookup field entry matches a record in the database, the system displays the giver’s name and address in green text and this checkmark in the Status column: .
• If your lookup field entry does not match a record in the database, the system displays a message in red text and this icon to alert you to the error: .

3. If you added additional fields to the batch entry form in the setup, tab to each of those fields and type the required information.
4. When done, press the Tab or Enter key to advance to the next line item.

The system saves the contribution you just entered and does the following:

• Updates the Status column for the contribution to show the name and address of the giver matching the value you entered in the lookup field.

The system validates the value in the lookup field. If no matching giver is found, an error message is displayed. You can correct the mistake immediately or wait until you finish entering all contributions into the batch.

The name link shows the giver’s name and street name and number only. To view city and state details, position your mouse (without clicking) on top of the link. Complete address details appear in a small pop-up window.

• Updates the Balance field in the Batch Information section by subtracting the contribution amount from the previous balance amount.
• Increments the count in the Transaction field in the Balance Information section to show the number of transactions currently entered into the batch. Tabulates the transaction counts in these categories: Valid/Invalid and Family/Member.
• Displays this icon next to the giver’s name if it applied the contribution to an existing pledge: .

5. (Optional) If the system applied the contribution you just entered to an existing pledge, place your mouse pointer—without clicking—to view the pledge details, as shown in this illustration:

Then, do one of the following:

• If you want the contribution applied to the displayed pledge, press the Tab key to advance to the next line item. Then, go to Step 6.

If the fund receiving the contribution is set up to require pledges, the system will post the contribution and automatically adjust the pledge balance if the contribution results in an overpayment.

• If you do not want to apply the contribution to the displayed pledge, click . Press the Tab key to advance to the next line item.  Then, go to Step 6.
• If you want to apply the contribution to a different pledge, click . Select the desired pledge from the displayed list. Press the Tab key to advance to the next line item. Then, go to Step 6.

If the fund receiving the contribution is set up to require pledges, the system will post the contribution and automatically adjust the pledge balance if the contribution results in an overpayment.

6. Repeat Steps 5a – 5e for each contribution you want to enter into the form.

At the bottom of the batch entry form, the system displays one of the following messages:

You have errors you must correct before you can Commit.

You have completed the batch. Click here to Commit.

7. Depending on the system message displayed in Step 6, do the following:

• If the system discovered errors, you must fix them before proceeding. You cannot commit a batch if it contains errors or if it is not in balance. For help with resolving errors, go to How to Fix Errors in a Quick Entry Batch.
• If the system discovers no errors, you can proceed to commit the batch. Committing the batch moves the contributions in the batch from a temporary holding area and saves them to your database.
• Before committing the batch, you may want to review or have someone else review the transactions to ensure they are correct. You can review the transactions directly from the batch entry form. However, if you prefer a hardcopy, you can create a Quick Entry Batch report and you or someone else can compare the contents of the report with the transactions listed in the batch entry form. For instructions on creating this report, go to How to Create a Quick Entry Batch Report.
• For instructions on committing a batch, go to How to Commit a Quick-Entry Batch.

Related Topics

How to Fix Errors in a Quick Entry Batch

How to Commit a Quick Entry Batch

How to Create a Quick Entry Batch Report

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