Misplaced contribution

[debbieg]

We have a few members that make their contributions thru their online banking functions. What results is a check that is cut from their bank and sent to us in the mail. We haven't had any problems with that. Our church also has a preschool and some students' families send in their tuition that way also. Apparently, some months ago, the church received several of these checks at the same time. The preschool thought it was theirs and deposited all the money in their own account (totally separate from church accounts). Now someone has discovered that one of those checks was an offering check to the church so the Preschool wrote a check to the church for that amount. It wouldn't have been so much of a problem if they had discovered it before 2010 ended. The contribution was a decent amount ($450) so I assume that the member would want that reflected on his contribution statement for 2010. However, our bank accounts will not show the deposit until january 2011. I figure I can do the following steps:

1. enter the contribution under the member's envelope for the 2010 date and reprint his 2010 contribution statement.
2. Post the contribution to Contribution module only.

3. Make the deposit transaction in fund accounting for 2011 and post it to January 2011.

Now, I realize that if we run reports in contributions that the totals will not match what we report as deposits in fund accounting. If we are aware of this and can accept this, do I have anything else to worry about?

thanks,
Debbie
PC Online V 11

[NeilZ]

We have a few members that make their contributions thru their online banking functions. What results is a check that is cut from their bank and sent to us in the mail. We haven't had any problems with that. Our church also has a preschool and some students' families send in their tuition that way also. Apparently, some months ago, the church received several of these checks at the same time. The preschool thought it was theirs and deposited all the money in their own account (totally separate from church accounts). Now someone has discovered that one of those checks was an offering check to the church so the Preschool wrote a check to the church for that amount. It wouldn't have been so much of a problem if they had discovered it before 2010 ended. The contribution was a decent amount ($450) so I assume that the member would want that reflected on his contribution statement for 2010. However, our bank accounts will not show the deposit until january 2011. I figure I can do the following steps:

1. enter the contribution under the member's envelope for the 2010 date and reprint his 2010 contribution statement.
2. Post the contribution to Contribution module only.

3. Make the deposit transaction in fund accounting for 2011 and post it to January 2011.

Now, I realize that if we run reports in contributions that the totals will not match what we report as deposits in fund accounting. If we are aware of this and can accept this, do I have anything else to worry about?

thanks,
Debbie
PC Online V 11

No, you got it all covered. That said, I would definitely enter a note on the deposit transaction explaining where the funds came from, and how the mix-up occurred in case someone needs an audit trail.

[Eden Whitehead]

Wow! I just had a very similar thing happen today! An envelope received through U.S. mail containing a check that was dated back in October (!!!) had gotten mixed in with a stack of catalogs and someone who just happened to be sorting through the catalogs (and discarding them) stumbled across it. I'm waiting to hear back from the donor as to whether they may have issued a stop payment on the check or wish to have it processed as a 2010 contribution.

So, many thanks, Debbie, for your post with the solution that I may need in the next few days.

God is good!

Eden

P.S. LOVE this forum!!

[debbieg]

Eden....and thanks to your follow-up....it hadn't occurred to me to see if this member had put a stop pay on the check. I forgot to ask how long ago it was written. I will definitely check on that.
Debbie