Donor Gift Documentation

Debra Watford

OK, this is a simple question, but wanted to see what others do.  When you open the mail and have a letter with a check enclosed, do you make a copy of the check to attach to the donors paperwork for processing?  We are trying to "streamline" our processing and are looking at getting a ACH check scanner from our bank to help us with deposits and were thinking we would not have to make check copies any longer. 

I am trying to find out how others "process" their gifts.  We open the gift, make a copy of the check, "stamp stamp stamp" everything with dates and deposit only etc..staple the copy of the check to the paperwork forward to data entry clerks.  I make a copy of all checks processed that day and deposit them.  At the end of the day, we have a folder with the date on it and all the paperwork, copies..etc.. end up in that folder.  Is there an easier process or is that about it?

I can't get my mind around not having a check copy and if that is even something we should consider???

Patty Neumeier

Debra Watford:

OK, this is a simple question, but wanted to see what others do.  When you open the mail and have a letter with a check enclosed, do you make a copy of the check to attach to the donors paperwork for processing?  We are trying to "streamline" our processing and are looking at getting a ACH check scanner from our bank to help us with deposits and were thinking we would not have to make check copies any longer. 

I am trying to find out how others "process" their gifts.  We open the gift, make a copy of the check, "stamp stamp stamp" everything with dates and deposit only etc..staple the copy of the check to the paperwork forward to data entry clerks.  I make a copy of all checks processed that day and deposit them.  At the end of the day, we have a folder with the date on it and all the paperwork, copies..etc.. end up in that folder.  Is there an easier process or is that about it?

I can't get my mind around not having a check copy and if that is even something we should consider???

This is very familiar.  We were copying checks too, but once we got the scanner, we stopped and now just attach the check to the other paperwork when we post a batch.   We keep all paperwork locked up and destroy it according to our retention policy.  We don't stamp anything, as our bank told us we no longer need to.  The process saves us tons of time.

JoAnn Strommen

Patty Neumeier:

This is very familiar.  We were copying checks too, but once we got the scanner, we stopped and now just attach the check to the other paperwork when we post a batch.   We keep all paperwork locked up and destroy it according to our retention policy.  We don't stamp anything, as our bank told us we no longer need to.  The process saves us tons of time.

Still hoping for scanning at some point. 

Checks prepared for deposit and deposit is copied for development and finance.  I (development) attach our copy of deposit paperwork to batch reports as entered.  Kept and destroyed per policies/procedures.

Debra Watford

Great!  Thanks for the input.  Having not had ANY experience with this...wanted to also ask... Is your data hosted at BB?  Are you using NXT?  As far as the actual 'scanning' goes how many steps does it take?  Are you scanning to a file folder, then uploading to RE, then keying the gift, then searching for the file folder, then finding the gift documentation, then attaching it?  Just wanted to know how many "thens" it is taking to make it all work out.  What are the actual steps?  Can you upload directely into the hosted site at BB?


Thanks bunches!

Jen Claudy

My last org, that has a relatively low volume of gifts, is on all-electronic filing for the past 6 years.  Finance would get the mail, open it, copy the checks, prepare & make the deposit, and send Development the check copies plus original enclosed paperwork and envelopes.  Development would use the Xerox copier, which automatically saved scans to a specific folder on our network, to scan everything.  Once scanned, gift entry to RE would be completed, the paperwork filed (until that fiscal year is completed and audited...retention schedule managed by Finance, not Development), the scan renamed using a file naming convention ("c456789+2017-07+g12345 Hernandez.pdf" which means ConstID 456789, July 2017 deposit, GiftID 12345 lastname Hernandez), attached in NXT (simple drag-and-drop directly to the Gift Record, and accessed/found using a Gift List), and then archived to a separate folder on the network (just in case).  Somewhat lengthy process, but it meant that any fundraiser could look at the entirety of the gift paperwork at any time.  Particularly helpful for our CEO who writes personal notes several weeks (or months) after the official ack letter from the Director of Development...he no longer needed to ask Development staff for a copy of the paperwork and could look it up on his own directly from RE.