Batch Reports

Jesse Calagna

We print out our batch reports, give one copy to finance and keep a copy for ourselves.  Our filing cabinet is overflowing at the moment and I was wondering if any has a policy for how many years of paperwork they keep or if they have a better idea.


thanks

Linda Burns 2

We stopped printing them a few years ago and only save a digital copy to our computer and back them up on an external drive. Our auditors use the digital copy, no problem.

Linda

JoAnn Strommen

I print one copy for my records. I save a digital copy that finance can access if needed.  Don't know that they ever have (we're integrated with accounting so gifts post over). Per discussion with CFO many years ago on how long I need to keep my records,  I only keep my hard copy, which I do occassionally reference, until the audit for that year has been completed.  Then all are shredded.

Jessica Smith 4

Like most people, we are working on going paperless. I do not print them at all, I save the Batch reports as PDF's in a folder on a shared folder in Google Drive. Our Advancement Director doesn't see much point in keeping them at all but as long as I am not keeping a paperfile that takes up space, I figure it's better safe than sorry if we happen to need them for something. Our plan is to combine all files for the FY at the end of the year into a folder and maintain that on our Google Drive. As long as we have digital space, no one has mentioned purging digital files. 

 

Faith Murray

What I have been told is that files need to be kept for 7 years. So we keep our paper copies for seven years, then shred them.


That being said, if Finance is already keeping a copy, or if you have a secure and backed-up digital version of the same data (and by backed up, I mean on an actual disc or flash drive-type storage device) then you probably don't have any legal need to keep the paper copies even that long. I'd keep them at least until the audit for the previous fiscal year is complete, in case of questions. 

Karen Stuhlfeier

Our auditors have us run a gift detail and summary report for the year and have never looked at a batch report at any of the places I've worked. Everything in the batch report is on the database. We do print the batch report as a cover sheet for any paperwork that goes with the batch as well as the bank deposit slip and do save them for a few years. 

Faith Murray

Karen Stuhlfeier:

 

Our auditors have us run a gift detail and summary report for the year and have never looked at a batch report at any of the places I've worked. Everything in the batch report is on the database. We do print the batch report as a cover sheet for any paperwork that goes with the batch as well as the bank deposit slip and do save them for a few years. 

 

Our auditors have looked at the batch reports and most especially, the check copies....

Christine Cooke 2

Jesse Calagna:

We print out our batch reports, give one copy to finance and keep a copy for ourselves.  Our filing cabinet is overflowing at the moment and I was wondering if any has a policy for how many years of paperwork they keep or if they have a better idea.


thanks

Our batch reports are attached to a fund distribution page (because we are not linked to finance) and also the collateral.  IRS states you have to keep for 7 years.  We have very limited working space -- so 3 years are kept in the office and the rest are stored off site until time to shred.

JoAnn Strommen

Yes, there are records that are to be kept for 7 years, but if finance/accounting has a copy of those records development office does not also need to keep them, too.


Interesting the differences, we've never had to my knowledge our auditors ask to see a batch report.

Jennifer Lange

Jesse Calagna:

We print out our batch reports, give one copy to finance and keep a copy for ourselves.  Our filing cabinet is overflowing at the moment and I was wondering if any has a policy for how many years of paperwork they keep or if they have a better idea.


thanks

A printed batch report stays with the checks in that batch. We keep the checks & one copy of the report on file for 18 months, then it's shred. That gives us enough time to answer any audit questions or send copies of checks to donors for tax reasons. Don't know how long Finance keeps their copy of the batch report.