Struggling With Data Entry

Stacey Rivard:

Hi Brianna, 


I've created cheat sheets for any code I might need to enter and have them hanging by my computer. That way I don't need to always look back to see what I did last time. I also keep a three ring binder of examples and screen shots that I made for me to quickly look at previous events and how I entered them. They could change annually, so I can change the information rather than recreating the wheel each year. I wonder if any of the events that you mention will have similar gifts being entered. You can use the copy button to minimize errors on entry as well. 


I hope this helps! 


Stacey


PS. It also just takes time to learn. Don't be so hard on yourself. You've got this! 

Stacey Rivard:

Oh, and edit reports are lifesavers! I always do an edit report before sending a batch. 


I'm glad it helped. 

Stacey Rivard:

Are you using FIMS? We can run an edit report from processes to check what we?ve entered.

 

Sent from Mail for Windows 10

 

Stephanie Crawley:

For entering gifts in batches in Raiser's Edge, I use batch templates to speed up batch entry. If I get a Pledge, I have a batch template set up specifically for Pledges to that particular Fund, from that particular Appeal and Campaign. If I get a gift, I have separate templates by Fund, Appeal, Gift Type and Payment Method. So if I get a Credit Card gift for Annual Fund from Alumni Appeal, I have a specific gift batch template for that. Having these very specific gift batch templates means that when I do the entry into batch, I basically only need to enter constituent and amount for each gift, because I've already got all the other fields specified with defaults in the batch template. So when I have a lot of gifts to enter during Phonathon, it goes amazingly quickly. Besides speed, the other advantage in using detailed batch templates is that it helps to prevent data entry errors since most of the fields are already filled in with the template.

Stephanie Crawley:

In the organizations I've worked, the batch numbers were not used by the finance team, only by the data team. Finance teams are mostly concerned with revenue in by day, and so they may suggest doing a batch per deposit, which is the way they usually look at it. But what I provide to the Finance team to track revenue per day is a detailed GL Distribution Report for each deposit/day. That shows them the revenue by GL Distribution account code, so that they can tie the gifts in the deposit out to their GL. If I have several batches in a deposit, I use query to select the batches to show in the deposit's GL Distribution Report.

Gail Weide:

I struggle at times with the data entry as well.  I've been in my role for 7 months and am still learning how they do things here.  There are so many little idiosyncrasies with RE and with organizations.  Something that helps me is that I have a working copy of whatever I am entering into a batch and I write out my coding on my working copies. Here we make copies of our checks and any supporting documentation.  I make a 2nd set as my working copy.  I write out what the Campaign, Fund, Appeal and Package are as well as the letter code that I am using.  Plus I will write a note such as "link to even" so that I remember to link the gift in batch to the event so that I don't have to go back and do that later on.  It takes extra time to write out these things for each gift but it works for me.  Then I keep my support documentation with the coding notes and include the Commit Control Report and Gift Batch report that goes along with it. They are housed in a notebook by batch number and I can grab it any time as a reference guide on some of my complicated gift entries (employee giving - matching pledge - pledge payments).  This helps me to minimize mistakes.


I keep a 1/2" notebook with all my fund information within arms reach to look up my GL codes if I can't recall them off the top of my head.  

Several on here mentioned batch template - I AM A FAN of them for sure.  The previous DBA had them already set up and it really helps. 


You will get it.  Give yourself permission to be patient with yourself (I have to do the same).  Ask questions.  Get clarification if necessary.  And tell yourself "I can do this!" 

Bethany Deines:

Since you indicated that it was a slow period, I would take the time to write out step by step, with screen shots, the process for how you posts gifts.  It will be a good reference tool for yourself and a great resource for anyone else that may have to post gifts.  Take advantage of the time you  have.  I would imagine you could even set up some mock batches just to work through all the steps.  Or maybe even Blackbaud can give you access to a test environment where you can practice and there is no harm done.  

Rachel Cavalier:

We do something similar to Gail Weide - except we just take copies of the cheques, attach to the supporting documentation and write the coding straight onto that. That's really helped to start off with.


We also have batch templates - for card payments, website transactions, direct debits, standing orders and a kind of more general cheques, bank transfers, charity vouchers and cash one. Having the fields we need for each batch already laid out is really useful and then being able to set a few defaults like the date or some of the gift type/subtype etc fields has also been handy.