Contribution Terms¶
Below is an alphabetical list of the terms that are used in TouchPoint relating to Contributions.
See also
Contributions
- Actual Count
This is the calculated total of the individual contributions for a batch.
- Actual Amount
This is the amount attributed to donors in a batch. This total must match the Estimated Amount to close the batch.
- Batch
A Batch is a handful (not an exact number) of envelopes or checks (or an electronic file) that will be processed as a group. A batch is also the TouchPoint record of that group of contributions where you will record the specific information about that group - contribution date, deposit date, totals, and fund. We recommend that you limit your batch to about 50 items. This helps if you make a mistake and need to find a specific contribution.
See also
- Batch Date
You find this in the Transactions Log. It is the date an online transaction (payment or online giving) closed. The date is sent to TouchPoint from the payment processor.
See also
- Batch Header
The Header is the information about the Batch itself - the Batch ID #, Default Date, Default Source, Default Type, Estimated Amount, Actual Amount, Estimated Count and Actual Count.
- Batch ID #
The ID# is a system-generated number that is assigned to each Batch when it is created.
- Batches Page
This page, which is accessed at Administration > Contributions > Batches, is where you will find a list of all Batches. You can create or open batches from this page. Search filters are provided to search for specific batches.
- Batch Report
A Batch Report is run from the Batches Page. It provides details of the batch.
- Batch Type
The options may vary for each church, but the basic types are Pre-printed Envelopes, Generic Envelopes, Loose Checks and Cash, Online, Gift-In-Kind and Stock.
See also
- Contribution Date
This is the date a contribution is received by your church. Normally, this will be a Sunday. However, it might be a different day if you receive contributions in the mail. For online giving, it will be the actual date the contribution is made.
- Contribution Statement
This is the IRS compliant record of a person’s donations that you can mail to the donor. You can generate these for an individual or for the entire church. You specify the date range that you want to include and you have other options as well.
See also
- Contribution Type
The type will be Regular (cash and checks), Online, Returned Check, Reversed, Non Tax-Deductible, Gift in Kind, or Stock. The type displays on the Contribution Search page.
- Deposit Date
The date a deposit is made to the bank.
- Electronic Only
This is a setting under Statement Options. When checked, it indicates that the donor does not want to receive a paper Statement. They will log on and print their own Statement.
See also
- Envelope Options
The options are the same as for Contribution Statements (Individual, Joint or None) and determine whether a couple receives one envelope for the couple (Mr. and Mrs. John Smith) or individual envelopes or if they receive envelopes at all. This is used only for churches that use an envelope service and mail pre-printed envelopes.
- Estimated Amount
This is the amount that you enter when you create the Batch before assigning contributions to donors.
- Funds
A Fund is an account to which a person can donate and receive contribution credit.
See also
- Pledge
A Pledge is the record of a person’s intent to contribute a specified amount of money to a specific ‘pledge fund’.
See also
- Deposit Date
This is the date you close the batch. This can be edited when the batch is opened and reclosed.
- Soft Credit
A soft credit is used to track donations toward a pledge for someone that did not make the original donation. Soft credits will count as a donation given to a pledge, but not a donation not to a pledge for the pledge calculations. Any donation that has a soft credit associated with it will not show on the Pledge Fulfillment report, so that it is not double counted. Soft credits will not show in any other reports.
- Split
This is the term used to refer to contributions that need to be divided/split between two or more funds.
See also
- Statement Header
This is the church’s name and address to appear in the return address field on the Contribution Statement.
- Statement Notice
This is the ‘no goods or services’ disclaimer/statement that appears on the Contribution Statement.
- Statement Option
These are the options for how donors wish to receive their Contribution Statements - either Individual, Joint and None and determine whether contributions are combined on a statement for a married couple or if they receive individual statements for their contributions. If None is the option selected, a statement will not generate for that person.
- Transactions Log
This page lists all online transactions, which includes Online Giving and Online Recurring Giving. There are reports that can be accessed from this page that help reconcile your bank statement. We do not intend for you to use this page to post contribution summary numbers to the general ledger. You use the Totals by Fund report for that.
See also
Latest Update |
8/28/2023 |
Finance Phase II Updates.