Counting Donations with Batches

A batch is a counted group of gifts — typically one Sunday's offering. Batches let two counters agree on a total before any gift hits your books.

1. Create the batch

1. Go to Giving > Batches and click New Batch.
2. Give it a name (e.g., "Sunday AM — June 1"), set the date, and enter the expected total the counters agreed on.
3. Save. The batch opens in DRAFT status.

2. Add each gift as an entry

1. Open the batch and click Add Entry for each cash gift or check.
2. For each entry, choose the donor (or leave anonymous for loose cash), the fund, the amount, and — for checks — the check number.
3. As you add entries, the batch shows a running actual total against the expected total.

3. Post the batch

1. When the actual total matches the expected total (zero discrepancy), click Post Batch.
2. Posting moves the batch from DRAFT to POSTED, creates the individual donation records, and links a deposit slip.
3. A posted batch is locked for audit integrity. If you find an error after posting, record a correction rather than editing history.

Tip: If actual and expected don't match, the batch flags the discrepancy so you can recount before posting — nothing is committed until it balances.