Account Activity Report

[uucf]

I am hoping someone can help me understand an Activity Report. We have a committee that has a $250 budget for the fiscal year. The starting balance always reads -0-, whether they have debits or credits. My understanding of a starting balance would be that it starts at $250; debits subtract, credits add. But, ours always says -0-. The only way to figure out how much remains, is you have to know what the starting balance is. Yes, I can look it up and do the math, but it seems like the report would provide a clear picture of the amount they start with, add and subtract credits and debits and provide a current balance that remains. I don't know if it is a setup issue or if I am expecting too much from the report. If an Activity Report is not the best report, can you suggest another one that I can provide to a committee chair when they want an update on their particular account? By the way, I am familiar with PowerChurch membership, contribution and many other features, but we have recently gone through multiple accountants. I have sent many Activity Reports over the years, but the Accountant always answered questions when there were any. Now, we have a part-time accountant and I am left having to do most of the explaining.

[NeilZ]

I am hoping someone can help me understand an Activity Report. We have a committee that has a $250 budget for the fiscal year. The starting balance always reads -0-, whether they have debits or credits. My understanding of a starting balance would be that it starts at $250; debits subtract, credits add. But, ours always says -0-.

No ... what you have is a starting BUDGET. This is a max amount that has been authorized for the committee to spend. You are showing money spent so spending is added to account which starts at zero, it is not like a checking account where you show the balance, and subtract spending from that.

The only way to figure out how much remains, is you have to know what the starting balance is. Yes, I can look it up and do the math, but it seems like the report would provide a clear picture of the amount they start with, add and subtract credits and debits and provide a current balance that remains. I don't know if it is a setup issue or if I am expecting too much from the report. If an Activity Report is not the best report, can you suggest another one that I can provide to a committee chair when they want an update on their particular account? By the way, I am familiar with PowerChurch membership, contribution and many other features, but we have recently gone through multiple accountants. I have sent many Activity Reports over the years, but the Accountant always answered questions when there were any. Now, we have a part-time accountant and I am left having to do most of the explaining.

You can use the Budget Report to create reports by account number or account number ranges, it will reflect the actual spending for the month, the budget allowed for the account, the amount and percentage difference between the spending and the budgeted amount.

It will also reflect the same columns but YTD.

Again, a budget is the amount authorized to spend. An expense account will always reflect a zero amount at the beginning of the year, and the activity report you were using shows spending for the month so it will always reflect a zero amount at the start of the month. The budget report will do what you want to do ... show spending for the month, and how much of the monthly budget was spent (or not). It will also show the spending for the year to date, which will reflect the same columns.