Check Reader - Workflow

[dpchristie]

We've been using the check reader for awhile and while it has saved time, it also seems to have some quirks that affect workflow. I need to know if I am either doing something wrong of if this is something that can be fixed.

Here is the situation. When you scan a check of someone who is a normal giver, it brings up their information with the cursor in the "Check Amount" field, which is good. Once you enter the amount and hit either ENTER or TAB, the cursor goes to the "Amount" field on line 1. Now, if the contributor only tithea and the fund account never changed, then this would be fine... It carries down the amount and you can just save.

The problem comes in when you use different funds. Our normal tithe and offering fund is fund #1... However we are very active and people give to other funds often (Youth, Kitchen, Missions, etc). So, if the account is brought up, and the previous entry was for a different fund, when you go to click back at the fund, it brings up the dialogue box stating that the fund is balanced, do you want to save, you have to click "no" and then highlight the current fund, then enter the new fund, then save.

Sometimes we have special events or items that people purchase tickets for or whatever, and when we next do the offering, we have to change funds on a lot of accounts. Constantly having that dialogue box come up makes for a lot of extra clicks and lost time. So here are my suggestions.

1. Can the workflow be adjusted so that once you enter the Check Amount and hit TAB or ENTER that it goes to the "Fund No" field rather than the Amount field?
2. Or - Can the dialogue box I referred to be removed completely? If you think about it, it really isnt necessary. Instead, have the software prompt you if you try to hit SAVE and the totals are NOT balanced.
3. Or - Is there a way for the table to remember multiple funds where you can just tab down the amount column and enter or clear the appropriate amounts? For this to work, it would need to remember specific funds for each person, having the whole list there would be bad too because it could be quite long and scrolling would waste time.

I know this is a long message, but I tried to be as detailed as possible. Please help... I would like the see the check reader workflow simpler, or if I am doing something wrong now, I would like to be corrected.

Thanks So much...

Pastor Dave Christie
Associate Pastor, New Beginnings Worship Center
Bellevue NE.

[NeilZ]

Here's another user's take on these suggestions,

#1 - not a bad idea, but this type of functionality change would affect literally hundreds or thousands of churches who are used to the current functionality. If any such change is contemplated, I would make it an optional functionailty that can be set on or off for each location.

#2 - again, this is the type of functionality that should be set by location, not as a permanent setting.

#3 - I'd rather not see this implemented at all. Currently, the system will remember if the person normally gives to two funds (IE: Operating and Building) in one check. At my last church, we finally got the majority of the congregation to realize that they only need to write one check to cover all their pledges/giving.

However, with the myriad of special funds that can be given to, it would be a nightmare to try to negotiate through the list of funds any one person could possibly give to.

[Jeff]

Try this, I don't have a check reader hooked to my workstation right now, so can't completly verify this behavior.

When you scan a check, the system finds the contributor and recalls their last contribution. After entering the amount it will take you to the amount column in the detail. If you need to change the fund number, just type 0 in the amount field and hit enter. It should then take you to the fund field where you can change which fund they are giving to.

As far as the prompt, we have tried to design the screen so that you don't have to use the mouse to do the data entry. The prompt appears when you have competly distributed the check amount to your contribution funds. This saves you from having to use the mouse to click on the save button. The keystroke to exit a grid is ctrl+tab which is an awkward keystroke for most people.