Family assigned two envelope numbers

[gospeltab]

Hi, We are running version 11.5.

We have a family that attended our church several years ago and were assigned envelope 162. They moved out of town but still have their original envelope number.

They have subsequently moved back to town and the person who enters contributions assigned them a new envelope number 235. I just realized this happened. I am trying to fix it and was going to delete one of the envelope numbers, however, it appears that they have been using both envelope numbers to enter contributions.

Is there a way to fix this? I don't want to have to send them 2 contribution statements at the end of the year with 3 on one and 9 on the other (or however the breakdown would be in January...)

Thanks in advance!

[NeilZ]

Hi, We are running version 11.5.

We have a family that attended our church several years ago and were assigned envelope 162. They moved out of town but still have their original envelope number.

They have subsequently moved back to town and the person who enters contributions assigned them a new envelope number 235. I just realized this happened. I am trying to fix it and was going to delete one of the envelope numbers, however, it appears that they have been using both envelope numbers to enter contributions.

Is there a way to fix this? I don't want to have to send them 2 contribution statements at the end of the year with 3 on one and 9 on the other (or however the breakdown would be in January...)

Thanks in advance!

I'm assuming that this occurred because one spouse wrote a check, and the envelope was setup under the name of the other spouse?? That's the only way this could have happened, unless the contributions entry person created a new family and personal profile. If so, you need to move the personal profiles under the family mailing list record you intend to keep before you do the steps outlined below, then you need to delete the duplicate personal profile. If this is NOT the case, then just follow the steps listed here:

You do a reassign of envelope 235 to 162 (or vice versa), this merges all the entries made against one envelope into the other.
I'm assuming again, that the personal profiles are all under the same Mailing List Profile. The couple's individual personal profiles should now reflect only ONE envelope number. Either both say 235 or 162.

You find the REASSIGN function under Contributions -> Reassign -> Reassign an Envelope Number (I'm assuming you're using v11.x).

However this points out the reason I always suggest that if someone has moved or no longer attends for some reason, that the envelope number be reassigned to a sequence outside the normal sequence of numbers.

I've been using numbers in the 4000 range, for those people who have moved, or have died. The IRS expects the church to maintain contributions data for at least 4 years, having these envelopes outside the normal range allows you to reuse the number for new members. This really is a necessity if you actually use box sets of envelopes, otherwise you're tying up envelopes that could be used. Waste of money, and bad stewardship.

[gospeltab]

Unfortunately, it is the same family, just with two profiles created. When I try to reassign the envelope number it tells me that number is already in use.

The older number 162 has one contribution listed on it and the newer number 235 has all of the rest of the contributions. Initially I went in and updated all the information in the newer envelope number (added all of the children, birthdates, anniversary, etc.) thinking I could delete the old envelope number. It was when I tried to delete it that it told me that there was contribution information.

Both numbers are "active" as of January 2015 because of how the donations have been entered.

Thanks for any help!

[NeilZ]

Unfortunately, it is the same family, just with two profiles created. When I try to reassign the envelope number it tells me that number is already in use.

The older number 162 has one contribution listed on it and the newer number 235 has all of the rest of the contributions. Initially I went in and updated all the information in the newer envelope number (added all of the children, birthdates, anniversary, etc.) thinking I could delete the old envelope number. It was when I tried to delete it that it told me that there was contribution information.

Both numbers are "active" as of January 2015 because of how the donations have been entered.

Thanks for any help!

What you need to do is this:

1. Remove the old envelope number from EVERYONE under the old mailing list profile EXCEPT ONE person.
2. MOVE that person under the NEW mailing list, this will allow you to then MERGE the old number (162) to the new number (235).
3. Delete the MOVED person from under the new mailing list profile
4. Delete the OLD Mailing List Profile - this will delete any remaining old personal profiles under it.

Again, before you do this, take a backup to be on the safe site.

[gospeltab]

I took envelope number 162 off from everyone but the wife. I then tried to reassign the number to 235. I get a message saying that number is already in use by another family.

I then tried deleting the wife's profile from envelope 235 to see if it would let me reassign. It still tells me envelope 235 is in use by another family.

What am I doing wrong?

[NeilZ]

I took envelope number 162 off from everyone but the wife. I then tried to reassign the number to 235. I get a message saying that number is already in use by another family.

I then tried deleting the wife's profile from envelope 235 to see if it would let me reassign. It still tells me envelope 235 is in use by another family.

What am I doing wrong?

You missed part of STEP 2, you need to MOVE that profile under the NEW Mailing List Profile.

Yes, you will have the wife listed twice under the one profile, but the system will not allow the envelope reassignment until after that number is listed under the NEW family mailing list record. Once the profile is under the same family mailing list record as the rest, the system will allow the reassignment of 162 to 235. Then in Step 3, you will delete the duplicate.

[gospeltab]

I got it!

Thank you so much!!!!

[NeilZ]

You're welcome.