Contributions & Fund Summary-no match

[Roscoe]

On one of my contribution statements, their is a dfference between what was actually contributed in pledges and what the "Fund summary" states as the total contributed in pledges. For example for Jan. thru May, the check contributions (when manually added) adds up to $1250.00, but in the "Fund Summary" box for total pledged amount, the amount shown is $1210.00, a $40 difference, why?? I'm stuck!! How do I get the "Fund Summary" to equal the actual "Contributions" stated above?

[NeilZ]

On one of my contribution statements, their is a dfference between what was actually contributed in pledges and what the "Fund summary" states as the total contributed in pledges. For example for Jan. thru May, the check contributions (when manually added) adds up to $1250.00, but in the "Fund Summary" box for total pledged amount, the amount shown is $1210.00, a $40 difference, why?? I'm stuck!! How do I get the "Fund Summary" to equal the actual "Contributions" stated above?

OK ... let me restate this.

You have a person who has given $1250 to the church. Yet the pledged amount in the Summary only shows $1210.

I suspect that one or more of the contributions were not listed against the pledge. This often happens when a pledge is entered after some money has already been entered. I'd go to the View Posted Contributions module and look up this person to see if all contributions have been assigned against the pledge. If not, you can then go into the Maintain Pledges module to Search for Contributions not assigned to a pledge.

[Ruby B]

We have just experienced this same challenge. One instance has determined the error was in data entry coding pledge and non-pledge. However, in a second statement, under Fund Summary, we have a total for Operations (Pledges) of $1600 which is correct, in addition to other Funds. In the Pledge Summary, the Pledge amount is $1800 (correct) but Actual is only $1400 and should be $1600. Data entry coding is correct. Any other suggestions? Before we receive more of these queries, please help.

[NeilZ]

We have just experienced this same challenge. One instance has determined the error was in data entry coding pledge and non-pledge. However, in a second statement, under Fund Summary, we have a total for Operations (Pledges) of $1600 which is correct, in addition to other Funds. In the Pledge Summary, the Pledge amount is $1800 (correct) but Actual is only $1400 and should be $1600. Data entry coding is correct. Any other suggestions? Before we receive more of these queries, please help.

The Pledge Summary shows a few things:

1. What the Pledged Amount should be to date (or to the end of the year if that date was selected).
2. What was actually given and assigned to the pledge.

Now, the issue is that you may be confusing what is a pledge and what is operating funds.

Operating funds are not necessarily pledges. So if someone gave money prior to the Pledge being entered in the Maintain Pledges module, and the Search for contributions was not performed at that time, you could have $200 that is properly assigned to the Operating fund (Weekly Contributions or offerings), but not showing against the pledge.

As I mentioned above, go to the Maintain Pledges module, and use the Search for Contributions function to see if there are any pledges to the Operating Fund that have not been assigned to the pledge.

[Ruby B]

Thank you for your prompt reply, Neil.

After doing as you suggested, I still do not receive the correct result. In further investigation on my part, I found that it was not including the last month's data entered (August) in the Pledge Summary total, at least that is what I believe to be the case. We ran the Statements on September 3. I have copied and saved what I believe to be the pertinent screens and the statement for the particular case and I will be happy to forward to you if you tell me where to send them. I have become aware that there are more statements with this same challenge.

I forgot to mention that in our case pledge and operations are one and the same. Perhaps shouldn't be, but are.

[NeilZ]

Thank you for your prompt reply, Neil.

After doing as you suggested, I still do not receive the correct result. In further investigation on my part, I found that it was not including the last month's data entered (August) in the Pledge Summary total, at least that is what I believe to be the case. We ran the Statements on September 3. I have copied and saved what I believe to be the pertinent screens and the statement for the particular case and I will be happy to forward to you if you tell me where to send them. I have become aware that there are more statements with this same challenge.

I forgot to mention that in our case pledge and operations are one and the same. Perhaps shouldn't be, but are.

Ruby,

Usually pledges are made against a Contribution Fund, in your case Operations. In many cases its called Tithes and Offerings, and can contain contributions that are pledges and non-pledged.

Now, most times the reason the Contributed Amount toward the pledge is not the same as that actually given is as I explained in my previous post, the pledge was added after a amount had already been contributed and entered against the Contribution Fund.

Unless the 'Search for Contributions' was done at the time of the pledge entry or later, the amount previously given would not appear in the Pledge Summary.

There are a few other reasons that need to be looked at too:

1. Some contributions have not yet been posted. This often happens as many Financial Secretaries and/or Treasurers wait until the bank deposit receipt is received back at the church to confirm what was deposited. The fix would be to post the contributions.

2. Some of the pledge was given in a previous year. Many times a pledge is made in the last quarter of the previous year for the coming year. At the end of the year, many contributors want to contribute additional money in order to help with their taxes. So they give extra in 2009 against a pledge in 2010. Unless this amount is entered on the Maintain Pledges screen as a Beginning Pledge Balance this money would not appear in a Pledge Summary for the year 2010. This problem goes hand in hand with the next reason.

3. When you do a "Search for Contributions" in the Maintain Pledges module , the amounts listed (if any) are chosen from the start date of the pledge. So if the pledge period is from 05/01/10 thru 12/31/10, any amount given toward the contribution fund (in your case Operations) before 05/01/10 will not appear in that list. So if there is a contribution listed when you run a "Contributions Statement" with full fund details, that is not showing in the Pledge Summary, then that need to be added to the Pledge in the same way as item 2.

Hope this helps.