Deposit Batches

Deposit batches help you group cash and check donations that you deposit together at the bank. By organizing donations into batches, you can verify that the amounts recorded in TimelyChurch match your physical bank deposit, maintain an audit trail, and create accounting transactions when the deposit is made.

Accessing Deposit Batches

1. From the Giving dashboard, click the More Actions menu (three-dot icon).
2. Select Deposit Batches.

Or navigate directly to Finances > Giving > Batches.

Creating a Deposit Batch

1. Click Create Batch.
2. Fill in the batch details:

1. Click Create.

The batch is assigned an auto-generated batch number in the format DEP-NNNNN (e.g., DEP-00001). Batch numbers are sequential per church.

Batch Statuses

Adding Donations to a Batch

1. Open the batch by clicking on it.
2. The batch detail page shows:
   • Donations already in the batch.
   • Unbatched donations available to add (up to 50 most recent).
3. Click Add next to any unbatched donation to include it in the batch.

Note: Only non-online donations that are not already in another batch appear in the available list. Online/card donations are processed through Stripe and do not need to be batched.

Batching More Than 50 Unbatched Donations

The available-to-add list is intentionally capped at the 50 most recent unbatched donations to keep the page fast. If you have a backlog larger than that (for example, after catching up on data entry), use either of these workarounds:

1. Process in waves -- Add the visible 50, click Save, then refresh the batch detail page. The next 50 oldest unbatched donations now appear. Repeat until cleared.
2. Use multiple batches -- Create a second (or third) deposit batch dated to match the actual deposit dates, and split the older donations across them. This is also the cleaner audit trail when the donations span more than one bank deposit.
3. Reduce the backlog at the source -- If you frequently see this, batch weekly instead of monthly so the unbatched pool stays under 50.

Removing Donations from a Batch

1. Open the batch.
2. Click Remove next to any donation in the batch.
3. The donation returns to the unbatched pool.

Donations can only be added or removed while the batch is in Open status.

Batch Totals and Reconciliation

Each batch tracks:

When the actual total matches the expected total, the batch is considered "balanced." If there is a discrepancy, the difference is displayed so you can investigate before closing.

Closing a Batch

1. Open the batch.
2. Click Close Batch.
3. The batch status changes to Closed.

Requirements for closing:

• The batch must be in Open status.
• The batch must contain at least one donation (empty batches cannot be closed).

When a batch is closed:

• Totals are recalculated from all donations in the batch.
• The closing user and timestamp are recorded.
• No further additions or removals are allowed.

Reopening a Batch

If you need to make changes after closing:

1. Open the closed batch.
2. Click Reopen Batch.
3. The batch returns to Open status and you can add or remove donations.

Note: Only Closed batches can be reopened. Deposited batches cannot be reopened because an accounting transaction has already been created.

Marking a Batch as Deposited

Once you have physically deposited the funds at your bank:

1. Open the closed batch.
2. Click Mark as Deposited.
3. Select the Bank Account (asset account) where the deposit was made.
4. Click Confirm.

When a batch is deposited:

• An accounting transaction is created automatically with:
  • Transaction type: Income
  • Amount: The batch's actual total
  • Date: The batch's deposit date
  • Description: "Deposit Batch DEP-XXXXX - N items"
  • Reference number: The batch number
• The batch status changes to Deposited.
• The batch can no longer be reopened.

Printing a Deposit Slip

1. Open any batch (any status).
2. Click Print Deposit Slip.
3. A PDF is generated with the batch details and all donations listed, ready for your bank deposit.

The file is named deposit-slip-DEP-XXXXX.pdf.

Deleting a Batch

Only Open batches can be deleted:

1. Open the batch.
2. Click Delete Batch.
3. Confirm the deletion.

When a batch is deleted:

• All donations in the batch have their batch association removed (they return to the unbatched pool).
• The batch record is permanently deleted.
• No accounting transactions are affected.

Closed or Deposited batches cannot be deleted.

Best Practices

Weekly Deposit Workflow

1. After each service: Record all cash and check donations in TimelyChurch.
2. Before going to the bank: Create a deposit batch with the expected total from your count.
3. Add donations: Add all the donations for this deposit to the batch.
4. Verify: Compare the expected total with the actual total. Investigate any differences.
5. Close the batch: Once verified, close the batch.
6. After depositing at the bank: Mark the batch as deposited, selecting the bank account.
7. Print a deposit slip: Keep a copy for your records.

Tips

• Create separate batches for each bank trip, even if they happen on the same day.
• Use the expected total field to catch data entry errors before going to the bank.
• Keep notes on batches for any unusual items or explanations.
• Closed batches serve as an audit trail -- they record who closed the batch and when.