Finance

• How to Import Donations via PayPal
• Financial Records Tasks

How to Import Donations via PayPal

• Someone with access to the PayPal account needs to log into the PayPal web site
• Click on Reports
• Click on Activity download
• Select "Balance affecting"

• Select a date range for the data. 
  
• I would suggest doing this on a monthly basis and import the prior 2 months.  The range doesn't matter as the system keeps track of the last transaction that it downloaded and will only import data after that date. 
• Select CSV format
  
• Click on Create Report
• Under Activity reports you'll see see your requested report showing a status of something like "Requested".  It will change to "Download" when it completes.
• Click on the Download button once it has completed. 
  

• You should find a file named Download.CSV in your Downloads folder.
• Double-click on the Download.CSV file
  • This will cause it to open in Excel

• In Excel:
  • Change the name of the sheet to "Download" if necessary.
  • File/Save As
    • Change the name to "PayPal"
    • Change the "Save as type" to "XLXS"
    • Click on Save
      
      
• Start the Access database
• Go into the Administrative Tasks tab
• If you want to change the thank-you letter which will be e-mailed, click on the "Edit External Messages" button.
  • The interface to this is pretty clunky. 
  • Use the Record buttons at the bottom of the screen to advance through the various messages. 
  • The message that you want has a "messageType" of "DTY19"
  • Edit the text & when you're happy with it, press the "<" or ">" Record buttons to move to another record.
• Press the "Import PayPal" button
  • You'll see a pop-up message stating how many records it imported
  • It will ask if you want to delete the PayPal.XLS and PayPal.CSV file.  Answer yes if everything worked as expected.
    
• The donation reports and thank-you letters will be e-mailed
  
• In Word:
  • Run the mail merge and print any hardcopy thank-you letters.

Financial Records Tasks

Financial Records Tasks

1. Get the mail from the very back of the storage area or from the safe. Sort it into checks, bills/statements, or other info. There is a rack of file folders behind the desk with folders for credit card, truck, deposits, and more. File any paperwork that is obvious, other than the checks. It should be noted on credit card receipts what was purchased (office supplies, gas, etc.)
2. Sort the checks and corresponding paperwork into two piles - transport donations, and all the rest. We separate the deposits for these two. All checks should be stamped with the "For Deposit" stamp found in the top drawer in the desk.
3. For the transport deposit,
   1. Write on the transport schedule the check numbers next to the donated amounts that the guys wrote down when they made the pickup.
   2. Make a copy of all the checks, then on that sheet, write down "transport deposit" and if there was any cash, the amount of cash along with the name of the person (people) who gave cash. For the checks, circle or highlight the person that wrote the check, if there are two names on the check. Then sum up at the bottom the total of the transport donation (cash and checks).
   3. Enter the transport deposits in the database. For each donation:
      1. Search for the donor's name in the database to see if they have donated before. If they have, select their record, and if not, create a new record and enter in the name/address/phone info that you have.
      2. On the Donor Items tab, click on "add item". Enter the date of the pickup, the quantity donated ($ amount), the item (select Transport Donation from the drop-down), and in the notes field enter the check number, cash, cashier's check, etc. Save by selecting "update".
   4. Go back to the check copy page and write "entered in DB".
4. For non-transport donations,
   1. Copy the checks as before, and sum up the totals for the page. Write the type of income it is under each check (individual donation, corporate donation, grant, recycling, consignment, etc.). We enter Gail McCarthy (Scentinel Nose Work) as a corporate donation.
   2. Go to the database, enter the checks as before, selecting the right type of income from the drop down, and putting the check number or cashier check in the notes field. You don't have to change the dates on these, the day they are entered (default date) is fine. Do pay attention to the dates of checks at the beginning of the year when income might be from the previous fiscal period.
   3. When checks come from places like Fidelity, they are almost always on behalf of an individual donor so enter them under that donor's name. Sometimes it is tricky to find that info on the letter.
   4. For an anonymous donation, create a new donor by entering the last name as 'Anonymous' and the first name as the date (yyyymmdd).
   5. Go back to the check copy page and write "entered in DB".
5. To check your work, run the Access database report titled "Donated Items by Date by Donor". The date range you enter should reflect the dates of the donations and not necessarily the date you manually entered the deposit. If you see any inconsistencies, research and correct.
6. If a donation is $250 or greater, it needs a printed out thank-you letter. Print out the letter, sign it, address and stamp it. Envelopes are in the bottom drawer of the left side and there are more either in the penalty box or anywhere else office supplies might be. Stamps are in the safe, and return address labels are in the main drawer under the desk. We don't have mail pickup at FS so you will need to mail these.
7. For both transport and other deposits, get deposit tickets from the top drawer of the desk (don't use the one with our account number on it) and write the account number on them (you don't have to fill out the other info). List the checks and cash on the back, total it on the front, and take it to Avidia bank to deposit it and get the receipt.
8. Put all the deposit paperwork in the safe until you get the receipt. When you do, staple the receipt to the top left-hand corner of the paperwork and then file it in the deposits folder.