Electronic reimbursements

[eblood66]

I have the information and looked over the process and looked at it on line. But do have a question. How do we get an electronic receipt into our system?

First off, you don't have to use electronic receipts. You can still use paper receipts for both checks and electronic reimbursements. However, for electronic reimbursements you have to have another approver available to review the documentation and authorize each reimbursement as you enter them.

The system doesn't provide any help in getting the receipts into electronic form. It just allows you to upload them once you have them on a computer. But there are several possible ways of getting them in electronic form. First, you can just ask members to submit them by email in the first place. This may not work for some but many may have a multi-function printer they can use to scan or they may just take a picture with their cell phones. And nowadays sometimes the original will be electronic anyway (for online orders). If you have a similar personal MFP or device you could also scan or photograph the receipt at home and either use a personal computer to upload the receipts or email them to an account you can access on the church computer.

I don't think it's usually setup but it's possible that the library copier may be able to function as a scanner if connected to the church network.

If none of those options is available then you'd probably have to just stick with paper receipts.

[russellhltn]

I don't think it's usually setup but it's possible that the library copier may be able to function as a scanner if connected to the church network.

I'd have to check, but some MFPs will scan to a USB Thumb drive. I think that's preferable to trying to set up a network scanner that would open up the clerk computer to anyone on the network. Some MFPs will scan to email, but then you'd need a email account for it to work with.

[romnejo]

Has anyone developed an electronic version of a reimbursement form for the members to fill out that can be attached electronically, along with the electronic receipts? or, should we attach the email from the member asking for the reimbursement?

[burgundy21]

We have been using this for about 2 weeks, and the approval process is mostly intuitive. However, it's not clear whether both approvers need to be physically present at the computer to review an expense before approving it. The instructions under the "Approve Expenses" tab says that " two approvers must be present at the computer or device." Cautiously, we have interpreted this as requiring both approvers to be present simultaneously. However, this seems to remove the value added by moving the process to LCR. Anyone know if, for example, I can approve in one location and, granted all material is available for a second approver, another party can approve from a second location?

[davesudweeks]

We will be instructing organization presidents to provide the required information in an e-mail forwarding to receipt to the clerk. There is no requirement for a "form" but only a requirement that it is approved. Our bishop likes the organization presidents to approve expenses in their organization before he approves them so the email will only need to include the information the clerk needs to set up the reimbursement: name of the person being reimbursed, the amount, the purpose of the expense, and the budget line it comes from (of there is more than one for an organization). Obviously, the receipt will need to be attached. The e-mail from the organization president will signify their approval.

For paper receipts, we plan to stay with our paper process for the time being which has a paper reimbursement request that collects the above information. Either process can be used for a paper check or electronic reimbursement if the member has set their account up to accept that.

[dwfaber]

How are you doing this? This sounds like you are entering donations and processing expenses through LCR. I can only do this through MLS, and I don't see any option in MLS to do electronic reimbursements or receipts. Am I missing something with LCR? I can only view financial reports and batches in LCR. For me it is read only, I can't do anything with it. Do I need special access to process in LCR or am I just reading this wrong?

[lajackson]

How are you doing this?

The process of using LCR for expenses is being rolled out in phases. You should see a letter at the Official Communication Library, perhaps receive an email, and then see the option at LCR. Your MLS should also redirect you to LCR at that time.

If you have not yet seen those things, enjoy the topic here while folks work out all the kinks, and you will be ready to go when the process is turned on in your area.

[jdlessley]

Your MLS should also redirect you to LCR at that time.

The redirect is not mandatory. The popup gives the option of completing the expense reimbursement by way of redirect online at Leader and Clerk Resources (LCR) or through (in) MLS.

When not at the clerk computer using MLS you can see if you have the online expense entry capability by going online to LCR and select Finance. If you see the Dashboard in the (default) Overview tab then you have the LCR expense entry capability.

[MurdockM]

For what It's worth, Our Meeting House library, FM group provided, Xerox machine will scan to / or print from a USB drive. I've used that function in the past.

I would not recommend using it on the building LAN however. Some other clerk could inadvertently print confidential information to it. The "general public" in the meeting house library could then see the printouts.

Hopefully a program on the ward computer will let me crop the full page scan before upload and attachment.

[davesudweeks]

Hopefully a program on the ward computer will let me crop the full page scan before upload and attachment.

Standard windows installations come with a basic snipping tool. It works pretty well. However, there is nothing wrong with a full-size page scan that you upload to the website, in my view.

I will probably experiment with my wifi tablet to take a pic, email it to my gmail account, and then access the file from the clerk computer that way to upload the image.