Recording Donations and having documentation

[coloradotechie-p40]

We have a few members who use their bank's "Bill Pay" feature and send their tithing checks to the Bishop.

The bishop brings them in and we have usually fill out a donation slip for each of the members and record the donation.

However (you may noticed I used the word usually), this hasn't always happened. In November I found two instances where there was a deposit listed in MLS but no handwritten donation slip in our files. I was surprised to find this and felt that we should always have a donation slip for every donation that gets entered into MLS. (Since there are a few of us that do the donations and we change who is doing it, it seems that not everyone is under the same understanding).

However, I couldn't find that specific rule anywhere (yet). I went through the online training at http://www.lds.org/pa/e-learn/mp/donati ... /index.htm to see if I could find it and I also searched the wiki.

I can't seem to find anything to back up my assumption (which I'm guessing is correct).

Question: Is there any documentation anywhere that directly says we have to have a donation slip for every donation that gets entered into MLS? I know the training indirectly infers that it is required (slide 25 and slide 38 of above referenced online training)... but I was looking for something more concrete.

Thanks~!

[aebrown]

Question: Is there any documentation anywhere that directly says we have to have a donation slip for every donation that gets entered into MLS? I know the training indirectly infers that it is required (slide 25 and slide 38 of above referenced online training)... but I was looking for something more concrete.

The Ward or Branch Financial Audit form has the following requirement on step 11 (in conjunction with verifying the accuracy of sampled donation batches):

Does the total of the amounts from the donation slips for that date match the total amount on the deposit slip copy?

If there are not donation slips for every donation for that week's donation batch, your ward is guaranteed to fail this audit step. So that seems like quite a concrete requirement, if you want to pass your financial audits.

[aebrown]

Question: Is there any documentation anywhere that directly says we have to have a donation slip for every donation that gets entered into MLS?

A couple more references from the MLS Software Manual:

1. This is in the "Stake Income" section on page A-15. It doesn't specifically mention the ward level, but the principle clearly applies to wards and branches.

All income should be recorded on a Tithing and Other Offerings slip. Some income will already have a slip with it. For income that has no slip, the clerk should fill out a slip and give the “copy for the member” to the person or organization giving the income.

2. Under "Tithing and Other Offerings Slips Problems" on page A-16, we read instructions that are covering the case where there is no slip. The assumption is made that the donation is in cash or some other form where the donor is not known, but it's pretty obvious that if you know the donor's name, you would still follow the same procedure, but fill in the donor's name:

1. No Tithing and Other Offerings slip in the envelope. Prepare a Tithing and Other Offerings slip for the amount of money in the envelope, and print the word “Unknown” in the name block on the slip. Enter the entire amount in “Tithing” on the slip and in MLS.
2. The Tithing and Other Offerings slip has amounts but no name. Print the word “Unknown” in the name block of the slip and deposit the amounts to the correct categories.

[crislapi]

I'm with Alan_Brown but without the citations. The first thought that came to my mind was trying to audit a batch that didn't have donation slips for each donation. So while I don't know of training materials that specifically say you must fill out a slip for each donation, coming from the audit side, each donation must have one.