Increase Pledge to Match Payments

If selected, the total pledged is automatically adjusted when overpayments are made. In other words, if the total for all payments exceeds the pledged amount, then the total pledged is updated to account for those extra payments. This affects fund totals in the Overview windows. Report totals are unchanged since you select how to print overpayments for each report.

Note:

For example, a family pledges $1,000. They make payments that total $1,500. If this option is selected, the pledge will show in the family's Overview windows as $1,500. The actual rate stays at $1,000 so you can still see what the original pledge was.

If no pledge is made and a family makes a payment of $29.95, then the pledge shows as $29.95.

Predefined Group

If you selected to insert one of the predefined groups, you can select which groups and activities to use. The predefined lists contain some of the most commonly used fund types:

• Bishop's Annual Appeal—Includes a group of activities that can be used for a typical Bishop's Annual Appeal.
• Capital Campaign—Includes a group of activities that can be used for a typical capital campaign.

Make Group

If you selected to make your own groups of activities, you can add it at the beginning or end of the list. Enter the group name, then enter the activities using the guidelines below.

Group Name

This identifies a collection of activities within the fund. For example, one group can deal with current pledges, another with volunteer hours, another with ISF fees, and another with miscellaneous activities. This way, you can keep related activities together in a logical order within the fund.

Activity Name

This identifies the activities that you post transactions to. Each activity name must be unique within the fund, and can be up to 40 characters long. For example, you can have an activity named "Pledges Due" that you use when posting the amounts due for pledges. Or you can have a special activity called "Christmas Donations" to use when posting the amount collected for Christmas.

Function of the Activity

This records what each activity is used for. The following activity functions are available:

• Payment—Money collected that can be tax-deductible payments, non-deductible payments, initial deposits, or any other general payment.
• Pay Down—A payment that reduces the pledge rate without changing the amount due.
• Additional Gift—A payment or donation that doesn't count toward the pledge but is included in the fund.
• Non-Cash Contribution—A deductible payment that isn't cash or check, such as stock or auction items. The parishioner must designate a value for the item so that when the item is posted, you can apply the value to the family's pledge payment.
• Quid Pro Quo—A payment the family makes in order to receive something of value in return. The activity name must include the dollar amount of the item being received in order to determine how much of the contribution is tax-deductible. For example, "Fall Dinner Dance $20".
• Credits—Money that counts toward a family's fund that was paid by a source other than the family. Examples include a student receiving a scholarship which is applied to tuition, a family receiving a school credit because one of the parents is a teacher, or a family receiving a pledge credit because the father repainted the parish.
  Note:

  • An activity with the function Credit reduces the amount due but doesn't increase the amount of cash or checks paid.
  • The family's Rates/History/Keywds window displays the credits and the dates they were assigned. The Overview window displays the difference between the amounts paid and the credits.
• Payment from Last Year—A total of the payments on a fund from last year. Used when the fund period overlaps years and the payments must be carried to the next year. Select this option for funds that you've carried forward into a new fund period.
• Initial Payment—A payment commonly used in pledge drives and capital campaigns to designate the payment that accompanies the pledge card. This can represent the charge and payment in a single entry. The pledge is attributed to the first charge activity in the group where the initial payment displays.
• Charge—Money due from pledges, tuition, or fees.
• Refund—Money that has been returned to the individual. Used instead of reducing the original posting.
• Write-Off—Indicates an uncollectible amount posted to a fund. This reduces the charge by the amount of the write-off, lowering the balance.
• Hours Pledged—Some families donate time instead of money. This activity type tracks the amount of time a family has committed to give. If you allow this kind of donation, make sure you set up a separate group in the fund. Each family member can pledge a different amount of time.
• Hours Completed—Amount of time a family has completed of the hours pledged.
• Hours Remaining—Amount of time a family has left to donate of the hours pledged.
• Balance—The difference between what has been charged and what has been paid. This is normally the last activity in a group that includes the type Charge.
• Group Total—The total of the activities in a group. This is normally the last activity in a group without the type Charge.
• Ignore—Used for marking payments that shouldn't be included in the total amount due or paid. For example, if a check comes back from the bank with insufficient funds, the payment is ignored but it is marked as received. Each fund should include a Miscellaneous Activities group with the type Ignore.

Note: Remember, any activities listed between the Charge and the Balance functions are applied to the pledge. Activities listed outside of these functions are considered additional activities.

Watch & Learn

Learn to add an activity or group of activities in a fund. 8 min 19 sec

It may take a minute for the video to display. To watch in full screen mode, click the expand icon in the video player.

To watch more videos, visit the PDS Video Library.