How to create a correction batch to update the contribution date of a transaction in a closed batch posting
Correction batches are created from the Contributions page and never from the Batches page. They may consist of contributions that have been entered through a batch or through the contributions page.
- This article will describe how to create a correction batch to update the contribution date.
- One of the most consistent uses of this option is to change the date from December 31, yyyy where yyyy was posted errantly in the new year and needs to be changed to the prior year.
Batch corrections:
When you have a closed batch and you realize that a group of contributions (or even one) has the wrong Contribution Date, you may follow this process to make a correction batch. This will create a batch that has two sets of entries for the selected contributions.
- Set One will reverse the "original" selected entries.
- Set Two will re-add the entries, but with the updated contribution date as noted.
- On the Contributions page, find the contribution(s) you would like to correct. You may use the filter panel on the right to narrow down the contributions that populate the page.
- In the case of whole batches having the wrong posting date, use the batch description name in the filter panel under Batch. Begin to type in the name of the batch, then select the correct batch from the displayed list. Double-check to ensure you have the right contributions/batch selected, then proceed with the instructions.
- Another option (and in the case of needing to correct the contribution date to the prior year), use the date range in the filter panel on the right to display the records that were posted in the next year. The following image shows the date span to filter for records that were added in January of 2022 for donations received on December 31, 2021, and which were inadvertently given 2022 as the contribution year.
- In the case of whole batches having the wrong posting date, use the batch description name in the filter panel under Batch. Begin to type in the name of the batch, then select the correct batch from the displayed list. Double-check to ensure you have the right contributions/batch selected, then proceed with the instructions.
- Mark the contributions and click the Create Correction Batch button in the toolbar (upper-right).
- Each contribution in the correction batch will be assigned the same value in the category or categories you plan to change.
- The Create Correction batch page displays and you must fill in the following:
- Mark the category or categories whose value you want to change. The categories are found under the heading Edit Values on the right side of the page.
- Name the correction batch. See the following suggestions:
- If your correction batch is basically a correction of an existing batch, name the correction batch exactly the same as the original with the word 'Correction' or the letters 'CB' at the end.
- If your correction batch is a conglomerate of several postings from different batches or from entries made on the Contributions page, work out a naming convention for naming the batch that indicates what is being corrected. Use the same naming convention for all correction batches. That way, you will always be able to easily identify the batch as a correction batch.
- Fill in the field or fields for your selected category with the correcting value. In the example below, the date is changed to the last date of the prior year.
- Reason: Fill in the reason for the correction. The Reason field is required.
- If you marked any other field under Edit Values, you would also update that field. For example, if both the Fund and the Date need to be changed, mark both of those fields under Edit Values and then update each one with the correct values.
- Click the save button in the top-right corner.
- You will be prompted to make sure you still want to create this correction batch.
- The batch will be created as soon as you answer yes.
- You will immediately be taken to the Batch Details page.
- The batch will automatically be flagged as a review batch.
- Click on the Postings button (top-right).
- You may now follow the instructions for How to review a batch and when you determine it is accurate, you may follow the instructions for How to close a batch.
- Once you have closed the correction batch:
- When you go back to the Contributions page and use a date range filter to encompass the original batch and also the correction batch dates...
- Then sort by the Family ID...
- You will be able to see the original and corrected contribution entries.
- Note: Using a correction batch will ensure both the original transaction and the removing transaction do not appear on the statement. Only the correcting transaction should be present.
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