In order to record offerings for a person, they must first have a contributor record. This article walks you through the process of adding a new contributor or editing an already existing contributor.
Add a new Contributor
- Access the Contributor Records grid by opening the Contributions module and go to "Giving>Contributors"
- Click the "Add" button at the bottom of the grid to add a new envelope.
- In the Add Contributor screen, in the "Current envelope" box, select what envelope number you want to assign. The box with the up arrow coming out of it will assign the next highest number, while the button with the box with an arrow pointing to the right will assign the next available envelope number. The "Upcoming envelope" box has the same options and controls the next envelope number this contributor will be assigned.
- In the "Contributor" box, select which person this envelope number will be assigned to. You'll only be able to select people who are not already assigned an envelope number. The contributor box will also only show people who are not removed in the membership module. If you need to add an envelope to a removed person, make sure to check the "Show removed" box. If there is another person in the same household who is not already assigned an envelope number, you'll be able to select that person in the "Joint contributor" box. This will make it so that the selected people will share an envelope number.
- The "Statement method" box dictates how a person receives their contribution statements. "Send by mail" means that this person will receive a printed statement. "Send by e-mail" means that this person will receive their contribution statement via email. "DO NOT SEND" means the person will not receive a contribution statement.
- The "Custom name for statements" field will let you use a custom name for this contributor(s) on their contribution statement.
- If you want the envelope number you entered under Current Envelope to remain the same even after you do a year-end renumbering, check the box next to "Skip this envelope when renumbering".
- This will default the "Upcoming envelope" field to match the "Current envelope" field, grey it out, and prevent this person or envelope # from being included when using the "Renumber Next Year envelopes" utility under Tools/Settings. This person will retain their envelope number, and it will not be available to be assigned to anyone else.
- If a person is no longer going to be receiving an envelope, and shouldn't be included in future envelope renumberings because they intend to give online, are no longer coming to your church, have passed away, etc., but you wish to retain their Contributor record and Offering data, check "Does not use envelopes" box.
- This will change their "Upcoming envelope" field to a 6-digit number. They will be excluded, but their "Current envelope" will be released to be reassigned to someone else when you next use the "Renumber Next Year envelopes" utility under Tools/Settings.
- The Vanco and Giving ID 2-5 boxes are for the listing of any giving ID's that might be associated with a person on an e-giving platform. By listing these giving ID's here, it will make it so any imported giving, either through the Vanco import or "Other giving source" import can be associated with this contributor.
- Check the "Add multiple contributors" box if you're adding more than one contributor record. Click the "Save" button when finished.
Edit an existing contributor
- Access the Contributor Records grid by opening the Contributions module and go to "Giving>Contributors"
- Find the contributor you want to make changes to and either double-click their name or click on their name and then click the "Edit" button at the bottom of the grid.
- This will bring up the contributor record window. Here, you can edit any aspect of their envelope, including Current envelope, Upcoming envelope, Contributor, Joint Contributor, Statement method, custom name, "Skip envelope when renumbering", "Does not use envelopes" or any of the Giving IDs.
- Click "Save" at the bottom right corner of the window to save any changes you've made.