Depositing checks

Do not deposit checks unless you are sure they:

• Are made out correctly, i.e., to "ASU Foundation - ASURA". The important thing is the "ASU Foundation" part. Also make sure the amount is shown both in numbers and in text and the check is signed.
• Have been recorded fully in the membership database.

Make sure you have a cash bag and its key. 

• Checks are sent to the Foundation in a special locked cash bag.  Bags are provided by the Foundation. ASURA has 6 of them with associated keys: bags are numbered 149, 150, 164, 348, 349 and 350. Each bag has its own barcoded tag on the outside, in a plastic holder. If you don't find 6 bags it is probably because some of them are enroute to or from the Foundation.
• The bags are kept in the ASURA  office, unless someone other than an office volunteer is handling the deposits..
• The Foundation returns bags to the ASURA office when they have removed the checks. 

Separate the checks into batches:

• Renewals and optional donations (gifts).
• Registration checks for an event. Each event should be a separate batch.
• A check from the Friends of the Phoenix Public Libary.

For each batch, assign an ASURA deposit number. The norm is to use a number that is one higher than you used for the last batch of this type (gift or non-gift) that was deposited. E.g., if the last gift deposit was assigned G00001, this one would be G00002.

• For gift deposits, assign the next Gnnnnn number.
• For non-gift deposits, assign the next Nnnnnn number.

No problem if you skip a number, but you should try not to duplicate one. The ASURA deposit number is internal to ASURA and not used by the Foundation.. Using it helps the Financial Operations Manager a great deal when working with the accounts.

If you are not sure what the last number was -- you should be able to determine it by looking in the "RFDs for Gifts" or "RFDs for NonGifts"  folder in Wild Apricot (you must be logged in and in Administrative view to use this link). 

In Excel, open the Request for Gift Deposit spreadsheet. Clicking on this link will download the form to your computer, in the folder designated for that browser (usually the Downloads folder). When you open it in Excel, click on the "Enable Editing" button in the yellow stripe at the top.

Fill in the information at the top (double-click in the box to make changes)::

• Replace the red Gnnnnnn with the deposit number you have established for this batch.
• Fill in the date submitted.
• Replace the red "name" and "phone" with your own name and phone.

Make sure you are using the correct RFD form. These instructions are for gifts (donations), including membership renewals. 

Fill in the person's name from check and the check number.

If the donor has not specified anything about the purpose of the donation, put the full amount in the Operations (Opns) column.

When the donor has specified where the money is to go, fill in the columns for each program with the amounts specified.

The Check Total column is calculated, and should match the total amount on the check. If not, review your work. If you use the formula in the Check Total column, enter =Sum(C5:F5) in row 5 and copy it down the column.

NOTE: If there is a donation check for $100 or more, make a copy of it or a note about it and pass the information to the Office Coordinator, who will see that the donor receives a thank-you letter.

The RFD spreadsheet has a line for "Total this deposit". It should show the total number of checks in the "Check #" column and the totals for each account and for all accounts in the other columns.

If you inserted some lines or if something goes wrong so that the totals line is missing or incorrect, add a new line. Add it at the bottom of the list, leaving a blank line. Set columns as follows. Don't forget the = sign before the formulae.

Check From Name - Total this deposit.

Check # - =COUNTA(B6:Bnn), where "nn" is the line number just before the totals line.

Amounts - =Sum(x6:xnn), where "x" is the column number "nn" is the line number just before the totals line. A quick way to do this is to enter the formula in the first amount column, then select it and drag across to select all amount columns. Then type Ctl-R. This populates all columns to the right of the first one with an appropriately updated sum.  

Make sure the result seems reasonable. If not, review the formulae or your entries.

Save the RFD on you computer with the name YYYYMMDD_Gnnnnn, where YYYMMDD is the current date and Gnnnnn is the deposit number you assigned to this batch.

Print a copy of the spreadsheet to send with the batch.

To safeguard records and also to share them, we keep a copy of each RFD on Wild Apricot.

To upload:

• Make sure you are logged in to Wild Apricot and in Administrative mode.
• Upload the RFD from your computer to the RFDs for Gifts folder within the Financial Records folder. You can do this by opening the folder in Wild Apricot and then dragging the RFD from you computer to the indicated gray area at the bottom of the righthand Wild Apricot window.

See "Working with Wild Apricot files" if you need help with this procedure.

Now you can delete the RFD from your computer.

For events or for a check from the Friends of the Phoenix Public Library, use the Request for Non-Gift Deposit spreadsheet.Clicking on this link will download the form to your computer, in the folder designated for that browser (usually the Downloads folder). When you open it in Excel, click on the "Enable Editing" button in the yellow stripe at the top.

Complete the information at the top of the spreadsheet. Double-click in a cell to edit its contents.

• Replace the second header line ("Event Name or...") with the name of the event. If this is a Friends of the Phoenix Public Library check use "Book Donation Agreement" here.
• In the Deposit to line, choose the appropriate account: G12136/FD300 if it is an event, G03616/FD320 if it is a Friends check. Delete the other account.
• Replace the red Nnnnnnn with the deposit number you have established for this batch.
• Fill in the date submitted.
• Replace the red "name" and "phone" with your own name and phone.

Make sure you are using the correct RFD form. These instructions are for non-gifts, such as registration checks for an event or a check from the Friends of the Phoenix Public Library.

Enter each check on a separate line. Use the name of the check writer in the "Check From Name" column.

If there are not enough lines before you hit the totals line, insert some.

If you are dealing with registration checks for an ASURA event -- do not complete and send the batch until the refund deadline has passed. The event organizer is expected to post a refund deadline that is before any expenses have been incurred. 

If the event is cancelled, return all checks to the senders.

If a registrant requests a refund prior to the refund deadline -- return the check to them.

The RFD spreadsheet has a line for "Total this deposit". It should show the total number of checks in the "Check #" column and the total amount of the deposit in the "Amount" column.

If you inserted some lines or if something goes wrong so that the totals line is missing or incorrect, add a new line. Add it at the bottom of the list, leaving a blank line. Set columns as follows: Don't forget the = sign before the two formulae.

Check From Name - Total this deposit.

Check # - =COUNTA(B6:Bnn), where "nn" is the line number just before the totals line.

Amount - =Sum(C6:Cnn), where "nn" is the line number just before the totals line.

Make sure the result seems reasonable. If not, review the formulae or your entries.

Save the RFD on your computer (where you can find it) with the name:

        YYYYMMDD_event_Nnnnnn, 

where YYYMMDD is the current date, event is a brief name for the event or "Books" for a Friends check, and DNnnnnn is the deposit number you assigned to this batch.

Print a copy of the spreadsheet to send with the batch.

To safeguard records and also to share them, we keep a copy of each RFD on Wild Apricot.

To upload:

• Make sure you are logged in to Wild Apricot and in Administrative mode.
• Upload the RFD from your computer to the RFDs for NonGifts folder within the Financial Records folder. You can do this by opening the folder in Wild Apricot and then dragging the RFD from you computer to the indicated gray area at the bottom of the righthand Wild Apricot window.

See "Working with Wild Apricot files" if you need help with this procedure.

Now you can delete the folder of documents from your computer.

Attach each batch of checks to its printed RFD with a paper clip. Place all batches in a cash bag.

Flip the barcoded external tag in its plastic holder to show that it is to be delivered to Mail Code 8108 (where the Foundation processes checks). 

Put the bag in the outgoing campus mail at the ASURA office.

The bag can be tracked through the ASU mail system:

• Navigate on your browser to the internal tracking system, SCLogic.
• Click on the "Login" tile then on the login window that opens click on "Log in with ASU Login". This will open the normal ASURITE login window. Log in with your ASURITE credentials.
• Click on the "Customer Search" tile. In the "Enter Tracking Number" box in the upper left, enter your bag number as it appears on the bag label, e.g., "depositbag150".
• In the "Search Type" pulldown, choose "Historical Assets".
• You should see a list of scans for the bag, including when it was picked up, when it arrived in Tempe Central Receiving for sorting, when it was picked up by a driver to put in his vehicle, and when it was delivered.

When the Foundation receives the cash bag, they will process the checks and stamp a copy of your RFD with "Received" and their date.

File this paper in a folder. These paper copies can be held for 3 months in case questions arise.