Check Scanning: Streamline Cash & Check Giving at Your Church

Many churches still receive a significant portion of their giving through cash and checks. Whether it’s Sunday morning offerings, special campaigns, or building fund drives, processing paper checks can be time-consuming and error-prone. Staff often spend hours manually entering check data, reconciling batches, and preparing deposits—time that could be spent on ministry instead.

One Scan, Multiple Benefits

OnlineGiving.org’s Check Scanning feature is designed to change that. This cloud-based application lets you scan a batch of checks once and use that data for donation records, ChMS (Church Management System) importing, and optionally direct electronic deposit. No more double-entry. No more re-keying donor names, amounts, or fund designations. The system uses advanced OCR (optical character recognition) and MICR (magnetic ink character recognition) technology to read check images and automatically extract key information.

Imagine this: After your Sunday service, you place a stack of checks into a compatible check scanner, connect to the Check Scan App, and scan the batch. Within moments, the system has read each check’s routing number, account number, amount, and payee information. It then matches donors to your existing donor database, suggests funds based on memo lines, and presents each check for your quick review. Once you confirm the details and submit the batch, your transactions are recorded and you can generate a deposit slip for the bank—or, if you have remote deposit configured, submit for electronic deposit.

Scan Without Remote Deposit

Not every church needs or wants electronic remote deposit. Maybe your bank doesn’t support it, your finance committee prefers physical deposits, or you simply want a simpler setup. Direct Check Scanning gives you the full scanning experience—AI-powered OCR, intelligent donor matching, smart fund detection, multi-fund splits, and permanent check images—without the requirement of remote deposit.

Scan your checks, record the transactions, print a professional Deposit Slip, and take the physical checks to your bank. Transactions are approved immediately—no waiting for electronic deposit processing. Your ChMS sync happens right away.

Remote Deposit and ChMS Integration

For churches that do use remote deposit, Check Scanning integrates with industry-leading check processing. Scanned checks are submitted for electronic deposit, so funds reach your church’s bank account faster than traditional check deposits. At the same time, donation records are created in OnlineGiving.org and can sync to your ChMS—including Ministry Platform, Rock RMS, and Planning Center—so your giving history stays unified across platforms.

For multi-campus churches, the feature supports campus-specific funds and designations. Each check can be assigned to the appropriate campus and fund, and the system remembers donor preferences when possible. Whether you’re processing a single campus’s offering or a combined batch from multiple services, Check Scanning adapts to your church’s structure.

Professional Deposit Slips

After submitting a batch, you can generate a professional Deposit Slip with one click. The deposit slip lists every check with its check number, donor name, and amount. Cash items are listed separately. Subtotals for checks and cash are calculated automatically, along with a grand total. Save as PDF (landscape format), export to Excel or CSV for your bookkeeper, or print a copy to take to the bank. Deposit slips are available for all check scanning batches, Quick Entry check batches, and cash batches.

View Check Images Anytime

Every scanned check is stored with front and rear images. When you view a donation in the Donations or Transactions area, you can open the check image directly from the transaction detail. This is invaluable for reconciliation, donor inquiries, and audit trails. No need to dig through physical checks or separate image files—everything is linked to the transaction.

In this article, we’ll overview the OnlineGiving.org Check Scanning feature.

Check Scanning User Guide:

The Check Scanning feature is a cloud-based application that allows church administrators to scan batches of checks, review and correct extracted data, and either submit for remote deposit or record transactions directly with a printable deposit slip. The feature requires a compatible check scanner and is accessed from the control panel under the Giving section.

Key Takeaways

• Scan Without Remote Deposit: Use full check scanning capabilities without an electronic deposit account—scan checks, record transactions, and print a deposit slip for the bank.
• Scan Once, Use Everywhere: Scan a batch of checks once; the same data powers donation records, ChMS sync, and optionally remote deposit.
• Automated Data Extraction: OCR and MICR technology read check images to extract amounts, routing numbers, account numbers, and payee information.
• Donor and Fund Matching: The system suggests donor matches and fund designations based on check data and your existing database.
• Review and Confirm: Each check is presented for review before submission; you can correct amounts, assign donors, and split gifts across multiple funds.
• Professional Deposit Slip: Generate a bank-ready deposit slip with PDF, Excel, and CSV export options for any check or cash batch.
• Per-Batch Flexibility: Churches with remote deposit can choose between electronic deposit and record-only mode on every batch.
• Check Images on Transactions: View front and rear check images from any transaction detail in Donations or Transactions.

Table of Contents

1. How Check Scanning Works
   • Prerequisites and Access
   • Workflow Overview
2. The Check Scan App Interface
   • Connecting Your Scanner
   • Choosing a Deposit Method
   • Scanning a Batch
3. Processing Checks
   • Reviewing and Editing Check Data
   • Assigning Donors
   • Fund and Sub-Fund Designation
   • Splitting Gifts Across Multiple Funds
4. Submitting the Batch
   • Record Only Mode (Direct Check Scanning)
   • Remote Deposit Mode
5. Deposit Slip
   • Generating a Deposit Slip
   • PDF, Excel, and CSV Exports
6. Viewing Check Images
7. Bill Pay Check Handling
8. Integration with Donations
9. Frequently Asked Questions

How Check Scanning Works

Prerequisites and Access

Check Scanning is available to all churches with a compatible check scanner on their network. No additional configuration is required to get started—simply connect your scanner and begin scanning. Remote deposit is an optional add-on for churches that want electronic bank deposit.

Access the Check Scan App from the control panel by clicking “Check Scanning” in the left navigation under the Giving section. The app opens at /admin/checkscan/app and presents a dedicated interface for scanning and processing checks.

Workflow Overview

The typical workflow is: Connect to your scanner, choose your deposit method (if remote deposit is available), prepare the scanner (load checks, follow on-screen prompts), scan the batch, review each check, correct any data as needed, assign donors and funds, then submit the batch. In record-only mode, transactions are approved immediately and you can generate a deposit slip for the bank. In remote deposit mode, the batch is queued for electronic deposit. In both cases, donation records are created and available for ChMS sync.

The Check Scan App Interface

Connecting Your Scanner

When you first open the Check Scan App, you will see the connection screen. Enter your scanner’s IP address to connect. Once connected, the app displays the scanner status and you can proceed to scan your checks. If the connection fails, verify that the scanner is powered on, connected to the same network as your computer, and that no firewall is blocking communication.

Choosing a Deposit Method

If your church has remote deposit configured, you will see a deposit method toggle on the connection screen with two options:

• Remote Deposit — Checks will be submitted for electronic bank deposit after review (the traditional workflow).
• Record Only — Checks are recorded as approved transactions immediately. You take the physical checks to your bank and can generate a deposit slip.

Select your preferred method before connecting to the scanner. You can change the method on a per-batch basis—one batch can go electronic, the next can go to the bank in person.

If your church does not have remote deposit configured, the system operates in record-only mode automatically. You do not need to configure anything—just connect your scanner and start scanning.

Scanning a Batch

After connecting, follow the on-screen “Get Ready” steps to prepare your scanner. Load the checks into the scanner feed, then click to start the scan. The scanner captures front and rear images of each check and sends them to the cloud. The system processes each image using OCR and MICR to extract routing numbers, account numbers, check numbers, amounts, and payee information. As processing completes, checks appear in the review queue.

Processing Checks

Reviewing and Editing Check Data

Each check is displayed with its extracted data. You can expand a check to see and edit fields such as amount, routing number, account number, check number, memo, and donor information. The system validates routing and account numbers and flags duplicates (same routing, account, and check number in the batch). If the MICR was unreadable, you may need to enter data manually. Status indicators show whether a check is ready for review, valid for submission, or needs attention.

Assigning Donors

For each check, you can search for an existing donor by name, email, or other criteria. The system suggests matches based on the payee information read from the check. If a single match is found, it may be auto-selected. You can also add a new donor by entering first name, last name, and other details. Donor assignment is required before submission so that donation records are correctly attributed.

Fund and Sub-Fund Designation

Each check must be assigned to at least one fund. The system may suggest funds based on keywords in the memo line or based on the donor’s previous giving. Select the appropriate fund and, if your church uses sub-funds, the sub-fund. You can set a default fund for the batch to speed up data entry.

Splitting Gifts Across Multiple Funds

If a single check is designated for multiple funds (for example, half to General Fund and half to Missions), you can add multiple fund lines. Enter the amount for each line and assign the corresponding fund and sub-fund. The total must equal the check amount.

Submitting the Batch

Record Only Mode (Direct Check Scanning)

In record-only mode, ensure every check has been reviewed, has a valid amount, donor, and fund assignment, and that the batch total is correct. Enter a batch name and batch date. Click “Submit Batch” to process. Transactions are created and approved immediately—no waiting for bank processing. Your donations are available in the Donations area and will sync to your ChMS right away.

After submission, a “Deposit Slip” button appears on the confirmation screen. Click it to view your bank-ready deposit slip showing every check and cash item with totals.

Remote Deposit Mode

In remote deposit mode, ensure every check has been reviewed, has a valid amount, donor, and fund assignment, and that the batch total is correct. Enter a batch name and batch date. Click “Deposit Batch” to submit. The system saves all check data, then queues the batch for electronic direct deposit. You will see a confirmation message once the batch is submitted. Transactions are created and will appear in the Donations area once the deposit is processed.

Deposit Slip

Generating a Deposit Slip

A deposit slip provides a professional, bank-ready summary of all checks and cash in a batch. To access a deposit slip:

1. After submitting a record-only batch, click the “Deposit Slip” button on the confirmation screen.
2. Or, navigate to Giving > Batches, find your batch, click the gear icon, and select “Deposit Slip.”

The deposit slip displays:

• Your organization name and the batch date
• A table of checks: check number, donor name, and amount for each physical check
• A table of cash items: donor name and amount
• Subtotals for checks and cash, plus a grand total
• A draft watermark on batches that have not yet been finalized

Checks are grouped by physical check—if a donor splits one check across multiple funds, the deposit slip shows the check once with its total amount, which is what your bank teller expects to see.

PDF, Excel, and CSV Exports

From the deposit slip page, you can:

• Save as PDF: Generates a landscape-format PDF with minimal margins, ready for printing or filing.
• Export to Excel: Downloads an .xlsx file with all deposit slip data.
• Export to CSV: Downloads a .csv file for import into accounting software or spreadsheets.
• Print: Use your browser’s print function to produce a hard copy.

Deposit slips are available for all batch types that include paper checks or cash: check scanning batches, Quick Entry check batches, and cash batches.

Viewing Check Images

After a batch is submitted, each check is linked to a donation transaction. From the Donations or Transactions list, open any transaction that was created from Check Scanning. You will see options to view the front and rear check images. The images are displayed in a viewer that supports zoom and full-size viewing. This is useful for reconciliation, donor questions, and audit purposes.

Bill Pay Check Handling

Many donors use their bank’s Bill Pay service to send checks to the church. These checks are issued by the bank on the donor’s behalf, which means the check often shows the bank’s name, phone number, and corporate mailing address instead of the donor’s personal information. The routing and account numbers on the check also belong to the bank, not the donor.

OnlineGiving.org automatically detects Bill Pay checks during scanning. The system looks for indicators such as the word “bank” in the payee name, or phrases like “bill pay,” “commercial disbursement,” or “mutual customer” on the check. When a Bill Pay check is detected:

• The bank’s name, phone, and address are cleared — they are never saved to the donor’s profile, which means they can never sync to your Church Management System
• The bank’s routing and account numbers are excluded from donor matching — the system still matches donors using their name and other information, but not the bank’s numbers (since multiple donors using the same bank would share the same routing and account numbers)
• Fund suggestions based on routing/account numbers are skipped — however, if the donor writes a fund name in the memo line (like “Building Fund”), that suggestion still works normally
• A “Bill Pay Check Detected” notice appears in the batch review screen when you expand the check, so your team knows the system recognized it and handled it appropriately

This ensures that bank data never overwrites your donor’s real contact information in OnlineGiving.org or any connected ChMS such as Planning Center, MinistryPlatform, or Rock RMS.

Additional Planning Center Protection

For churches using Planning Center, an additional setting called “Skip Updating Existing Addresses in Planning Center” can be enabled. When active, OnlineGiving.org checks whether a donor already has an address on file in Planning Center before adding or updating one. If an address already exists, the update is skipped entirely. Contact support to enable this setting for your church.

Integration with Donations

Check Scanning creates donation transactions that appear in your Donations and Batch Groups areas. These transactions are grouped by batch and can be filtered by batch group. They sync to your ChMS if you have Ministry Platform, Rock RMS, or Planning Center integration enabled. Transaction emails can be sent to donors if that setting is turned on for Quick Entry and Check Scanning. In record-only mode, transactions are approved immediately. In remote deposit mode, transaction status may update as the deposit is processed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need remote deposit to use Check Scanning?

No. Check Scanning works without remote deposit. You can scan checks, record transactions, and print a deposit slip for your bank. Remote deposit is an optional add-on for churches that want electronic bank deposit. If you do not have remote deposit configured, the system operates in record-only mode automatically.

What is the difference between Record Only and Remote Deposit?

In Record Only mode, scanned checks are recorded as approved transactions immediately. You take the physical checks to your bank and can generate a deposit slip. In Remote Deposit mode, checks are submitted electronically for bank deposit—you do not need to visit the bank. Both modes create donation records and sync to your ChMS.

Can I switch between Record Only and Remote Deposit?

Yes. If your church has remote deposit configured, you can choose the deposit method on a per-batch basis. One batch can go to electronic deposit, and the next can be record-only. The toggle appears on the scanner connection screen.

How do I get a deposit slip?

After submitting a record-only batch, a “Deposit Slip” button appears on the confirmation screen. You can also find it anytime by going to Giving > Batches, clicking the gear icon on any check or cash batch, and selecting “Deposit Slip.” The deposit slip is also available for Quick Entry check and cash batches.

What export formats are available for the deposit slip?

You can save the deposit slip as a PDF (landscape format), export to Excel (.xlsx), or export to CSV. You can also use your browser’s print function for a hard copy.

What happens when a donor sends a Bill Pay check through their bank?

OnlineGiving.org automatically detects Bill Pay checks during scanning. When detected, the bank’s name, phone number, and mailing address are cleared and never saved to the donor’s profile. The bank’s routing and account numbers are excluded from donor matching and fund suggestions. A “Bill Pay Check Detected” notice appears in the batch review screen. Your team doesn’t need to do anything differently—the system handles it automatically.

Will Bill Pay checks still match to the correct donor?

Yes. Donor matching still works using the donor’s name, phone, address, and any external IDs from your Church Management System. Only the bank’s routing and account numbers are excluded from matching, because those numbers belong to the bank and could match multiple unrelated donors. If the donor writes a fund name in the memo line, the system still suggests the correct fund.

Can I prevent OnlineGiving.org from updating addresses in Planning Center?

Yes. A setting called “Skip Updating Existing Addresses in Planning Center” can be enabled for your church. When active, OnlineGiving.org checks whether the donor already has an address in Planning Center before adding or updating one. If an address exists, the update is skipped. Contact support at support@onlinegiving.org to enable this setting.

How do I get Check Scanning enabled for my church?

Check Scanning is available to all churches with a compatible check scanner. Simply navigate to Giving > Check Scanning in the control panel and connect your scanner. No additional configuration is required for record-only mode. If you would like to add remote deposit for electronic bank deposits, contact us at support@onlinegiving.org or call (615) 206-4000.

What check scanners are compatible?

The Check Scan App works with compatible network-connected check scanners that support the required image and MICR capture. Specific models and requirements are provided during onboarding. The app connects to scanners via IP address on your local network.

Can I edit a check after the batch is submitted?

Once a batch is submitted, the transactions are created. In record-only mode, transactions are approved immediately. In remote deposit mode, changes depend on deposit status. For significant corrections before submission, remove the check from the batch and re-scan or re-add it in a new batch.

What happens if the MICR is unreadable?

If the scanner or OCR cannot read the MICR line, the check will be flagged for manual entry. You can enter the routing number, account number, check number, and amount manually. The system will still process the check once the data is valid and complete.

How does Check Scanning work with multi-campus churches?

Check Scanning supports multi-campus setups. You can assign each check to a campus and fund. The system uses your church’s fund and campus configuration, and ChMS sync will reflect the correct campus and fund designations for each donation.

Where do I find my scanned batches after submission?

After submission, use the link provided in the confirmation message to go directly to the batch. You can also navigate to Giving > Batches and filter by Check Scanning batch type, or go to Donations and filter by batch group ID to see all transactions from a specific batch.

Need help setting up? Contact us at support@onlinegiving.org or (615) 206-4000.