Financial Batches: Streamline Church Deposit Reconciliation
Church financial management demands accuracy and accountability. Every tithe, offering, and special gift that flows through your giving platform needs to be tracked, batched, and reconciled with your bank deposits and accounting system. For many churches, this process used to mean manual spreadsheets, late nights before board meetings, and the constant worry that something might slip through the cracks.
Why Batch Reconciliation Matters
Financial batches group transactions by payment type and date, creating a clear audit trail from online giving to your general ledger. When your treasurer prepares the weekly deposit or your bookkeeper imports data into ShelbyNext or QuickBooks, having well-organized batches makes the job straightforward. You can quickly verify that the total in your bank matches the total in OnlineGiving.org, and you can trace any discrepancy back to a specific batch and its individual transactions.
OnlineGiving.org automatically creates financial batches as donations and payments come in. Card transactions, ACH bank transfers, cash, checks, scanned checks, and even PayPal or Venmo payments are each grouped into their own batches by date and payment type. This structure aligns with how most church accounting systems expect deposit data—making it easier to import, reconcile, and report.
From Giving Platform to General Ledger
Whether your church uses ShelbyNext, QuickBooks Desktop, or a simple spreadsheet for month-end close, the Financial Batches feature provides export formats designed for each workflow. You can export a generic CSV of all batches for custom reporting, or use the ShelbyNext Deposits CSV and QuickBooks Desktop IIF exports to push deposit data directly into your accounting software. Each export respects your filters and date ranges, so you can export exactly the batches you need for a given period.
Beyond exports, the Financial Batches page lets you track accounting status for each batch—marking batches as New, Open, Closed, Reconciled, Pending, Active, or Archived. This helps your team stay on the same page about which deposits have been entered into your accounting system and which still need attention.
In this article, we’ll overview the OnlineGiving.org Financial Batches feature.
Financial Batches User Guide
The Financial Batches page in the OnlineGiving.org control panel displays all transaction batches created by your giving platform. Batches are grouped by payment type (card, ACH, cash, check, and more) and date, making it easy to view, filter, export, and reconcile deposits with your bank and accounting system.
Access requires the Donor Admin role. From the left navigation, go to Transaction Financial Batches (or Financial Batches) under the Giving section.
Key Takeaways
- View and filter batches: See all batches in a sortable, filterable table with date range, batch type, gateway, status, and accounting status.
- Date filtering: Use the date range picker to focus on a specific period for reconciliation or reporting.
- Export options: Export a generic CSV spreadsheet, ShelbyNext Deposits CSV, or QuickBooks Desktop IIF file for accounting integration.
- Accounting status: Track each batch’s reconciliation state (New, Open, Closed, Reconciled, etc.) with inline dropdown updates.
- Drill down to transactions: Click the actions menu on any batch to view its individual transactions.
Table of Contents
- Viewing Financial Batches
- Filtering and Sorting
- Export Formats
- Batch Details and Transactions
- Accounting Status
- Tips for Smooth Reconciliation
- Frequently Asked Questions
Viewing Financial Batches
The Financial Batches page displays a table of all batches for your church. Batches are sorted by date (newest first) by default. Each row shows the batch date, name, total amount, type, gateway, status, and accounting status.
Understanding Batch Columns
Date: The batch date, typically the date of the transactions included in the batch.
Name: A descriptive batch name, such as “Card Batch 03/15/2025” or “ACH Batch 03/15/2025.” Cash and scanned check batches may include a batch group identifier when applicable.
Total: The net total amount for the batch (approved transactions minus refunds within the batch date range).
Type: The payment type—Card, ACH, Cash, Check, Scanned Checks, Failed ACH, Failed Scanned Checks, Non-cash Asset, PayPal/Venmo, or Blockchain.
Gateway: The payment gateway used (e.g., Donations, or an alternate gateway name if configured).
Status: Either Open (batch is still receiving transactions) or Closed (batch is finalized). Only closed batches can be exported to ShelbyNext or QuickBooks Desktop.
Acct Status: Your internal accounting status for reconciliation tracking. Options include New, Open, Closed, Reconciled, Pending, Active, and Archived.
Batch Types
Batches are created automatically based on payment type:
- Card: Credit and debit card transactions
- ACH: Electronic check (bank transfer) donations
- Cash: Cash donations recorded via batch groups
- Check: Paper checks (non-scanned)
- Scanned Checks: Checks processed through the check scanning feature
- Failed ACH: ACH transactions that were rejected by the bank
- Failed Scanned Checks: Scanned checks that were rejected
- Non-cash Asset: Asset donations (e.g., stock, vehicles)
- PayPal/Venmo: PayPal and Venmo wallet payments
- Blockchain: Cryptocurrency donations
Filtering and Sorting
Use the filter row below the column headers to narrow results. Enter values in any combination of fields and submit the form (or press Enter) to apply filters. Active filters appear as removable chips above the table; click the X on a chip to remove that filter.
Date Range Filter
The date range picker lets you focus on a specific period. Click the date field to open the calendar and select a start and end date. This is especially useful when reconciling a specific week or month, or when preparing exports for your accounting period.
Quick Filter Presets
The Filters dropdown provides one-click presets for common batch types: Check Scan Batches, Failed Check Scan Batches, Cash Batches, Check Batches, Card Batches, ACH Batches, and Failed ACH Batches. Selecting a preset applies that filter and refreshes the table.
You can also sort by clicking column headers: Date, Name, Total, Type, Gateway, or Status. The default sort is Date descending. Use the Results Per Page dropdown (10, 20, 50, or 100) to control pagination.
Export Formats
The Export Results dropdown offers three export options. The generic CSV export uses your current filters; the ShelbyNext and QuickBooks Desktop exports require you to select one or more closed batches via the checkboxes in the table.
Generic CSV Spreadsheet
Exports all batches matching your current filters to a CSV file. Use this for custom reporting, backup, or importing into spreadsheets. The export includes all batch properties (date, name, type, total, status, etc.). No batch selection is required—the export reflects whatever is visible based on your filters.
ShelbyNext Deposits CSV
Exports selected closed batches in a format designed for ShelbyNext. You must check one or more closed batches, then choose Export ShelbyNext Deposits CSV. A modal opens where you enter:
- Company Number: Your ShelbyNext company identifier
- Period: Optional; defaults to “Use Batch Month”
- Journal Code: Defaults to “OG”
- Bank Account Name: Required
- Shelby Bank Account Number: Required
ShelbyNext export requires that your funds and sub-funds are configured with ShelbyNext attributes in OnlineGiving.org. If you are using this export for the first time, contact support at support@onlinegiving.org or (615) 206-4000 for guidance on fund configuration and initial transaction setup.
QuickBooks Desktop IIF
Exports selected closed batches as an IIF (Intuit Interchange Format) file for QuickBooks Desktop. Check one or more closed batches, then choose Export QuickBooks Desktop Deposits IIF. The file downloads and can be imported into QuickBooks Desktop.
QuickBooks Desktop export must be enabled for your church. If you see a message that QuickBooks Desktop is not enabled, contact support@onlinegiving.org to enable this feature.
Batch Details and Transactions
Each batch row has an actions menu (gear icon). From there, select View Transactions to open the Donations (Transactions) page filtered to that batch. You can review every transaction in the batch, verify amounts, and troubleshoot any discrepancies.
For non-cash asset batches, the link goes to the Asset Donations view instead. For all other batch types, it goes to the standard transactions list with the batch filter applied.
Accounting Status
The Acct Status column includes a dropdown for each batch. Use it to track where each batch stands in your reconciliation workflow. Options include:
- NEW: Batch has not yet been reviewed
- OPEN: In progress
- CLOSED: Entered into accounting
- RECONCILED: Matched with bank statement
- PENDING: Awaiting action
- ACTIVE: Currently active in workflow
- ARCHIVED: Completed and filed
Changes to accounting status are saved automatically when you select a new value. This helps your treasurer and bookkeeper coordinate without leaving the control panel.
Tips for Smooth Reconciliation
Reconciling financial batches works best when you establish a consistent routine. Many churches reconcile weekly: after the weekend services, filter batches by the past week’s date range, export to ShelbyNext or QuickBooks, and update accounting status as you go. Marking batches as Reconciled once they match your bank statement helps avoid double-counting and keeps your team aligned.
If you use multiple payment gateways (e.g., Donations plus an alternate gateway for events), use the Gateway filter to review each gateway’s batches separately. This can simplify reconciliation when deposits are split across different bank accounts or accounting codes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why can I only export closed batches to ShelbyNext and QuickBooks Desktop?
ShelbyNext and QuickBooks Desktop exports represent finalized deposits. Open batches may still receive new transactions or refunds, so exporting them could lead to mismatched totals. Once a batch is closed, its totals are fixed and safe to import into your accounting system.
What is the difference between batch status and accounting status?
Batch status (Open or Closed) is set by the system and indicates whether the batch is still receiving transactions. Accounting status is a label you control to track your internal reconciliation workflow—whether the batch has been entered into ShelbyNext, QuickBooks, or your general ledger, and whether it has been reconciled with your bank.
How do I get ShelbyNext or QuickBooks Desktop export enabled?
ShelbyNext export is available once your funds and sub-funds are configured with ShelbyNext attributes. QuickBooks Desktop export requires a domain-level setting. Contact support@onlinegiving.org or (615) 206-4000 for setup assistance. OnlineGiving.org provides courtesy setup help for these integrations.
Can I export batches from multiple gateways?
Yes. Use the Gateway filter to view batches from a specific gateway, or leave it blank to see all. When exporting to ShelbyNext or QuickBooks Desktop, you can select batches from different gateways; each batch will include its gateway information in the export.
What if my batch total doesn’t match my bank deposit?
Use View Transactions from the batch actions menu to review each transaction. Check for refunds, failed transactions, or timing differences (e.g., a transaction that posted on a different day than the batch date). If you need help, contact support@onlinegiving.org with the batch ID and a description of the discrepancy.
Do failed ACH or failed check scan batches affect my deposit totals?
Failed batches represent transactions that were rejected by the bank. They are tracked separately so you can follow up with donors and correct payment methods. These batches typically show negative or zero totals and are excluded from your normal deposit workflow. Use the Failed ACH or Failed Check Scan filters to review them when needed.
Need help setting up Financial Batches or configuring ShelbyNext or QuickBooks Desktop exports? Contact us at support@onlinegiving.org or (615) 206-4000.