Quick Entry: Speed Up Your Sunday Offering Workflow

Monday morning after Sunday service. The offering has been counted, the cash and checks are sorted, and someone needs to record every gift into your church’s giving system. For years, that meant manual entry into spreadsheets, handwritten logs, or separate systems that never quite synced with your online donations. Today, churches using OnlineGiving.org have a better option: Quick Entry, a bulk data entry tool designed specifically for recording cash, paper checks, and non-cash asset donations in batches.

Streamlining the Counting Room Workflow

Quick Entry is built for the real-world rhythm of church giving. When your office admin or finance team sits down to enter Sunday’s offering, they open Quick Entry from the Batches page, choose the batch type (cash, check, or non-cash asset), and add each gift one row at a time. Donor search is built in: type a name, email, phone, or even a routing and account number for repeat check donors, and the system finds matches from both OnlineGiving.org and your ChMS (Church Management System) if you have integration enabled. For first-time givers, you can create a new donor on the spot. Each entry gets an amount, fund, and optional memo. When you’re done, you enter a batch name and date, confirm the batch total matches the sum of all entries, and click Commit Batch. The system creates the batch, records every transaction, and sends them to your Donations page, Financial Batches, and ChMS—all in one step.

That workflow replaces hours of double-entry and reconciliation headaches. Instead of maintaining separate spreadsheets or manual logs, your team records gifts directly into the same system that powers your online giving, recurring schedules, and donor statements. Cash and check donations appear alongside card and ACH transactions in reports, year-end statements, and ChMS sync. The result is a unified giving history that reflects every way your congregation gives.

Three Batch Types for Every Giving Scenario

Quick Entry supports three batch types, each tailored to how the gift was received. Cash batches are for cash donations: no routing or account numbers required, just donor, amount, and fund. Check batches require routing number, account number, and check number for each entry; the system validates routing numbers and can match repeat check donors by account to suggest fund designations from past giving. Non-cash asset batches handle donations of stock, vehicles, real estate, cryptocurrency, or other non-cash assets. Each non-cash entry needs an asset type, asset name, quantity, and optional description; the amount field can be zero if the asset is being held rather than liquidated.

You choose the batch type when you start a new batch from the Batches page. The Create New Batch dropdown offers New Cash Batch, New Check Batch, and New Non-Cash Asset Batch. Once you select one, Quick Entry opens with the appropriate fields for that type. You can also copy an existing cash batch as a new batch to reuse the same donor and fund structure for a new date—a handy shortcut when your Sunday offering pattern is similar week to week.

From Quick Entry to Financial Batches and ChMS

When you commit a Quick Entry batch, OnlineGiving.org creates a Transaction Batch (also called a Donation Batch) and associates it with a Financial Batch. Financial Batches group all transactions by payment type and date for reconciliation and export to accounting systems like ShelbyNext and QuickBooks. Your manually entered cash and check batches appear alongside card and ACH batches in the Financial Batches page, so your treasurer can export a complete picture of deposits for any period.

If your church uses a ChMS integration (Ministry Platform, Rock RMS, Planning Center, Breeze ChMS, Church Community Builder, TouchPoint, Aplos, Fellowship One, and others), Quick Entry transactions sync to your ChMS just like online donations. Donor search in Quick Entry can look up contacts in your ChMS, and new donors created during batch entry can be linked to ChMS records. Transaction notifications and email receipts (when enabled) apply to manually entered gifts as well.

In this article, we’ll overview the OnlineGiving.org Quick Entry feature.

Quick Entry User Guide:

Quick Entry is OnlineGiving.org’s bulk data entry tool for recording cash, paper check, and non-cash asset donations in batches. It is accessed from the Batches page under the Giving section of the control panel. You create a batch by choosing the type (cash, check, or non-cash asset), adding each donation as a row, assigning donors and funds, and committing when the batch total matches the sum of all entries. Quick Entry batches become Transaction Batches that flow into Donations, Financial Batches, and ChMS integrations. Access requires the Donor Admin role.

Key Takeaways

• Access from Batches: Open Quick Entry via the Create New Batch dropdown on the Batches page; choose New Cash Batch, New Check Batch, or New Non-Cash Asset Batch.
• Donor search or create: For each entry, search for an existing donor by name, email, phone, or (for checks) routing and account number; or create a new donor with first name, last name, and optional contact details.
• Fund designation and splits: Assign each gift to at least one fund (and sub-fund if applicable); use Add Additional Fund to split a single gift across multiple funds.
• Batch total must match: Before committing, enter batch name and date; the batch total you enter must exactly match the sum of all transaction amounts.
• Copy as New Batch: For cash batches, use Copy as New Batch from the actions menu to pre-fill Quick Entry with the same donor and fund structure for a new date.

Table of Contents

1. Overview
   • Batch Types
   • Connection to Batch Groups
2. How to Access Quick Entry
3. Creating a Batch
   • Batch Name and Date
   • Default Fund and Sub-Fund
4. Entering Donations
   • Donor Search and Assignment
   • Creating a New Donor
   • Fund and Sub-Fund Designation
   • Splitting Gifts Across Multiple Funds
   • Check-Specific Fields
   • Non-Cash Asset Fields
5. Reviewing and Submitting
6. Connection to Financial Batches
7. Tips for Accuracy
8. Frequently Asked Questions

Overview

Quick Entry is a single-page application within the control panel. When you open it, you see a form with batch-level fields (batch name, batch date, default fund) at the top and a table of donation entries below. Each row can be expanded to show the full entry form: donor search or new donor fields, amount, fund, memo, and type-specific fields (routing/account/check number for checks; asset type, name, quantity, description for non-cash assets). You add rows with the Add Row button, expand a row to fill it in, and use Previous/Next or Add Row to move between entries. When all entries are complete and valid, you enter the batch total (which must match the calculated sum), then click Commit Batch to save.

Batch Types

Quick Entry supports three batch types:

• Cash: Cash donations. No routing, account, or check number required. Donor, amount, and fund are the core fields.
• Check: Paper checks entered manually (not scanned). Requires routing number (9-digit, validated), account number, and check number for each entry. The system uses routing and account to match repeat donors and suggest funds.
• Non-Cash Asset: Donations of stock, vehicles, real estate, cryptocurrency, or other non-cash assets. Requires asset type (Stocks/Bonds/Mutual Funds, Real Estate, Personal Property, Business Interests, Cryptocurrency, or Other), asset name, quantity, and optional description. Amount can be zero if the asset is being held rather than liquidated.

Check Scanning is a separate feature that uses a physical scanner; Check Scan batches appear in the same Batches list but are created through the Check Scanning app, not Quick Entry.

Connection to Batch Groups

Quick Entry batches are Transaction Batches (Donation Batches) that appear on the Batches page. Each batch has a name, date, total amount, control amount, type, and status. After you commit, the batch status becomes Completed. You can view transactions, edit the batch name and date, and (for cash batches) copy the batch as a new batch from the actions menu on the Batches page.

How to Access Quick Entry

1. Log in to the control panel.
2. From the left navigation, click “Batches” under the Giving section.
3. Click the “Create New Batch” dropdown.
4. Select “New Cash Batch”, “New Check Batch”, or “New Non-Cash Asset Batch”.

Quick Entry opens in a new view. The breadcrumb shows Batches > Quick Entry > Manage. The page title reflects the batch type (e.g., “Cash Batch Quick Entry” or “Check Batch Quick Entry”).

Creating a Batch

A Quick Entry batch is created when you commit it. Until then, you are building the batch by adding entries. Before committing, you must enter a batch name and batch date. You can optionally set a default fund and sub-fund so that new rows inherit those values.

Batch Name and Date

Batch Name is required. Use a descriptive name such as “Sunday 03/15 Cash” or “Wednesday Offering Checks”. The batch date must be within 30 days in the future; dates further out are rejected. The batch date becomes the payment date for all transactions in the batch.

A batch with the same name and date cannot already exist. If you try to commit a batch that duplicates an existing one, the system will return an error.

Default Fund and Sub-Fund

The Default Fund and Default Sub-Fund dropdowns at the top of the form let you pre-select a fund for new entries. When you add a row, it will start with this fund and sub-fund selected. You can change it per entry. This is optional but speeds up data entry when most gifts go to the same fund (e.g., General Fund).

Entering Donations

Each donation is a row in the Quick Entry table. Click a row to expand it and see the full form. Required fields vary by batch type. For all types: donor (search or new), amount, and fund are required. For checks: routing, account, and check number are also required. For non-cash assets: asset type, asset name, and quantity are required.

Donor Search and Assignment

For each entry, you either search for an existing donor or create a new one. Use the search field and click Search to find donors by keyword. You can search by:

• Last name, first name (e.g., “Smith, John”)
• First name and last name (e.g., “John Smith”)
• Email address
• Phone number
• Address
• Organization name
• For checks: routing and account number (format: “Account: [account, routing]”)

The system searches OnlineGiving.org users and, if ChMS integration is enabled, your ChMS contacts. Matches appear in a dropdown; select one to assign the donor. If a donor from your ChMS is selected, it may show an “External Match” label. Quick Search labels below the search field let you click pre-filled values (e.g., last name, first name from a previous field) to run a search quickly.

Creating a New Donor

If no match is found or the donor is new, click Create New Donor. Enter first name and last name (required), and optionally middle name, phone, email, organization, address, city, state, zip, donor envelope ID, and preferred campus. If you do not have an email, the system can use a generated unknown email. The new donor is created in OnlineGiving.org when you commit the batch and may sync to your ChMS depending on your configuration.

Fund and Sub-Fund Designation

Each entry must be assigned to at least one fund. Select the fund from the dropdown; if your church uses sub-funds, select the sub-fund as well. The fund list reflects your church’s active funds and campus structure. For repeat donors, the system may suggest fund matches based on past giving; click a suggested fund to apply it.

Splitting Gifts Across Multiple Funds

If a single gift is designated for multiple funds (e.g., half to General Fund and half to Missions), click Add Additional Fund. This adds multiple fund lines; enter the amount for each line and assign the corresponding fund and sub-fund. The total of all lines must equal the transaction amount. You can remove a line with the remove button. When using multi-fund splits, the main amount field is calculated automatically from the sum of the line amounts.

Check-Specific Fields

For check batches, each entry requires:

• Routing Number: 9-digit bank routing number. The system validates the routing number format.
• Account Number: Bank account number. The last 4 digits are stored for matching repeat donors.
• Check Number: The check number from the physical check.

The system uses routing and account to match repeat check donors and may suggest fund designations based on past giving.

Non-Cash Asset Fields

For non-cash asset batches, each entry requires:

• Asset Type: Select from Stocks/Bonds & Mutual Funds, Real Estate, Personal Property (Vehicles, Art, Collectibles), Business Interests, Cryptocurrency, or Other.
• Asset Name: A descriptive name (e.g., ticker symbol for stock, property address for real estate, make/model for vehicles).
• Quantity: Number of units (e.g., shares of stock).
• Description: Optional description (max 1000 characters).
• Amount: Optional; can be zero. For liquidated assets, enter the USD value after liquidation. For held assets, enter 0.

Reviewing and Submitting

Before committing, ensure every entry has a valid donor, amount, and fund assignment. Each row shows a status label (e.g., Ready to Save, Needs Review). Fix any entries marked as needing review. Enter the batch name and batch date at the top. The batch total you enter must exactly match the sum of all transaction amounts; the system will reject the commit if they do not match.

Click Commit Batch to submit. The system validates all entries, creates the batch, creates all transactions, and sets the batch status to Completed. You are then redirected to the Donations page filtered by the new batch, or you can click View Transactions from the success message. Transactions are available in Donations, linked to Financial Batches for reconciliation, and queued for ChMS sync, transaction notifications, and email receipts if enabled.

Connection to Financial Batches

When you commit a Quick Entry batch, its transactions are associated with Financial Batches. Financial Batches group all transactions (card, ACH, cash, check, non-cash asset) by payment type and date for reconciliation and export to accounting systems like ShelbyNext and QuickBooks. Your treasurer can use the Financial Batches page to export a complete picture of deposits for any period, including manually entered cash and check batches.

Tips for Accuracy

• Reconcile before committing: Compare the displayed batch total to your physical count or deposit slip. The batch total must match exactly.
• Use default fund when appropriate: If most gifts go to the same fund, set a default fund to speed entry and reduce errors.
• Search by routing/account for checks: For repeat check donors, searching by routing and account can quickly pull up the right donor and suggested funds.
• Expand and collapse rows: Use the Expand All and Collapse All buttons to review entries or focus on one at a time.
• Copy as New Batch for similar weeks: If your Sunday cash offering structure is similar week to week, use Copy as New Batch from an existing cash batch to pre-fill donor and fund structure.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between Quick Entry and Check Scanning?

Quick Entry is for manual data entry of cash, checks, and non-cash assets. You type or paste donor and payment information into the form. Check Scanning uses a physical check scanner to capture check images and extract data automatically. Check Scan batches appear in the same Batches list but are created through the Check Scanning app. If you do not have a check scanner, use the manual Check Batch option in Quick Entry to enter paper checks by hand.

Why does my batch total need to match the sum of transactions exactly?

The batch total is a control amount for reconciliation. Requiring an exact match ensures you have not missed or double-entered any transaction. Before committing, verify each entry and that the displayed sum matches your physical count or deposit slip.

Can I edit or delete an entry after I add it?

Yes. Before committing, you can expand any row to edit it, or click the delete (X) button to remove the entry. Once the batch is committed, individual transactions are managed from the Donations (Transactions) page. If you need to correct a batch before committing, remove or edit the entry in Quick Entry before clicking Commit Batch.

How do I add a donor who is not in OnlineGiving.org or my ChMS?

In Quick Entry, click Create New Donor for that entry. Enter first name, last name, and as much contact information as you have. If you do not have an email, the system can generate an unknown email address. The new donor is created in OnlineGiving.org when you commit the batch and will appear in future donor searches. If ChMS integration is enabled, the record may sync to your ChMS depending on your configuration.

Can I split a single gift across multiple funds?

Yes. After selecting a fund for an entry, click Add Additional Fund. This adds a second fund line. Enter the amount for each line and assign the corresponding fund and sub-fund. The total of all lines must equal the transaction amount. You can add more lines or remove a line as needed.

What happens to Quick Entry batches after I commit?

Committed batches appear on the Batches page with status Completed. Their transactions appear in the Donations (Transactions) page, are linked to Financial Batches for reconciliation, and are queued for ChMS sync (Ministry Platform, Rock RMS, Planning Center, and others), transaction notifications, and email receipts if enabled. You can edit the batch name and date from the Batches page, and for cash batches you can use Copy as New Batch to create a similar batch for a new date.

Need help setting up Quick Entry or configuring ChMS sync for manual entry? Contact us at support@onlinegiving.org or (615) 206-4000.