Transactions that occur in a similar date range are grouped together into batches. These batches help organize the transactions. They also play a key role in integrating to your General Ledger account system. Instead of re-entering every transaction into your General Ledger, you can enter the batch totals knowing that Rock will keep the historical details for you to reference later if you need them.

In our example below a batch has been created for the weekly gifts for the Rock Solid Church.

Batches can be viewed under Finance > Batches. Below is a figure showing the batch list screen with the various filters that are available.

To manage your batches:

• Tap ti ti-search to search through your batches.
• Select ti ti-adjustments-horizontal to filter your batches.
• Press ti ti-square-plus to add a batch.
• Click ti ti-dots-vertical to perform actions to batches such as Open Selected Batches, Launch Workflow or Merge Template.

Clicking on a batch from the list pictured above will bring you to the Financial Batch Detail screen pictured below. From here you can see all the details of a batch.

1. Date Range - The date range of the batch.
2. Transaction Amounts - The transaction total, control amount and the variance between the two.
3. Transaction Items - The count of transactions, control count and the variance between the two.
4. Accounting Code - This is used to store an optional reference number to the organization's primary accounting system.
5. Notes - Batch notes, if any have been added, will be displayed here.
6. Batch Attribute - Any additional batch attributes you create will be displayed here if they are set to show in the grid. For more information, see the Financial Batch Attributes note below.
7. Edit - Access the Edit screen to open or close the batch or to adjust other settings as shown in the example pictured below.
8. Account Totals - This list shows account totals for the accounts that the transactions are tied to.
9. Currency Totals - This list shows account totals for each currency type.
10. Match Transactions - Batches that have been created by the transaction scanner need to have each transaction linked to an individual. This button takes you to the screen that assists with this process.
11. Audit Log - This button will take you to an audit screen that shows each change made to a batch or transaction in a batch.
12. Transaction List - A list of the transactions contained in the batch. Clicking on one of these transactions will take you to the details screen for the transaction.
13. Transactions / Transaction Details - If a single transaction goes to separate Accounts, selecting "Transaction Details" will provide separate rows in the grid for each Account.
14. Options - Use the Options drop-down to set whether images (e.g., scanned checks) should be shown in the grid.
15. Add Transaction - Assuming the batch is not closed, you can add new transactions to the batch by clicking the ti ti-circle-plus icon.

There may be times when a closed batch needs to be reopened in order to make changes. Because reopening a batch can cause hiccups between your system and your financial clearing house, you only want people with a certain level of security to be able to perform this action. This security role is added and modified at the Entity level.

To give a person the ability to reopen closed batches, follow these steps:

1. Go to Admin Tools > Settings > Entity Administration.
2. In the Entity List, locate "Rock.Model.FinancialBatch".
3. Click ti ti-lock to open the Financial Batch Security window.
4. Click the Reopen Batch button.
5. Add roles and users to the Item Permissions, selecting whether to allow or deny each the ability to perform the action.
6. Click Done.

Once the security permission is set, you can reopen a batch simply by selecting the batch you want to reopen, clicking the Edit button to open the Edit Financial Batch screen, and choosing "Open" from the Status dropdown menu. Click Save when you’re done.

Batch statuses serve a critical function in providing accountability for your accounting processes. Each status in the lifecycle of a batch has been developed to ensure accurate record keeping. Below, we will guide you through each status in the lifecycle of a batch, explaining how it should be used.

1. Pending: When created using the check scanning app, batches start with a 'Pending' status, indicating that the scanning process is still ongoing.
2. Open: When a batch is in the 'Open' status, it means that the scanning process is complete, but additional matching or audits are still being performed. It also indicates that the batch has not yet been entered into the general ledger.
3. Closed: When a batch is in a 'Closed' state, it indicates that its amounts have been entered into the general ledger. To maintain the integrity of your accounting processes, Rock Security prevents closed batches from being re-opened without elevated permissions.

Automated Batches

There are times where you may be using a third-party system to create a batch and Rock is not in control of the process. For example, you may be using an outside giving service that downloads transactions into a batch. In this instance, while the batch is being created Rock will restrict the ability to edit or delete until the third-party software is done with its work. Third party systems can create automated batches using the Automated feature. These batches have an additional "Automated" label. While the transactions of an automated batch are downloading, the batch will have a "Pending" status. To prevent processing errors, this status cannot be changed until the download is complete. Depending on the system, these batches might be temporary or permanent. Once all of the transactions are downloaded, the status will automatically change to "Open" and the batch can be processed.

Transactions Created Using Teller Import

Transactions created using Teller Import have contribution amounts and associated accounts but no contributor name. Obviously, this can make matching transactions with givers difficult when processing batches. Selecting the "Limit to Existing" option in the Transaction Matching Accounts Filter screen allows you to display only accounts associated with that particular Teller Import file. To access the Accounts Filter screen, click the ti ti-settings button in the Transaction Matching screen.

It's important that all modifications to financial transactions are audited. Below is the audit log screen for a batch. It shows all changes to a batch and the transactions in the batch.

Use Batches

As we mentioned earlier, batches are a way of grouping financial transactions. Grouping transactions allows you to better integrate with your General Ledger software. You will only need to move over the batch totals instead of each financial transaction.

Characteristics of Batches

Before we dive into looking at the screens that make up batches let's first review the characteristics of batches.