It's important to ensure that all income and expenses are accounted for in order to guarantee that your financial reports accurately reflect the organization’s fiscal status and the organization will be able to fully evaluate the results of fund raising efforts when all the expenses and income are properly accounted for.
Occasionally an expense is paid for with cash generated during fundraising activities, prior to the funds being deposited into the bank.
To ensure the expense is captured, you will want to enter it as a negative amount on the deposit entry in Treasurer’s Briefcase.
If your organization frequently has this type of expense, set up a cash account, commonly called “Petty Cash” by adding a new checking account with that name. This account represents un-deposited funds kept on hand for immediate expenses. The
Petty Cash account is treated just like any other bank account and should be reconciled every month.
For those organizations having significant cash activity, we suggest creating a new checkbook labeled
Petty Cash or
Cash on Hand. If, for example, you run a baseball league and the snack stand maintains a steady cash balance, paying certain league expenses from daily proceeds is common. You might create a checking account called “Snack Stand Register”. Although this isn’t truly a checking account with a bank, you would set this account up under the
Settings menu just like any other checking account.
Record the daily
ins and
outs for the register using
other in and
other out as shown in the example below.
Create a category under the Administrative section called
Transfer Holding Account. When excess funds are finally deposited into your organization’s checking account, record the funds being moved from the
Cash on Hand or
Petty Cash account to the bank account by recording an
other out and posting it to the category
Transfer Holding.
Open the checking account for the bank to which you deposited the funds and record the deposit again posting it to the
Transfer Holding category. The effect of these two transactions is to decrease the cash on hand and increase the cash in the actual checking account. The balance of the
Transfer Holding Account will now be zero therefore having no impact on your Treasurer’s Report.
When I click on a report I get a message that says that the report cannot be generated. What's going on?
One-click reports were designed to allow treasurers to quickly access necessary reports.
Our thinking here was that treasurers would want to generate a report for the previous month's data when preparing for a monthly meeting for example. This means that if you have not entered any transactions for the previous month, then the report would not contain any relevant data.
If you want to specify the date range for the report or generate a report for the current month, current year or previous fiscal year, use the Custom Reports option.
Can I change my PIN number?
No. The PIN number that is assigned to you is one element of your secret key for encrypting your documents in the cloud. Once the PIN has been assigned, that PIN is used to encrypt every document that you upload to Treasurer's Briefcase.
If you forget your PIN, your administrator can request that the PIN be sent to them in an email. Only administrator's can request the PIN number.
Which browsers does Treasurer's Briefcase support?
We support all modern browsers.
- Chrome
- Firefox
- Internet Explorer
- Safari
If you find that there are any issues with your browser, please report them to us and we will promptly investigate and correct the issue.
You can add a custom logo to your reports! Treasurer's Briefcase will support .jpg or .png files.
Just access your briefcase and click the Upload button. Check the box labeled Custom Logo and the graphic will be sized to display as your group's report logo.
How do I renew my subscription?
If you subscribed using PayPal, your subscription will automatically renew on the anniversary of your subscription assuming your PayPal account is still active.
If you paid by check, be sure to submit payment prior to your expiration date to insure your account stays active.
What happens if I fail to renew my subscription?
If you do not renew your subscription, your account will become inactive. You can still access your data and print reports, but you will be unable to enter any new transactions.
You can reactivate your account by submitting payment. If you need to have your account unlocked immediately, please contact customer service.
If you do not reactivate your account within 60 days, Treasurer's Briefcase reserves the right to delete your account and any documents stored on our servers.
Can I use Treasurer's Briefcase for organizations other than PTOs or Booster clubs?
Absolutely! When you set up your account, select Other when asked to select an organization type.
We've created custom setups for some types of clubs and will continue to add more. The custom setup simply adds commonly used categories for our Programs and Fundraisers.
If you do not see your club type, just pick Other and select the Setup->Categories menu to setup your Programs and Fundraisers. Not all non-profit organizations will need to add those categories.
If you have any questions, please call or email!
How do I handle expenses or revenue recorded in the wrong fiscal year?
There may be times when you pay for something or receive revenue and record it in the wrong fiscal year. For example, you may be required to pay a deposit in June for the fair in September. If your fiscal year ends on June 30th, the expense was recorded in the "wrong" fiscal year.
Because Treasurer's Briefcase is designed for cash basis taxpayers, expenses and revenue recorded within the fiscal year are considered part of your financial picture as far as reporting and reporting on your 990 tax return is concerned.
Here's how you can make sure the expense is shown in the correct fiscal year.
Let's go back to our example. We wrote a check in June for a program we will hold in September, but our fiscal year ends in June.
- Create a dated entry in June as an Other In for the amount of the check.
- Assign it to the same category as your check for that expense. That will, in essence, wipe out the expense in the last fiscal year.
- Now add an Other Out in the new fiscal year for the amount of the check you made out in the last fiscal year and assign that to the proper category. Now that expense will show up in the current fiscal year in your Category and Treasurer's reports.
- When you reconcile your checking account in July, clear both the Other In (that you dated in the last fiscal year) and the Other Out from the new fiscal year. Your account will now balance and you will see the expense in the correct fiscal year.
You can use the contact management page to keep track of the members of your organization in additon to contacts and vendors that you interact with from an financial perspective.
Our Smart Add ® feature automatically captures every person or company that is a payee for a check. Some of your payees might be organization members so we allow you categorize certain contacts as members. You can print out a report of all contacts or only those contacts that are members.
If you want to allow additional people to login to the application, you need to add them as a user. User's will have login names and passwords and should be organization members as well.
Can I change my Briefcase email address?
Yes! Select the
Settings>Organization menu item and you can edit the email address and other settings for your organization. It's a good idea to update your address and other important information at the same time.
To change your email address, click on the red pencil
next to your current email address labeled
Briefcase Email Address:. Enter a new email address. The system will make sure your address is unique to your organization.
Save your changes and make sure you let everyone know where to send those invoices, receipts and other documents!
To change your password or recover your account in the event you have forgotten your password, click on the the Forgot Password? link on the login screen.
You'll receive an email that includes a link that will allow you to set a new password.
What does the Check Printing checkbox mean in the checking account setup screen?
In order to be able to use the new check printing feature, you need to enable check printing. Additionally, you will need to enter your bank's routing number and your checking account number if those are not already enter for the account. You must enable check printing for each account that your are going to print from.
When I try to print a check it asks me for my PIN number? What's going on?
Printing checks from the application should only be done by someone with banking privileges (which includes the account administrator). To add additional security when printing checks and since we store each check in your briefcase, you need to provide your PIN number.
When I try to print a check, I see a dialog box that asks me to enable printing. What should I do?
If you want to print checks you will need to enable check printing and make sure you provide your bank's routing number and your checking account number.
Is the check printing feature free?
Yes. For a limited time we will be allowing limited access to this feature. Each user will receive a pre-determine number of printing tokens based on their account type. Each production print of a check will cost 1 token. If you love this feature and run out of tokens and would like more during this trial period, please let us know. We anticipated that in the future, each account will receive a set number tokens with their yearly subscription based on their account type. There may be a fee to purchase tokens above your allocated amount in the future, however no policy has been decided upon as of now. We are interested in your feedback!
Why do I have to enter routing number?
The bank requires that your account number and routing number be printed on the check.
I noticed that the bank's name and address are on the check, but the bank's address is wrong.
The bank's address is based on the address for the bank with the routing number you specified as registered with the Federal Reserve. This is not necessarily your bank's branch address, but it is correct.
Do I need to print using MICR toner or ink?
Not necessarily. Most banks today use OCR instead of magnetic readers to interpret the routing number and account number on checks. To be absolutely sure your bank will process the check use MICR toner for your laser printer (available at most office supply stores) or MICR ink. VersaCheck makes a refill kit compatible with most inkjet printers.
Can I print on blank paper or do I need blank check stock?
Most banks will accept checks on blank paper, however blank check stock is very inexpensive and can be found on the internet or at your local office supply store. Look for the check on top style and for maximum compatibility avoid checks with pre-printed borders.
Can you print on pre-printed checks? Check with our check number, account number, name and routing number alread printed?
No, not at this time. A future version may allow you to print on pre-printed checks. Most likely we will support specific formats like Quickbook, VersaCheck or Peachtree style pre-printed checks.
We require two signatures. Can your checks provide a place for two signatures?
Not at this time. This will be available in a follow-up update to the check printing software.
Can I upload my signature?
Not at this time. This will be available in a follow-up update to the check printing software.
Do you have a check fulfillment service where you print and mail the check for me?
Not at this time. This will be available in a follow-up update to the check printing software. We are currently working with an existing check fulfillment company in order to provide this feature.
I've used all of my check printing tokens. Can I get more?
Yes. For a limited time this feature is free to users and we encourage you to test it out. You can print an unlimited number of sample checks (they will have a VOID watermark) for testing purposes. If you want to print a check without the void, each production print will require 1 token. We've limited the number of tokens in order to gauge overall interest in this feature.
I printed a check but now I have to re-print the check. Can I do that?
Yes, you can edit and then reprint the check. Each print of a check will cost one token, including reprints.
Do you save copies of the check images?
Yes, we store an encrypted copy of each check you print.
Can I upload a logo for my check?
No, not at this time.
I see the TBC logo on the check. Can I remove this?
No, not at this time.
How do I enable check printing?
To enable check printing, access your edit the checking account from which you want to print checks. Access the
Settings->Checking Accounts menu and select the checking account to enable. Click edit icon (pencil) and follow the instructions below:
- Enter the bank routing number found on the bottom of your check.
- Click the Check Printing checkbox
- If you are using blank checks, check the include check boarder box.
Check printing is now enabled.
Yes! Just attach a document to your email and send the email with a subject line that includes the folder name preceded by the
@ symbol. Use hashtags (
#) to add keywords so you can search for the document. Example:
Subject: @Receipts #baseballs #bats #helmets #anaconda
Yes!
You can create your own custom payment page to accept payments from the public or from your members. Funds are deposited directly into your PayPal account and corresponding accounting entries, including all fees are recorded in Treasurer's Briefcase saving your Treasurer hours of time.
Because you use your PayPal account for processing payments, the fee you pay depends on your PayPal rate. Most entities will incur a 2.9% + .30/transaction fee from PayPal.
If you are a legitimate non-profit and have submitted the necessary supporting documentation to PayPal you may be eligible for a rate as low as 2.2% + .30/transaction.
Treasurer's Briefcase adds a very small per transaction fee depending upon your subscription level. See our current pricing page for more details.
Treasurer's Briefcase does not access your PayPal account. We facilitate payments, however funds are deposited directly and immediately into your PayPal account. PayPal fees as well as the small Treasurer's Briefcase transaction fee is deducted by PayPal from the proceeds of the payment.
Treasurer's Briefcase cannot see your account information or balance information and only knows about payments it helps to facilitate.
Currently, refunds are handled between you and the party that made the payment. You should use PayPal's account management screens to issue refunds. You will then need to make the necessary adjustments in your Treasurer's Briefcase PayPal checking account to reflect the refund.
Refunds for Treasurer's Briefcase fees are not automatically applied to your PayPal account. E-mail support with evidence of the refund (screen shot of your PayPal refund) and fees will be refunded.
Future versions of Treasurer's Briefcase may include automatic refund processing.
Yes!
Treasurer's Briefcase Payment Portal allows you to register users and accept payments for events. Treasurer's Briefcase provides a Web Payments report that details each registrants name, address and other information provided at the time of payment.
Yes. You must first signup for a PayPal account. You should use the organization's existing PayPal account or set a new account up for the organization. You can start a new account from the Organization Settings menu. Follow the instructions carefully and be prepared to include your bank account information.
Treasurer's Briefcase will not be able to access or manage your PayPal account in any way other than to facilitate payments TO your account.Yes. Treasurer's Briefcase records all revenue and fees associated with the transaction. When you setup the event, you select an existing category or you can create a new category at the same time you create your payment page. When payments are made by your members, revenue and expenses are recorded in their proper categories in the Treasurer's Briefcase checking account named PayPal. You can run the Web Payment Report to get a listing of all payment activity.
We think all groups will benefit from the features of our Standard Plan, however we understand some organizations may have limited funding. As a general guideline we recommend using your annual revenue as a guide, although your needs may vary.
- Basic Plan for groups with revenue < $5K
- Budget Plan for groups with revenue < $25K
- Standard Plan for groups with revenue > $25K
Yes. In addition to your normal PayPal fees (either 2.9% + .30/transaction or 2.2% + .30/transaction for 501 (3)(c) organizations approved by PayPal), Treasurer's Briefcase charges a small per transaction fee based on your subscription plan. See our pricing page for more details.
If you are currently using features that require a specific level of account then you will not be able to downgrade to a lower priced account unless you stop using those features. For example, if you currently have more than 1 user than you must chose either Budget or Standard or delete your user.
The same situation applies to accounts with more than 1 checking account.
For more information, contact us.
No. Payments can be made using a credit card or their PayPal account as long as your PayPal account is a Business account and not an account in an individual's name.
I just entered transactions but they're not affecting my balance? What am I doing wrong?
Make sure you are not entering transactions in the future. If you plan on making a deposit in a few days, you can date the transactions in the future, but they will not show in your balance since the balance reflects data up to the current date. You can still see the transactions if you run an activity report and include the future date in the date range for the report.
When does my subscription expire?
To find out when your subscription expires, access the Settings>Organization menu. The field labeled Subscription End Date will show the date your subscription expires.
Will you send me an invoice when my subscription expires?
No. We will send reminder emails, however to renew your subscription you can print an invoice from the Services>Print Invoice menu item and send us a check or renew by paying by credit card.
What should I use as a username?
Each user of the system should have their own unique login. A good method is to use the person's first initial and last name if that is available. If that is not available, consider a prefix that identifies your organization and then the user's last name.
For example, for Groveville PTA if I have a user whose last name is Smith, I might use gpta-smith
Do not use generic logins like groveville-pta-prez or change the name of a user to re-use a login account. Every contact or user you create must be unique. You may be associating that user with a financial transaction like a reimbursement. If you were to change the name of the user from Mary Smith, to say Betty Jones, transactions associated with Mary might now look like they belong to Betty and there would be no record of Mary in the system anymore!
Always give each user their unique login and deactivate that login when they are no longer associated with the organization. Deactivation keeps the contact in the system, but prevents the user from logging in to the system. It is necessary to have unique logins and deactivate them when appropriate, instead of deleting or changing a user's name to make sure that past financial transactions associated with that contact remain in tact. The system will not permit you to delete a contact or user that is associated with financial transactions.
How can I find a specific transaction?
Using our SmartSearch feature, you can search for a transaction in any one of a number of ways. Our SmartSearch will allow you to search by:
- Check number
- An amount
- By payee or payor
- By date or date range
- Check memo
For more information on our SmartSearch feature click here.
A user in Treasurer's Briefcase is someone who can login and interact with the financial records. A user can have a role of adminstrator, banking or reports. A contact is someone or some company that you may have entered into the system because they were party to a transaction (a debit or credit). Users are also considered contacts and can also be the subject of a transaction.
If the contact or user is associated with a transaction, you cannot delete the contact or user. The system must keep a record of who the transaction was associated with. You can however revoke a user's login or temporarily deactivate a user.
Treasurer's Briefcase user can have one of three different roles:
- Administrator
- Banking
- Reports
To learn more about roles click here.
From the Settings>Users menu you can delete a user that is not currently used in any transaction by clicking the Delete button. If the Delete button is greyed out, it indicates that this user is currently associated with a transaction, possibly as a payee. Consider revoking the user's login privileges or deactivating their account instead of deleting.
Treasurer's Briefcase does not close out periods, so you can just enter the transactions from whatever date you would like. You must however adjust the starting balance of your checking account to align with the balance at the time of the earliest transaction you enter.
Typically you would use a bank statement to find the ending balance for the month prior to when you might want to begin using Treasurer's Briefcase. For example if I want to start with the transactions from July of 2019, then I would find the ending balance as of 6/30 from June's bank statement.
Keep in mind that if there were outstanding checks that had been written prior to 6/30 - you should record them also. This will deduct them from the ending June balance you just entered ensuring that when that check is finally cashed you have accounted for it in your balance. If you fail to do this or if you were unaware of the check it's still ok...when the check is finally cashed it will show up on your bank statement and you should be able to identify the discrepancy when you do your monthly reconciliation.
Should you decide to enter transactions from prior periods, you should reconcile each month starting from that month forward to make sure that you have accounted for all transactions.
Check out the video here that will show you how to update your checking account balance.
Changing your account balance
