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Schedule & Receive Online Gifts/Pledges

With SeekerWorks.NET™, Gifts (i.e., Donations) are given by Giving Units (i.e., Donors) in whatever currencies you accept using one or more Gift Categories (Funds) to indicate the desired use of the giver. Gifts-In-Kind can also be received whether or not a value is readily determined (i.e., you can use 0.00 as the amount, unless there is an appraisal included with the gift).

Gifts can be given or scheduled online using the SeekerWorks.org™ Attendee portal (anonymously or otherwise).

The "Give To This Ministry" screen (on the portal) receives an ACH or credit card gift and immediately updates the Giving Unit's records:
Give To This Ministry screen

The "Scheduled Gifts" screen (on the portal) can also be used to receive ACH or credit card gifts on the date(s) the Giving Unit indicates they want the gift to be pulled from their account or charged to their credit card:
Scheduled Gifts screen

Gifts can also be given by envelope number, check, or cash physically in person, or by mail, and recorded in SeekerWorks.NET™. They are matched to one or more Pledges made by the Giving Unit, based upon the Pledge Campaign period and Gift Category (Fund). Each gift appears on statements, numerous reports and zoom-in/zoom-out total/detail screens by Giving Unit, Year, Currency Type and Gift Category. They are also accessible to view using the Attendee portal by the person(s) giving the gifts once you link their email address to their Giving Unit, or they create their Giving Unit using the portal (by giving a gift).

The "List Of Gifts By Day/Attendance Type/Currency" screen:
List Of Gifts By Day, Attendance Type, Currency screen

The "Giving Detail" screen:
Giving Detail screen

The "Giving Totals Information" screen (on the portal):
Giving Totals Information screen

The "Giving Detail Vs. Pledge" screen (on the portal):
Giving Detail Vs. Pledge screen

The Gift Categories (also known as Funds) are used to account for the different income sources and whether or not the Gift Type of the category (U - Unrestricted, F - Fee Income, R - Restricted, D - Deputized) is restricted or not. The first 2 Category Gift Types are unrestricted, while the remaining 2 are restricted for a particular purpose.

The default Gift Categories (Funds) are:

  • Benevolent Gifts (R - Restricted)
  • Capital Gifts (R - Restricted)
  • Fee Income (U - Unrestricted)
  • Gift-In-Kind (Generally U - Unrestricted, although the Giving Unit could indicate a restriction on these non-monetary gifts, or to fulfill a restricted pledge)
  • Tithe and Offerings (U - Unrestricted)

D - Deputized categories can be used to restrict gifts to a fund or cause within a larger group of people or causes (e.g., for Missionaries, Mission Trip students, relief for Countries, etc.), but also designate it for one particular person. While legally the gift is restricted only to the larger group, the designation can differentiate it for one person or cause. This means, any gifts to a Deputized category can be redirected by the organization within the larger restricted group when it is not possible or practical to use it for the designation indicated (discuss this with your lawyer if you have any questions, since we cannot dispense legal advice).

Again, Gifts-In-Kind are those where a value is not assigned to a gift unless it has a related appraisal or is subsequently sold. Generally, at least in the United States, a value should not be assigned to Gifts-In-Kind unless there is an appraisal included, since that is the responsibility of the donor.

The "List Of Gift Categories" screen:
List Of Gift Categories screen

The "Update A Gift Category" screen:
Update A Gift Category screen

Giving Units identify each Donor party giving a gift or making a pledge. If the gift is a check or cash gift with an envelope, we recommend the Giving Unit be set up with only the name(s) on the check or giving envelope. Of course, the Giving Unit could always indicate an alternative grouping of people.

The Giving Unit Types include H - Household, O - Organization and M - Miscellaneous. Households and Organizations can be linked to people, while the Miscellaneous Giving Units are intended for non-associated parties (e.g, relatives donating to a mission trip who otherwise are disconnected from your organization).

The "Giving Unit Detail" screen:
Giving Unit Detail screen

Pledges can be made by any Giving Unit to the Gift Category (Fund) used with the related Pledge Campaign. Gifts are matched to a pledge automatically when the date of the gift falls between the Pledge Campaign's start and end dates and the Gift Category matches the category set up on the Pledge Campaign. Pledges can be made by month within the campaign period, on a recurring schedule, or for a particular date indicated in the future, and can include Gifts In Kind as well.

The "List Of Pledge Campaigns By Gift Category" screen:
List Of Pledge Campaigns By Gift Category screen

The "List Of Pledges By Giving Unit" screen:
List Of Pledges By Giving Unit screen

The "Pledge Detail By Month" screen:
Pledge Detail By Month screen

The "Pledge Campaign Information" screen:
Pledge Campaign Information screen

The Gift Analysis screen shows aggregated information about the gifts your organization has received. Use this screen to see how many giving units are giving and at what level.

It has 7 different types of calculated totals for gifts given by each Giving Unit during the timeframe chosen:

  1. Monthly Totals
  2. 12-Month Average
  3. 12-Month Total
  4. Calendar YTD Average
  5. Calendar YTD Totals
  6. Fiscal YTD Average
  7. Fiscal YTD Totals

The Gift Analysis screen has 4 tabs. The first {Totals} tab defines the levels of giving you want to use for grouping on all 4 tabs. The other 3 tabs require additional security, as does the Gift Analysis Detail screen, because they show giving totals for all Giving Units, Giving Units who are also members, and Giving Units linked to one or more Small Groups.

The 4 tabs are:

  1. Totals
    Gift Analysis {Totals} tab screen

    • This tab is used to define the levels of giving for each gift given (up to 10 levels), as well as to see the aggregated totals for each level.


  2. All Giving Units
    Gift Analysis {All Giving Units} tab screen

    • This tab show totals by level for each Giving Unit (if you have authorization to see them)


  3. Giving Units Who Are Members
    Gift Analysis {Giving Units Who Are Members} tab screen

    • This tab show totals by level for only those Giving Units who are linked to a member (if you have authorization to see them)


  4. Giving Units In A Small Group
    Gift Analysis {Giving Units In A Small Group} tab screen

    • This tab show totals by level for only those Giving Units who are linked to one or more small groups (if you have authorization to see them)


You can zoom into any of those totals by clicking on the Giving Unit's name to see the 'Gift Analysis Detail' screen showing each of the gifts given during the chosen timeframe.

The "Gift Analysis Detail" screen:
Gift Analysis Detail screen

On the 'Totals' menu, there are also 6 screens available to zoom in/zoom out on each total calculated for the giving and pledges. They include:

The "List Of Totals By Year/Gift Category" screen:
List Of Totals By Year/Gift Category screen

The "List Of Gift Category Totals By Year/Giving Unit" screen:
List Of Gift Category Totals By Year/Giving Unit screen

The "List Of Totals By Giving Unit" screen:
List Of Totals By Giving Unit screen

The "List Of Giving Unit Totals By Year/Category" screen:
List Of Giving Unit Totals By Year/Category screen

The "Giving Detail Vs. Pledge Total" screen:
Giving Detail Vs. Pledge Total screen

The "Pledge Vs. Actual Giving By Month" screen:
Pledge Vs. Actual Giving By Month screen


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