Error code to pay online

we recently got an email saying tithing was a available to pay online. Many members hopped online and did so successfully. Unfortunately some members are still receiving an error code saying the option to pay online is not available for their unit yet. But it clearly is. What's the problem? Who do I go to or report that issue to? Screen shot of error code attached.

That's not the usual error message that most people receive. I find it interesting that it asks what country you want your donation to go to. Does your unit span country boarders? Could there be something about those member's records that leave a question mark as to what country they live in?

And of course, I assume you verified that the members in question have the correct MRN associated with their accounts and that they really are in your unit. (Does the Directory or Calendar work for them?)

By chance, are the affected members out-of-unit leaders or perhaps missionaries?

I will investigate all these things this evening, thank you for your reply.

Our unit does not span country borders. We're in Utah. They are not missionaries. I just looked at their addresses associates with their Lds tools info and it says USA. ??? Last thing to check is that they signed up to Lds.org with the correct MRN number.

jethro450 wrote:Last thing to check is that they signed up to Lds.org with the correct MRN number.

They might have "non-member" accounts. Having them check that the directory/calendar/LDS Tools works properly with that account is a good quick test.

I'm not sure what happens to out-of-unit leaders. The system could be confused as to where the donation should go.

Thank you, I'll have them check that first.

I'm mildly curious of what might happen if that particular member has never had a donation associated to their account. Perhaps a wife where the donation has always been under the husband's name. I wouldn't think that would be a problem, but it might be an extra step the system has to go though.

Well I have two people telling me the issue. One is a wife who most likely does everything and the other is a husband - who's wife probably does it all.

Either way, the wife reported back and she has full access in LDS tools, yet can't pay online tithing. I will check to see if it is under her husbands name though I agree, it shouldn't matter.

russellhltn wrote:I'm mildly curious of what might happen if that particular member has never had a donation associated to their account. Perhaps a wife where the donation has always been under the husband's name. I wouldn't think that would be a problem, but it might be an extra step the system has to go though.

I just tested it with my wife's account and that worked just fine. She doesn't have any donation history in the system since before 2007 which is the oldest the donations app shows. She did have donations from before we were married.

jonesrk wrote:I just tested it with my wife's account and that worked just fine.

So much for that theory. I was guessing it was running into an error trying to dig up the history.

jonesrk wrote:doesn't have any donation history in the system since before 2007 which is the oldest the donations app shows

I'm curious if anyone knows why 2007 is the cutoff date. Was there a change in 2007 with how donations were recorded? Or, does the Church just not keep donation history for more than 8 years? My history also stops at 2007.

Well the one couple used the spouses login and it worked. The other couple has not tried the spouse login yet so I can't report on them yet.

You guys are awesome, thanks. Is there a more direct link to some tech at church head quarters somewhere? This issue seems to be above our heads thus far and it's kind of a biggy that needs resolved. I think it's a bug in the system.

sbradshaw wrote:I'm curious if anyone knows why 2007 is the cutoff date. Was there a change in 2007 with how donations were recorded? Or, does the Church just not keep donation history for more than 8 years? My history also stops at 2007.

My personal guess is a IRS record-keeping requirement. I couldn't find the retention policy, but I did find that "A donor may not claim a deduction for any contribution of cash, a check, or other monetary gift made on or after Jan. 1, 2007, unless the donor maintains a record of the contribution ..."

So I don't think I'm far off.

sbradshaw wrote:I'm curious if anyone knows why 2007 is the cutoff date.

I do not know, but I suspect it is the standard industry 7 years plus current year that the banking industry uses. I know that the Church financial record retention policy in the U.S. is 3 years plus current, but most other countries in the world, and banks in the U.S., are required to maintain 7 years plus current.

I believe that also is the look back period for income tax audits where fraud is not involved.

To answer your second question, I do not recall any change in 2007 with regard to how the Church recorded donations, unless that was the year CUBS was implemented. MLS was imported into the U.S. at version 2.0 from international areas in 2004. CUBS came sometime later, but I thought it was more recent than 2007.

lajackson wrote:CUBS came sometime later, but I thought it was more recent than 2007.

The transition to CUBS happened in the fall of 2010.

Is there a more direct link to some tech at church head quarters somewhere? This issue seems to be above our heads thus far and it's kind of a biggy that needs resolved. I think it's a bug in the system.

jethro450 wrote:Is there a more direct link to some tech at church head quarters somewhere?

I'd have the clerk contact local unit support.

lajackson wrote:

sbradshaw wrote:I'm curious if anyone knows why 2007 is the cutoff date.

I do not know, but I suspect it is the standard industry 7 years plus current year that the banking industry uses.

Except that 2007 makes for 8 years plus current. [smile]

russellhltn wrote:Except that 2007 makes for 8 years plus current. [smile]

There's nothing quite like having an extra can of beans in the cupboard at suppertime when the river is running high.

lajackson wrote:There's nothing quite like having an extra can of beans in the cupboard at suppertime when the river is running high.

We'll test that theory come next year. But as I pointed out, 2007 marks a change in the rules to claim charitable donations on the tax returns.

However, keeping more information than is required is a liability if one gets hacked. Just ask CardSystems Solutions.

russellhltn wrote:

jethro450 wrote:Is there a more direct link to some tech at church head quarters somewhere?

I'd have the clerk contact local unit support.

I am the ward clerk and the stake directed me here. Kinda sounding like we're at a dead end.

jethro450 wrote:

russellhltn wrote:

jethro450 wrote:Is there a more direct link to some tech at church head quarters somewhere?

I'd have the clerk contact local unit support.

I am the ward clerk and the stake directed me here. Kinda sounding like we're at a dead end.

By local unit support, russellhltn means calling the Global Service Center and asking for the Local Unit Support department. Unless the stake has already contacted them, that's your next avenue to pursue.

jethro450 wrote:I am the ward clerk and the stake directed me here. Kinda sounding like we're at a dead end.

We're not local unit support. Try this.

eblood66 wrote:By local unit support, russellhltn means calling the Global Service Center and asking for the Local Unit Support department. Unless the stake has already contacted them, that's your next avenue to pursue.

Global [clerks in the forum] refers you to local [clerks in your stake] refers you to Global [Service Center] refers you to Local [Unit Support]. Doesn't have to be in that order, but I think the semantics are interesting.