Entering Expenses on LCR

I am an experienced Financial Clerk, but have been away for a little over a year (long story). I first came upon this 'question' when doing some Expense work on MLS. On the form there was an option for "Electronic ACH Transfers". I found the same 'option' on LCR, Can someone direct me to where I can find out more about them? I looked on this forum, but couldn't find anything, not saying it isn't here, I just couldn't find them (I am married ).

It sounds like a great idea, but I just have to learn all about it. Thanks for your help this time and always.

I have heard it is in beta test in some areas in the USA. I don't know where. Our ward in Oklahoma does not have the option of reimbursing via ACH transfer - we have to reimburse members with paper checks still.

As davesudweeks said, that's currently in beta test (and has been for almost a year--I have no idea when it will be released generally). If your stake is in the beta program then you will have an Enter Expenses tab under Finance > Expenses in LCR. This tab lets you print checks from LCR and also enter ACH reimbursements. In order to use this option the payee must be a member in a unit on the beta program and must go into the Donations > Settings page on lds.org and setup a reimbursement account (if they want to use the same one as they use for donations then it's only a couple clicks to setup).

I'm not aware of any way of doing a ACH reimbursement in MLS but I haven't actually looked so maybe it's there for those on the beta program as well.

Thanks a lot. Yes, on our MLS there is an option to either do it by paper check or by ACH transfer. On MLS it tell us what to do step by step, but, I hadn't heard about it, but the beta test comment makes sense. I am going to purchase something for the Ward this week, maybe I will try and do it and see what happens.

Note that two people with finance rights must approve all ACH reimbursements (just like you need two check signers). In LCR this can be done in two ways: both approvers can be present when the expense is entered and approve it from printed documents or you can scan and upload the supporting documentation in which case the second approver can do their approval at a later time. I find the first way rather inconvenient since I can't do a batch of expenses and then get the bishop to approve them all at once (like I normally do with checks). So I usually scan the documentation for electronic reimbursements.

I expect (but don't know) that MLS probably requires both approvers to be available when entering the expense.

On Sunday there was an option to do either in MLS. When I logged out, 'patches/updates' downloaded when I tried to log out of MLS. I went in Monday to the church to call Support. When I logged in to get everything ready on the computer for when I talked with them, there were more patches. When I finally got into MLS I was immediately transferred to LCR to write any check (patches up dated the system, I assume). The option for ACH was there. I called and talked with them, and they said, yes, our Stake was part of the beta testing. She walked me through how to do it, but her directions were incorrect, but I figured out how to do it myself. The way for someone to take advantage of it is to go into their "online donation" page, go the 'settings' option and scroll down, and there will be an option to enter your bank info. After they have done that, then when I enter the check info in LCR, it shows that they are set up for ACH deposit, and the form is filled out as if it was a check, and then two appropriate people use their login info, and that is the 'two signitures' for the check.

I am going to go through it with the Bishop, councilors, and Ward Clerk on Sunday so they are familiar with it.

waynecooke wrote:The way for someone to take advantage of it is to go into their "online donation" page, go the 'settings' option and scroll down, and there will be an option to enter your bank info.

Is this in addition to the banking details you may have stored for donations?

russellhltn wrote:Is this in addition to the banking details you may have stored for donations?

It gives you the option of reusing the details already entered for donations. If you decline that option then it will request new details specifically for reimbursements. So you can have different accounts for donations and reimbursements but it's easiest to use the same account.

eblood66 wrote:It gives you the option of reusing the details already entered for donations.

That makes sense. But either way, you see something that spells out that there's a reimbursement option, right? I don't see anything like that on my account, so I assume we're not part of that beta.

russellhltn wrote:That makes sense. But either way, you see something that spells out that there's a reimbursement option, right? I don't see anything like that on my account, so I assume we're not part of that beta.

Yes. Right under the Donation Accounts box in Settings there is an Expense Reimbursement Account box.

When I talked to Salt Lake, they said "Yes, your Stake is part of the testing of the new system", so if you aren't, it probably wouldn't show up.
What eblood66 said is absolutely correct. So, eblood66, is your Stake part of the beta too?

waynecooke wrote:So, eblood66, is your Stake part of the beta too?

Yes, we've been on the beta since last April.

The electronic expense payment has gone live for all U.S. units as of today. This includes both the submission of an expense payment request and the payment by ACH. The Help center in LCR has the the instructions and there are videos.

jdlessley wrote:The electronic expense payment has gone live for all U.S. units as of today. This includes both the submission of an expense payment request and the payment by ACH. The Help center in LCR has the the instructions and there are videos.

This is big news. A quick glance at the instructions suggest that (typically) only the clerks would enter this - there's not a way for the members to ask for reimbursement (unless you count email).

Just as a tip (for members), I find "Office Lens" from Microsoft to be a good free "scanner" for cell phones. The main advantage over using the built-in camera app is that it crops the picture to the page as well as straightening it up. From there, they can email it.

russellhltn wrote:A quick glance at the instructions suggest that (typically) only the clerks would enter this - there's not a way for the members to ask for reimbursement (unless you count email).

I am going to work with our bishopric and ward council to set up an electronic expense reimbursement method or methods. I am working through ideas to present to them that will cover several options to the submitter. We will have to work out the process so that any used will cover all the current requirements for paper submissions. Some of the ideas discussed earlier in this thread have sparked some good ideas.

jdlessley wrote:The electronic expense payment has gone live for all U.S. units as of today. This includes both the submission of an expense payment request and the payment by ACH. The Help center in LCR has the the instructions and there are videos.

I don’t see any updates in LCR yet, but I do see a header message with a link to an instructional video at donations.lds.org about how to add a reimbursement account. I’m anxiously awaiting the LCR updates!

pcox1217 wrote:I don’t see any updates in LCR yet ...

A member with finance permissions will have the Finances menu item and will be taken to the finances page and the Overview tab. The electronic processing of expenses will become evident when the Finances menu item is clicked and the Finance page renders and defaults with the Overview tab. On the Overview tab the Dashboard will be displayed and there will be four expense action areas: Approve Expenses, Bishops Review, Approve Transfer, and Returned EFTs. Each of those action areas will display the number of expense actions needed. At first they all will show "0". Expenses are entered by clicking the Expenses tab.

I’m a Ward Clerk with full finance access. However, I don’t see any of the four action areas you describe; they’re not in the Overview tab or the Expenses tab. Maybe there is a gradual rollout and it will show up in a few days? Or perhaps there is something the stake has to do to enable it for wards and branches?

Curiously, in the finances tab of the Access Table, I see “Adjust Expenses, Approve Expenses, and Enter Expenses” all checked for my Ward Clerk role.

It's likely going out in phases. You might check your personal donations page to see if the setting for your reimbursement account has shown up there. It did for me, but since I don't have finance rights, I have no idea what's showing up for the clerks in my stake.

I am a ward clerk in Oklahoma. I have the reimbursement settings in my personal donations page and can see the actions on the finances menu so we are live in our stake. Woohoo!

Has the church released any documented procedures on the proper way to enter and approve expenses in LCR? I'm surprised this was pushed out without really any formal training push, the church website training materials also do not appear to be updated yet.

We have a member of our Stake Presidency that attempted to approve an EFT reimbursement in LCR today and the error message he got said he wasn't authorized to approve it. Anyone else having this issue?

Instructions can be found here. Unless the stake presidency member was the Executive Secretary, it seems like it should have worked.

balut228 wrote:We have a member of our Stake Presidency that attempted to approve an EFT reimbursement in LCR today and the error message he got said he wasn't authorized to approve it. Anyone else having this issue?

Was the it the counselor who is the chairman of the Stake Audit Committee? Handbook 1 section 14.9.1 indicates that the stake audit committee chairman shouldn't sign checks. I wonder if therefore the system won't allow him to approve electronic payments.

Thank you for the responses.

You were right, I called Global Support and confirmed with them that yes, because he is the chairman of the Stake Audit Committee, he can't approve it.

It would be nice if approvers received an automated email letting them know they need to go into LCR to approve an expense. Global Support said it's a good idea but not planned yet.

I found out that if a member has their notification box checked in their donation settings online, they should receive an email notification when an EFT payment has been released to them (i.e. if they get an email when they submit a donation online, they should get one for the EFT transfer notice).

Lastly, I found out there are no plans yet for members to be able to submit expense requests electronically through a church sponsored program. I suppose wards and stakes will need to do their own system for now.

balut228 wrote:It would be nice if approvers received an automated email letting them know they need to go into LCR to approve an expense. Global Support said it's a good idea but not planned yet.

Hmmm.... Both my bishop and I get a notification email every time I submit an expense that needs approval. He just clicks on the link when he gets the email and it takes him right to the approval list.

I don't know whether any other possible approvers get emails. I've never asked them.

I am Financial Clerk, and I get emails regularly about approvals and also those that the Bishop has to 'approve'. Sometimes he isn't as timely as Salt Lake would like.

waynecooke wrote:I am Financial Clerk, and I get emails regularly about approvals and also those that the Bishop has to 'approve'. Sometimes he isn't as timely as Salt Lake would like.

I am not getting any email notifications for approvals. Is it because I am doing them through MLS but I do see the Branch President needs to review and approve it though. So if you enter the expense online yourself as the Clerk, do you also get a notification? Where is the notification settings set up? For example, if the Branch President or Counselor enters an Fast Offering expense, will I get a notification to approve it also?

A side question, are you doing it all online now or are you still using a paper trail copies? Just wondering if the online process now is acceptable during the next audit?

cchang wrote:I am not getting any email notifications for approvals. Is it because I am doing them through MLS but I do see the Branch President needs to review and approve it though.

Is the email on your membership record and your ldsaccount, correct? Do you get other emails from the church (like for making online donations or generally announcements)?

cchang wrote:So if you enter the expense online yourself as the Clerk, do you also get a notification?

As far as I know I get a copy of every notification that also goes to the bishop and councelors.

cchang wrote:Where is the notification settings set up?

As far as I know there is nothing to setup other than your email address in LDS Account (which is the same as the one on your membership record). It's all based on your calling.

cchang wrote:For example, if the Branch President or Counselor enters an Fast Offering expense, will I get a notification to approve it also?

I've never had that happen but it looks like you would.

cchang wrote:A side question, are you doing it all online now or are you still using a paper trail copies?

I'm using paper for checks and electronic receipts for EFTs. For me, at least, the workflow for checks works best with paper and the workflow for EFTs with electronic receipts. I am keeping the bishops signature on paper for everything for now.

cchang wrote:Just wondering if the online process now is acceptable during the next audit?

I can verify that auditors have access to the electronic receipts and documentation during the audit. However, they were shown at a reduced size with no way to zoom in so we had a few unreadable receipts. But the originals in LCR were still readable. Hopefully they will fix that in the audit tool.

Great response eblood66. In my case, we use paper receipts for everything. And so far, the only ones signed up for ACH are the former Exec. Sec. and me. I am trying to get more on board, but still no luck. "You can lead a horse to water......." I used to use MLS, then they made it, during the Beta phase, that we HAD to use LCR, but since the 'roll out' it seems there is an option, but since I became familiar with LCR during the 'force' phase, I just use it all the time now. BTW, last Sunday we had ONE donation at church, a $12.50 cash donation from a 12 year-old boy. Didn't take long.

Hardest thing to do in the world, don't do it yourself, get the clerk to do it. As usual no explanations, ambiguous terminology.