CUBS Message Section - Returned Donor Checks

In the section for Returned Donor Checks, it mentions that
CHQ will adjust CUBS for dishonored checks, contact the donor
directly, and then adjust MLS during the unit's nextSend/Receive.
It then says that if multiple checks or a mix of a check and cash
is used in the donation, the CHQ adjustment could be done incorrectly
and the donor would need to contact the local clerk to fix it.

Three Questions:

1) Will any adjustments made by CHQ to MLS appear as a line
in the report printed during a Send/Receive, come in as a MLS
support message, or will they be "invisible" until the next CUFS?

2) Will NSF checks appear at all on the CUFS ?

3) Because multiple instruments per donation can cause errors,
shouldn't clerks turn one donation with multiple instruments
into multiple donations each with one instrument ? For example,
if a donor makes a $400 donation to Tithing with a $300 check
and $100 in cash, wouldn't two donations: One of $300 to Tithing
for the check, and another of $100 to Tithing for the Cash have
the same overall effect and prevent any mistakes from happening
in the first place ?

Applying what we know, what I've heard in separate discussions with the CUBS product manager, and drawing inferences, I would say:

atticusewig wrote:1) Will any adjustments made by CHQ to MLS appear as a line in the report printed during a Send/Receive, come in as a MLS support message, or will they be "invisible" until the next CUFS?

Adjustments will come down to MLS on the next Send/Receive after they have been made at CHQ.

atticusewig wrote:2) Will NSF checks appear at all on the CUFS ?

Definitely. One of the basic principles of CUBS is that adjustments will appear in both MLS and the CUFS.

atticusewig wrote:3) Because multiple instruments per donation can cause errors, shouldn't clerks turn one donation with multiple instruments into multiple donations each with one instrument ? For example, if a donor makes a $400 donation to Tithing with a $300 check and $100 in cash, wouldn't two donations: One of $300 to Tithing for the check, and another of $100 to Tithing for the Cash have the same overall effect and prevent any mistakes from happening in the first place ?

In that particular case, I don't see how it would make any difference. The $300 check would be clearly identified by check number (and most likely donor name) as being associated with that donation. $300 of the donation would be canceled from the Tithing category. That would happen whether or not you split it out.

You can imagine more exotic situations (e.g., two checks, each for $100 on a donation with two slips, each for two different donors, but one check bounces and the other does not) where there might be some ambiguity. But in such cases, the clerk might not be able to resolve the ambiguity without contacting the donor anyway. There is a provision for a clerk to correct adjustments in the rare case that they are made incorrectly.

atticusewig wrote:1) Will any adjustments made by CHQ to MLS appear as a line in the report printed during a Send/Receive, come in as a MLS support message, or will they be "invisible" until the next CUFS?

The adjustments would be made on your next Send/Receive. I assume part of the process would be to prompt you to reprint the batch summary reports.

atticusewig wrote:2) Will NSF checks appear at all on the CUFS?

Yes. Every transfer that occurs will now appear on the CUFS. From the FAQ of the New Local Unit Financial Processes Update (emphasis added):

Q. Why are the transfers I entered in the Transfers section of MLS showing on the Church Unit Financial Statement?
A. The statement will show every finance transaction made to the local unit.

atticusewig wrote:3) Because multiple instruments per donation can cause errors, shouldn't clerks turn one donation with multiple instruments into multiple donations each with one instrument? For example, if a donor makes a $400 donation to Tithing with a $300 check and $100 in cash, wouldn't two donations: One of $300 to Tithing for the check, and another of $100 to Tithing for the Cash have the same overall effect and prevent any mistakes from happening in the first place?

Yes, that would prevent the problem (except that cash won't cause NSF problems), but it's definitely not a church policy. The screen is specifically designed to handle multiple donation instruments going into multiple categories. And sometimes you won't be able to make a clean split between donation instruments and donation categories. Regardless, CHQ handling NSF checks will leave clerks with less work. The responsibility to get it right is placed in the hands of the donors. Our big task now is to make sure the mailing addresses on the member records are accurate.

If your unit seems to have a lot of NSF checks, then perhaps a local policy like the one you suggest would be useful. However, in my experience, NSF checks are the exception rather than the rule, and of those even fewer have multiple donation instruments, so it is in fact less work for me to just handle the rare exceptions as they come.