As you post each payment into SchoolLeader, your bank deposit batch is automatically being created for you. To access and manage these deposit batches, you will use the Deposit Batch Manager window shown below. This window provides you with all the tools needed to control and track the flow of payment revenue (checks, cash, etc.) into your business and eventually to your local operating bank account(s). You can use this window to view your currently OPEN batch or any previously CLOSED batches.
To access the Deposit Batch Manager, click on ACCOUNTING from the main menu, then select ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE, then PAYMENT MAINTENANCE, then MANAGE A/R BANK DEPOSITS. Alternatively, you can click on the 'Safe' icon shown in the toolbar. The following window will be displayed;
A "deposit batch" is simply a collection of payments that were received in sequence from when the last batch was closed until now. For example, between Monday and Tuesday you may receive 70 different payments. As each payment is entered into SchoolLeader, the payment becomes associated with the currently open deposit batch number and displays on this window.
The payments continue flowing into this same batch number until someone goes to the Deposit Batch Manager and 'closes the batch'. At that point, payments begin flowing into the next batch. Closing the current batch should coincide with the effort of physically depositing the receipts into your bank. When you decide its time to deposit payments into your bank account, you would use this window to review the payments that SHOULD be in-hand and ready for deposit. You can reconcile what should be available against what you physically have, and then (assuming everything reconciles) bundle the payments and bring them to the bank.
As previously mentioned, when deposit batches are reconciled and closed from this window, SchoolLeader will automatically create a new OPEN Batch and set its Batch# to one greater than the previous. This means, the currently current OPEN batch is always the LAST batch# in the series and can always be accessed by moving to the end of the list with the control buttons. It's also important to note that once a batch is closed it cannot be modified or deleted, however you can still view and print reports on the data.
When it is time to make a bank deposit and close a batch:
Go to the Deposit Batch Manager
Select the Bank Account into which this batch will be deposited. You defined your Bank Accounts while setting up your Accounting Rules.
Click on SELECT ALL if you want all deposits included in this batch. If you need to 'hold' a specific check, then click on the ACTION button for that check and ensure that it says DEFER. That will eliminate the selected check from this batch and hold it for the next batch.
Reconcile the current open batch payment details. You can do this by printing a Deposit Ticket or a Deposit Statement. (The Deposit Ticket will only list check details and you will need to write in your cash amount. The Deposit Statement will list all payments received). After printing the deposit details, ensure that it matches your physical deposit that is going to the bank.
When you have completed reconciling your deposit batch, click on the CLOSE THE DEPOSIT button. Your deposit will be closed and the next one will be opened and ready to accept new deposits.
The Batch ID is automatically assigned by SchoolLeader when the batch is first opened. You have no control over this number.
The Status is automatically assigned by SchoolLeader. This box will either display the word CLOSED or OPEN. Only the current batch (last batch) is ever the "opened" batch.
The Close Date shows the date the batch was closed. It will remain blank for the current open batch.
When the batch is closed this field will show the Userid of the individual who closed the batch. It will remain blank for the current open batch.
These buttons located in the upper right corner of the window allow you to navigate through the current list of Deposit batches. The list starts with the first batch closed and ends with the current open batch.
The notes field allows you to type in a note specific for this deposit batch. You may want to say who deposited the receipts into the bank that day.
This dropdown box allows you to quickly select which type of payments you want to mark for deposit. This can be useful if you want to deposit all "cash" or all "checks" at this point but ignore others. You can always select the particular payments you want deposited individually by selecting "deposit" or "defer" from the option in the first column of the grid.
This button initiated the process to close the deposit batch. Press this button after you have reconciled the deposits and are ready to make a physical deposit to the bank
Print a Deposit ticket of the batch currently being displayed. This ticket shows check detail and is usually acceptable as documentation for your bank if itemization is required.
Print a full detail report showing all activity associated with this deposit batch. This will include details on cash, checks, etc. and will subtotal by payment type.
This box lists all payments that are associated with the currently displayed Deposit Batch. The first column in the grid is titled "ACTION". This cell is "read-only" for closed batches but can be modified on the currently open batch. The definition for this column and all other columns in this grid are as follows:
Grid Column & Definition
Column 1) Action
The ACTION column allows you to control which payments are associated with
the Current Open Batch when it is Closed. In the event you want to defer/exclude
a particular payment entry from the batch (e.g. Post Dated Check) simply
change the ACTION column for the appropriate item from "Deposit"
to "Defer". This column can be changed between the two values
by double-clicking on the cell. The value toggles between DEPOSIT and
DEFER each time you click. Any items marked as DEFER at the time the batch
is closed will be excluded from that batch and instead will be rolled
into the next Open Batch.
In addition to controlling the deposit of payments, this field also serves as documentation for later review of closed Batches. For closed batches it will contain one of several values:
1) Deposited
Indicates the Payment was deposited with this batch
2) Voided
Indicates the Payment was originally associated with this batch
but was Voided
before the batch was closed
3) Reversed-NSF
Indicates the Payment was deposited with this batch but then later
reversed
because of an NSF event from the bank
4) Refunded
Indicates the Payment was deposited with this batch but then later
refunded
because of an NSF event from the bank
Column 2) Transaction ID
The unique id number that was assigned to this Payment entry when originally
posted.
Column 3) Guardian Name
Name of Primary Guardian where payment was posted
Column 4) Check Num
The check # entered with this payment. If none was entered this field will
be blank
Column 5) Payment Method
Displays payment method originally defined when payment was posted
Column 6) Payment Amount
Displays the amount of payment originally defined when payment was posted