Splitting YM YW Expense

[cahoca]

I have an expense request from the YW President for a combined activity with the YM. It has all the receipts needed and is signed by the YW President. It is payable to the YW Counselor who paid for all of the expense. They are requesting that I split half the expense with the YM but I do not have a request from them or any kind of signed authorization to do so.

My question- What is the proper way to split an expense online, in this case? Do I just deduct half of the amount from the YM budgetb and note this with an "other category" Do I need an approved expense request from the YM? Should I copy all receipts and attached to YM request?

Thank You in advance!!

[davesudweeks]

I no longer have access to check, but I think you can set up the expense to come from 1/2 YM budget and 1/2 YW budget. There will be one expense reimbursement paid from 2 budget lines.

Another way to do this is to pay all from the YW budget and then adjust the budget accounts to "transfer" half from YM to YW. You don't really "transfer" as there is only one budget account - you adjust the organization lines (YM budget is reduced by half the reimbursement and YW budget is increased by half the imbursement). This method will make the budgets look unequal so it is better to pay the expense with half from each organization budget up front.

[russellhltn]

An approval from the YM would be nice, but I think the only approval that the church requires is the bishop's.

[eblood66]

As davesudweeks said, you want to have just one expense but split the amount between the two categories. Enter the expense in LCR like normal and enter the first category (say Young Women) with half the amount. Then click the Add Row link that shows up under the category and then enter the second category with the other half of the amount.

And as russelhltn indicated, the decision about what category or categories to use is the bishop's and changes can be made without permission or request from organization leaders. But it should be communicated to the YM so they can plan accordingly. And you may want to append a note to the documentation just so you and the bishop remember what was done in case anyone is wondering later on.

[cjbeckert]

I've clerked in multiple wards and stakes where we have a Combined Youth Activities budget category. All combined activities are planned and budgeted ahead of time and are charged there. Expenses exclusively YM or YW are charged to their respective budget categories. But as others have already correctly pointed out, a single expense can be charged to multiple categories.

[erlaw]

I've clerked in multiple wards and stakes where we have a Combined Youth Activities budget category. All combined activities are planned and budgeted ahead of time and are charged there. Expenses exclusively YM or YW are charged to their respective budget categories. But as others have already correctly pointed out, a single expense can be charged to multiple categories.

Is the "Combined Youth Activities" budget you mention a subcategory or it's own category. I don't see in LCR where I can create a new independent category. Thanks

[eblood66]

Is the "Combined Youth Activities" budget you mention a subcategory or it's own category. I don't see in LCR where I can create a new independent category. Thanks

It does have to be a sub-category. I put it under Miscellaneous for our ward when I was ward finance clerk.

[cjbeckert]

Is the "Combined Youth Activities" budget you mention a subcategory or it's own category. I don't see in LCR where I can create a new independent category. Thanks

Sorry I should have clarified that. It's a locally created sub-category we make under Miscellaneous. Also, with the ability for YM and YW leaders to view their budgets in LCR, I also give them access to see that category as well. At the stake level we have both a Youth Combined Activities and a Youth Conference sub-categories that I gave budget view access to the YM and YW presidencies.

[jkjezek]

Along with cjbeckert I also have created under Miscelleneous a Joint YMYW Activities and YMYW Conference since they are shared expenses between the two organizations. Under the specific Young Women section I created a YW Camp, and under the Young Men section a YM Camp (or Aaronic Priesthood Encampment). I ensure the organizational leaders know they need to clearly identify whether its a general YM or YW activity, or a specific joint activity. It all works out from their overall planned budget because it is factored into their budget reports.