Budget Help

[eblood66]

So if I undersdtand the last few strings, the Goal budgets that I was going off of, may not have been "real" money, just allocated funds that didn't really exist? Why would the syetm allow the previous clerk to allocate funds that didn't exist? If that is the case I have some exlpaining to do to the auxilliaries... Is there a number to call in the evenings or on Sundays to get some help while I am on the PC and in MLS? THnaks for all your help. Ive learned more in 1 day than in the last year...

Yes, budgets are just allocated funds. You'd have to look at the Budget Allowance Summary Report to determine if you were allocating more than you received.

I'm not sure why the system allows you to budget more than your estimates for how much you will receive. But it does.

Your first line of support should be your stake financial clerk and stake clerk. They are the ones responsible for providing your training. If you have questions they can't answer then they can try calling Local Unit Support. But for many common questions LUS may refer them back here to the forums and/or to the on-line support site: https://www.lds.org/callings/melchizede ... t?lang=eng

[dguaton74]

Is there a phone number to call in the evenings or weekends when we are in the clerks office to get some help via phone?

[eblood66]

Is there a phone number to call in the evenings or weekends when we are in the clerks office to get some help via phone?

LUS can help if something isn't working right in MLS. But you need to talk to your stake clerk for questions about how to use MLS and how to handle the budgeting process.

[russellhltn]

LUS can help if something isn't working right in MLS. But you need to talk to your stake clerk for questions about how to use MLS and how to handle the budgeting process.

I agree with this. This seems to be more a need to give you a broad view and understanding of the process and tools rather than understanding a specific issue. There are a number of quirks to church finances that need to be understood.

Your sources for training is the stake and the training area of lds.org (found under callings). This forum is useful for specific questions, but for training it's best to go to those sources. Training can also prevent problems by making sure you have all the information you need up front rather then run into problems later.

[dguaton74]

I took the online training andit outlines the donations and expenses portions and handling of funds very clearly, but the actuall budgeting and handling of year end processes are nowhere to be found? I called the stake clerk, and he told me to call HQ, I asked some of the other clerks, and they are hesitant to help me. They looked at my year end budget balance and also think we had a $800 carryforward, but it looks like we have started the year 1100 in the hole, so now I have auxiliaries bretahing dowbn my neck asking for answers and unfortunately Idon't have any good ones for them. I can run the ship going forward, but the errors of the past clerk look to be set. I have asked to meet with the bishopric to try and explain why we are negative, but who knows how it will go over with the various auxiliaries... Can any one tell me if all distribution charges trigger a IROP? If so can I reconcile those back to a person? I am sruggling to reconcile purchases made at Deseret Book and distribution centers.

[russellhltn]

I called the stake clerk, and he told me to call HQ,

I'd suggest talking to your Bishop and talking to the Stake President. You need local help. Someone to sit down and look over the books and figure out what's wrong.

[jdlessley]

I called the stake clerk, and he told me to call HQ ...

Did he even take a look at your MLS and explain how the system works? If he didn't then it is indeed sad since that is one of his responsibilities. He is by policy the first stop when you are having problems. LUS is your second stop when the stake clerk cannot help you.

Can any one tell me if all distribution charges trigger a IROP?

Charges made using the ward account are sent to the ward in an IROP.

If so can I reconcile those back to a person?

Not likely.

I am sruggling to reconcile purchases made at Deseret Book and distribution centers.

There is not much you can do about past purchases using the unit account. Those charges should appear in the Budget:Distribution Center Charges category. It is very likely that the previous clerk was not monitoring the budget and those expenses showing up in the Budget:Distribution Center Charges category. I would not be surprised to hear that most of the negative balance problem can be traced to expenses in the Budget:Distribution Center Charges category and that the former clerk was not monitoring budget expenditures for all categories.

[eblood66]

I took the online training andit outlines the donations and expenses portions and handling of funds very clearly, but the actuall budgeting and handling of year end processes are nowhere to be found?

There is some information on the RKATS site. This is probably the most relevant page: https://www.lds.org/callings/melchizede ... lang=eng#2. However, it is more heavy on how to use MLS rather than an overview of how to deal with the budgeting process.

I called the stake clerk, and he told me to call HQ, I asked some of the other clerks, and they are hesitant to help me. They looked at my year end budget balance and also think we had a $800 carryforward, but it looks like we have started the year 1100 in the hole, so now I have auxiliaries bretahing dowbn my neck asking for answers and unfortunately Idon't have any good ones for them.

The stake clerk doesn't seem to have taken his responsibility seriously. HQ does not provide this kind of training to wards via phone or email. The stake clerk may not know how to help you himself but it is his responsibility to find someone who can provide you the training you need. That could be an assistant stake clerk, another ward clerk or even a experienced former clerk who knows the current procedures. If the stake clerk isn't being helpful, then maybe you need to ask your bishop to talk to the stake president to communicate that you aren't receiving the training and help you need.

I can run the ship going forward, but the errors of the past clerk look to be set. I have asked to meet with the bishopric to try and explain why we are negative, but who knows how it will go over with the various auxiliaries... Can any one tell me if all distribution charges trigger a IROP? If so can I reconcile those back to a person? I am sruggling to reconcile purchases made at Deseret Book and distribution centers.

Yes, every distribution charge should trigger an IROP. The IROP should include the name of the person who make initiated the order.

[dguaton74]

Thnaks, I have learned more on these message boards in the last few weeks than in the last few months...

[jdlessley]

The IROP should include the name of the person who make initiated the order.

That is not my experience for orders made through the distribution center online. I have several IROPs that I am looking at for purchases at the distribution center online on which the the customer block is the unit ID and the "Name of requestor:" block is empty. There is no place on the IROP identifying who placed the order. Unless the person making the order inputs their name in one of the two fillable blocks there will be no record of who made the order.

I don't know if that is true for orders place with Deseret Books because my current unit and my previous three units did not have an account with Deseret Books.