Discover how to streamline giving transactions with envelope numbers in Breeze. Learn to add, delete, and export envelope associations effortlessly. Find out how to customize envelope numbers for couples/families and print mailing labels with envelope details.
Overview
Giving by envelope number, sometimes called "giving number," allows you to assign a number to a specific person. When adding giving transactions by envelope number, it will associate with a specific person simply by supplying that person's envelope number. This can save time while entering giving transactions.
Add Envelope
To add an envelope number association:
- Navigate to Giving
- Click Envelopes on the left (after clicking "More").
- Click the Add Entry button in the upper right.
- Enter the envelope number and the person you'd like it associated with.
- Click Add.
Bulk Add Envelope Numbers
See our Import Giving Envelopes article to add many envelope numbers at once.
Delete an Envelope Number
- Navigate to "Giving".
- Click "Envelopes"
- Click the "Delete" icon to the right of the envelope number you'd like to delete.
Bulk Deleting All Envelope Numbers
- Navigate to the Account Settings (
)
- Select Bulk Tasks
- Click More (on the left)
- Choose Delete Data, and select Envelope Numbers.
Exporting Envelopes
Click the "download as Excel" button in the top right corner of the envelopes page to export a list of your envelope numbers.
The Excel sheet will include the following:
Envelope Number, First name, Last Name, Family Name, Street Address, City, State & Zip
FAQs on Envelopes
Can a couple/family share an envelope number?
While technically, an envelope number can be assigned to more than one family member; It's our Breeze best practice to have one envelope number assigned per individual. Giving Transactions in Breeze can only be assigned to / recorded under one person in the family unit. When you assign the same envelope number to multiple people, only one individual will appear as an option to assign the giving transaction when entering it by envelope number. The individual that will be populated as an option is determined by the order in which the envelope number was assigned. The first person who was assigned that envelope number will be the one displayed as the option for assigning the giving transaction.
All family giving is included by default when producing end-of-year tax statements, and the donors' name does not have to be listed. A statement can be generated for the designated donor and spouse/family.
(See customizing statements for more information on how to customize what is displayed on a statement.)
If you'd like to designate giving to multiple family members using envelope numbers, we recommend creating separate envelope numbers for each giver in the family.
What happens to donations if I delete an envelope number?
Donations input via envelope numbers is not deleted just because an envelope number is deleted. Giving transactions added by envelope number is immediately associated with a person in Breeze. Therefore the giving records are retained when an envelope number is deleted or changed.
Can I reuse an envelope number after I have deleted it from one person?
Absolutely! You can reuse an envelope number once it has been deleted from one person, assigning it to a new person.
How to Print Mailing Labels to Include Envelope Numbers
Do you need to print mailing labels that include your envelope numbers in giving transactions? No problem! This can be done with a few steps.
Steps to Take
-
First, we will need to create a Customized Profile Field, if you do not already have one. We recommend using a "Text" field and calling it Envelope Number.
- Download your current Envelope Numbers to Excel by going to Giving > Select the More Down Arrow > Envelopes > "Download as Excel"1
- Open the file that was just downloaded and simply save it as a .CSV file.
- Now Bulk Update People by navigating to More > Tasks > Import (on the left side) > Update People > Download Template File.
- Copy the needed Column Titles from the Update People Template File to the Envelope Numbers file you Downloaded as Excel and Paste it into the corresponding fields. Save the Download as Excel Envelope Number File as a .CSV
- Click the Import Updated People found in More > Tasks > Import (on the left side) > Update People > Import Updated People Button.
- Now that your members with Envelopes Numbers have this number stored on their profile, we can easily Create Mailing Labels. Navigate to People > Show More Filter Options > Envelope Number > Place an * in the text box (this will populate a list of all of your members with envelope numbers). From here, you will choose Export in the action panel > Mailing Labels > Custom > Include the Field "Envelope Number" and Download.
You may need to reach out to the Breeze Support team to have us download a file of your envelope numbers for you that includes the Breeze ID.
Things to Know
If you had envelope numbers already stored in a profile field, you will want to:
- Navigate in Breeze to People > Show more Filter Options > Go to the Envelope Profile Field and place a * in it to populate everyone with an envelope number.
- Use the Action Panel to Update all these People at Once. Choose your envelope profile field, leave the box blank, and click update.
This step is crucial to make sure you wipe out envelope numbers from people who may have had one in previous years stored on their profile but do not have a new one.