Accelerate Donation Entry: Utilize Breeze's Check Scanner Feature. Simplify your donation process by swiftly entering check details into Breeze ChMS. Discover how the Check Scanner streamlines transaction entry, saving time and effort. Understand its capabilities and limitations, ensuring smooth operation. Troubleshoot common issues and learn to rectify wrong check associations seamlessly.
The check scanner reads basic information from a check and enters it into the appropriate boxes on Breeze's Add Giving Transaction page. If you are scanning a lot of checks regularly, this could speed up your workflow in entering giving transactions into Breeze. It should be noted that the check scanner does not deposit monies into your bank account. It only records the gift in Breeze.
The Check Scanner will read and input the following:
- Account number
- Check number
- Method
It will not read:
- Name
- Amount
- Memo line
Once an association is made between the check number and a person in Breeze (the first time a check is scanned), Breeze will automatically pull in the person the check number was associated with, essentially reading the name.
How It Works
- Ensure that the Mini MICR, 3-Track MSR, MICRSafe USB Keyboard Wedge (22551002) is plugged into the wall and the computer.
- Make sure the green light is on.
- Select "Check Scanner" as the entry method on the Add Giving Transaction page.
- Simply feed a check (right side up) into the left side of the check scanner. The check will go through the scanner and come out the other side.
- When it scans, it looks for previous associations made using the same check account number.
- If it finds an association, it will automatically pull that person association and auto-fill the account number, check number, and method. You must input the Amount, fund, memo line, etc., and click Add Contribution.
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When a person's check is scanned for the first time (i.e., no associations are made with that account number), you will be prompted to enter a name for that check to make the association with a person in Breeze. You must input the Amount, fund, memo line, etc., and click Add Giving Transaction.
Internal Note: Check out this video to see how a check scanner works: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDXJbBNlk70
Why isn't it working?
A few basic things can cause the check scanner function in Breeze to not work properly.
Are you using the wrong check scanner?
Breeze only supports one check scanner: the Mini MICR, 3-Track MSR, MICRSafe USB Keyboard Wedge (22551002). Older/different models are not supported, and thus we cannot guarantee that they should work with Breeze.
The checks are uniquely formatted.
The check scanner is programmed to read the standard format of checks. Some smaller banks format their checks differently. Running it through the check scanner will cause numbers to be input in the wrong places. This is not a Breeze issue; it's an issue with the check format.
It is possible to reprogram the check scanner to read a different format, but it is not advised because it will not read the standard format correctly.
Someone's check did not associate because it was coming from a new account
If someone has multiple checking accounts and has already given from one, that association will be in Breeze. If they give from a different account, however, you will need to associate that one as well (since the association is made by the account number).
How to Fix a Wrong Check Association
Sometimes you may associate a check with the wrong profile in Breeze. This means that when you scan a check, it wants to record the donation to the wrong profile. This can be fixed following the steps below:
- Navigate to the giving transaction record for that scanned gift in Breeze.
- Select the amount hyperlink and then Edit.
- Change the record to a different profile (the correct one).
- Select Save.
- Additionally, go to Online Giving > Associations.
- Find the wrong profile association and delete it on the right-hand side.
- The next time a check is scanned from that individual, it will prompt for the desired association again.