How to Issue Donation Receipts and Keep Donor Records

Good donation records follow a simple routine: receive, receipt, record, bank, thank. When each step is the same every time and done by the right person, you rarely have missing money or awkward questions. This guide describes that routine for Nepali trusts, clubs and committees, on paper or in software.

Step 1: Receive the gift and note the purpose

When a donor gives, ask three things: the name, the contact number and whether the gift is for a specific purpose. Write the purpose down, because a gift given for a school building should not be spent on a festival. Note the mode: cash, cheque, bank deposit or wallet. For bank deposits and wallet transfers, ask for the reference so it can be matched to your statement.

Step 2: Issue a numbered receipt

Every gift gets a receipt with a unique number in sequence. A receipt normally shows:

• Receipt number and date in BS and AD.
• Donor name and, where useful, address or PAN.
• Amount in figures and words, in NPR.
• Fund or purpose.
• Mode of payment and reference.
• Name and signature of the person receiving.
• The organisation name and registration details.

Never skip numbers. If a receipt is written wrongly, cancel it, keep all copies and write the reason. A gap in the sequence with no explanation raises doubts.

Step 3: Record the gift the same day

Enter the gift in the register or the software on the day received. Link the receipt number, donor, fund and mode. Same-day entry is the single best habit. Notes written a week later rely on memory and invite errors. If volunteers collect in the field, ask them to return receipt books and cash at an agreed time and have the treasurer count and sign for it.

Step 4: Bank the money promptly

Cash held at a volunteer's house is a risk to the volunteer as much as to you. Agree a rule such as banking within one or two working days, with the deposit slip kept and matched to the receipts. For larger gifts, deposit in the organisation's account and avoid personal accounts. If two people must be present for counting, name them.

Mode	What to record	Control
Cash	Receipt number, collector	Count and sign, bank promptly
Cheque	Cheque number, bank, date	Deposit and mark cleared or bounced
Bank deposit	Slip or transaction reference	Match to statement
Mobile wallet	Transaction ID, date	Match to wallet statement
In kind	Description, quantity, agreed value	Two signatures, store record

Step 5: Track pledges

At events, people announce amounts they will give. Write each pledge with the name, amount, instalment dates and who took it. A few days later, send a polite message with the receipt link or the account details. Review pledges monthly and call the donors whose instalments are late. Many pledges are honoured simply because someone reminded the donor kindly.

Step 6: Thank the donor

A prompt thank-you does more for future giving than any appeal. Send a WhatsApp or SMS message with the amount, fund and a line on how it will be used. Once a year, send a short report on what the money achieved. If a donor wishes to remain anonymous, respect that in all lists and messages.

Step 7: Report to the committee

Every month, give the committee a one-page summary: gifts by fund, expenses by fund, balance and pledges outstanding. Compare the balance with the bank. Anything unexplained is cleared before the next meeting. At year end, prepare accounts for your general meeting or as your constitution requires.

Handling common situations

Real life brings awkward cases. A donor gives at a festival but cannot wait for a receipt: write a temporary note with a number, and issue the proper receipt from the book within the week, referencing the number. A donor wants to give in the name of a late parent: record the dedication in the notes field and put it on the receipt if the donor wishes. A donor sends money by bank transfer without telling anyone: match unexplained deposits against donors weekly and contact them to confirm. A donor gives goods: record the item, quantity and an agreed value, with two signatures, and keep a store register so the goods can be traced to their use.

If a donor asks for a refund, consult the committee and your constitution before agreeing. Record the decision, the amount returned and the approving member. Never delete the original receipt; link a refund entry to it.

Protecting volunteers and the treasurer

Controls are not a sign of distrust. They protect honest volunteers from suspicion. Keep receipt books locked. Record who holds which book. Do not let the person who collects cash also be the only person who records it. Keep copies of cancelled receipts. Log changes so you can show what happened.

How software helps

The WebsNP donation software is designed around this routine: numbered receipts, fund allocation, pledge tracking, collector settlement, thank-you messages and committee reports. It records what you enter and does not replace your constitution or your accountant. For organisations that also manage projects and donors across programmes, see NGO management software.

Your next step

This week, check that your receipt books have no gaps and that cash is banked on time. Then message us on WhatsApp to see the routine working in a demo with your own funds.

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