One of the most common questions we get during reporting periods is when the beginning cash balance does not match the ending cash balance of the previous report. The changed transaction report is designed to assist in finding discrepancies or transactions that may be causing problems with an FEC or other government compliance report.
To run the Changed Transaction Report:
1. Click on Reports à Government Reports.
2. On the bottom of the Government Reports Screen, click on the report: Changed Transaction Report.
3. Enter the Date previous report was filed. This is the datethat you previously filed your last compliance report. For example, your year-end 2004 report may have been filed on 1/12/2005. You would enter in 1/12/2005.
4. Enter the Close of Previous Filing Period. This is the closing date of your last report. For example, the year-end 2004 year would have the date ”12/31/2004” So you would enter in 12/31/2004.
This report then checks for several things:
1) Created after filing but dated before close.
These are transactions that were first created after the date the report was filed but currently are dated before the close. For example, if you entered a transaction on 1/20/2005 dated 12/28/2004, it would appear in the potential problems list with this alert.
2) Previously dated before close, now dated after.
These are transactions that previously were dated before the close of period and now are dated after the close. It will only report transactions that were most recently edited after the date filed and originally created before the date filed.
For example, if on 12/20/2004, a transaction was entered with the date of 12/20/2004 but on 1/20/2004, it was changed to 1/20/2005, it will appear on this report.
3) Previously dated after close, now dated before.
These are transactions that previously were dated after the close of period and now are dated before the close. It will only report transactions that were most recently edited after the date filed and originally created before the date filed.
For example, if on 1/5/2005, a transaction was entered with the date of 1/5/2005 but on 1/20/2005, it was changed to 12/20/2004, it will appear on this report.
4) Deleted transaction.
Transactions with a date prior to the previous close that were created before the previous report was filed and deleted afterwards will show up on this report (see limitation #1 below).
For example, if on 12/20/2004, a transaction was entered with the date of 12/20/2004 but on 10/15/2005, it was deleted, it will appear on this report.
Limitations:
1) Deletions prior to 10/12/05 will not appear.
2) Not all actions will necessarily be caught by this action
3) Name changes and similar modifications are not caught
4) Subvendors, partner itemizations, loans and other ”minor” transactions will not be caught.
5) Will include some ”false positives”
I still can’t find my problem!
Manual review is the only option at that point. Print out the reports and review them by hand to find the issue.