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Current loctn: salesforce > data structure > npsp pledges > NPSP Pledges

Salesforce Data Structure - NPSP Pledges

There are number of subtle but important principles at play in this subject. The materials provided here are really overview-type summaries. Please note that further discussion can be very useful.

Accounting Systems

Our recommendations for storing pledges within the NPSP differ based on whether your organization uses a cash-basis or accrual accounting system. Some brief explanations are provided at Accounting System.

Decisions about whether to use the NPSP Payments package might be influenced by the accounting system that is used. The NPSP Payments package was originally designed with consideration of accrual-based accounting needs. Organizations using cash-basis accounting may derive little additional benefit from use of the NPSP Payments package. The NPSP Recurring Donations package may suffice.

Overview - NPSP Recurring Donations

The NPSP Recurring Donations package was the firet NPSP Package designed to provide data structures and related automation specifically intended to store data related to finalized pledge promises and related installment payments

  1. Separate storage of data characterizing an overarching pledge arrangement from the individual Opportunuty records used to store details of individual pledge installments.
  2. Automation to assist in creation of Opportunities representing one or more pledge installments, and for summarization of overall pledge payment results on the Recurring Donatioon record representing the overarching finalized pledge agreement.

The Recurring Donations package is perhaps the approach of choice for organizations that are not using the NPSP Payments package and it's related SF Payment object. Some organizations might choose this approach to minimize data storage charges by avoiding the creation of Payment records.

Detailed recommendations for use of the Recurring Donations package are provided at NPSP Recurring Donations

Overview - NPSP Payments

The NPSP Payments object was released later to provide separation of data representing revenue and cash - a typical need of accrual-based accounting systems.

Usage practices differing from those used with the Recurring Doantions package are needed to attain the full benefits intended for the NPSP Payments package.

NPSP Payment records are intended to separate tracking of fundraising efforts and fund collection data, providing

  1. Enhanced ability for tracking fundraising outcomes and anticipated, received, and written off payments.
  2. Enhanced ability for tracking donor payment behavior, that occurs after completion of initial efforts to arrange donations.
  3. Data storage that closely parallels the needs of nonprofits using accrual-based accounting approaches.

    (This was the original motivation for development of the NPSP Payments package.)

Rigorous use of the NPSP Payments package can also effectively separate storage of outcomes of efforts to arrange donations from later data documenting donation collection results.

Detailed recommendations for use of the NPSP Payments package are outlined in NPSP Payments