Hi there,

For our annual campaign, we have traditionally added $0.00 pledges to the records of constituents who have promised to give but do not yet know an amount.  We count these pledges as gifts when reporting the total number of donors and participation percentages.  Once the gift is actually received, it had been standard practice to change the unspecified gift amount to the amount of the cash gift (and then pay it off in the gift batch).  We added "previously unspecified" to the reference line to note which pledges had been changed from specified to specified.  Realized recently, though, that this greatly skews our totals for comparative reports, particularly when comparing months over a couple of fiscal years.  (Say Joe promised to give something in November 2008, and an unspecified pledge was added.  He then eventually gives $500 in June 2008.  To look at November 2008 now, it appears he actually pledged $500 in November - and the cash payment received in June.)  It all obviously equals out at the end of the fiscal year, but doesn't work when comparing months or quarters.  Should we just leave the $0.00 pledges in each record and add cash gifts instead?  Other suggestions?

Sorry if this is confusing. 

Thanks for your advice!

How you handle "promised pledge" is going to be one of those things that varies a lot from org to org.  Yes, I can see where your reports could be skewed. 

We do not enter $0.00 pledge for 'promises to give' but send a letter through Actions "thanking for considering", any info they requested, reply envelope.  This 'tickle follow up' can be queried as needed.  We don't have a large number of 'promised pledges' but have some each year.  Seems like only about half ever are received - I think we have some constit who give that reply each year to solicitor so that they will stop asking.    However, we do enter a $0.00 pledge for constituents who were asked by solicitor, contact was made and we were turned down. 

We don't include these promise pledges in reports on # of donors as to us they are not donors until they make the pledge or give.  Just depends on what you want included in reports. 

Good luck.