Record a cash payment

Pour :Administrateur

Preview: Record a cash payment

Cash donations remain frequent in community: collection at the exit of service, hand-delivered donations during an event, collection in an urn. It is also the payment method that requires the most rigor in traceability, to protect the organization as well as the volunteers who collect them.

Why rigor is essential

Cash presents three specific risks:

Risk	Impact
Loss between collection and deposit	Unexplainable gap, loss of trust
Dispute of an amount by a donor	Difficult to arbitrate without traceability
Tax audit	Cash donations are scrutinized as a priority by the administration

The golden rule: any cash sum is counted by two people, entered immediately, and quickly deposited at the bank.

Entry procedure

1. 1

   Count by two people

   Ideally the treasurer + a board member. Note the total on a draft signed by both.

2. 2

   Open Add a payment

   Payments list → Add a payment button. Admin route /app/paiements/list.

3. 3

   Choose Method = Cash

   The form displays the cash donation fields.

4. 4

   Select the donor

   If the donor is identified (named donation in hand), choose their contact. Otherwise, use a generic contact "Anonymous collection" or "Collection of DD/MM".

5. 5

   Enter the amount

   The total amount collected.

6. 6

   Indicate the reason

   Main cash register, current campaign, fund, budget booklet depending on the nature of the collection.

7. 7

   Detailed comment

   Specify: "Shabbat collection of 05/12/2026 — counted by Yossi Lévy and Sarah Cohen — 47 envelopes opened".

8. 8

   Tax receipt: per context

   If the donor is identified and the amount justifies it, issue the receipt. For anonymous collections, no receipt possible.

9. 9

   Save

   Validated status, Manual source.

Named donation vs anonymous collection

Case	Contact to use	Tax receipt
Named donation: David Cohen gives 200 € to Sarah Cohen (treasurer)	Contact = David Cohen	Possible
Anonymous collection: 320 € collected at the exit of service	Contact = "Collection of 05/12/2026"	Impossible (donors not identified)
Hand-delivered donation without identification: a congregant gives 50 € without introducing themselves	Contact = "Anonymous donation of 05/12"	Impossible
Piggy bank / urn emptied monthly	Contact = "Piggy bank — DD/MM"	Impossible

ℹ

Legal cap in France

In France, a tax receipt under article 200 of the CGI is possible for cash donations without a specific cap, but the tax administration recommends favoring traceable methods (check, transfer, card) above 1,000 €. For significant cash donations, systematically ask for an ID or use another payment method.

Bank deposit tracking

Cash must reach the bank promptly — ideally within a week.

Step	Best practice
Counting	By two, signed draft
Entry	The same day
Storage	Safe or secure locked location
Deposit	At the bank within 7 days maximum
Reconciliation	Import the statement to confirm the credit

⚠

Never keep cash at home

Cash collected must remain in a place dedicated to the organization (safe, strong cabinet). Keeping cash at a volunteer's home creates a major legal risk in case of loss, theft or dispute.

Operational best practices

Practice	Benefit
Count by two and sign the draft	Proof in case of dispute
Enter the same day	Avoids omissions and suspicions
Detail the context in comment	Total auditability
Limit the number of people handling cash	Clear chain of responsibility
Deposit promptly at the bank	Reduces physical risk
Photograph stacks before deposit	Visual proof if discrepancy at bank count

Special cases

Significant cash donation (1,000 € and over)

Ask the donor for an ID and keep the photocopy. Strongly prefer another method (check, transfer, in-person card) for traceability reasons. If the donor insists, document very precisely in comment: witness presence, identity confirmed, reason for cash choice.

Difference at bank recount

If the bank counts a different total from your entry (counterfeit bills, miscounting, folded bill):

1. 1

   Document the gap

   Note the difference on the deposit slip and keep it.

2. 2

   Edit the Unisoft payment

   Open the payment → Edit → adjust the amount to the actual total cashed by the bank.

3. 3

   Comment the correction

   "Correction on DD/MM: bank recount = X € (initial entry Y €). Difference: Z €."

Cash donation in foreign currencies

Rare case: a passing donor gives you 100 USD or 200 ILS in cash. Enter in the corresponding currency. Check with your bank the acceptance conditions for deposit — many banks refuse foreign currencies in cash.

Significant anonymous donation

If you find 500 € in an unidentified envelope left at the entrance of the place of worship:

• Enter with a contact "Anonymous donation of DD/MM"
• Assign to the main cash register by default
• No tax receipt possible (no identified donor)
• Keep the envelope (sometimes it contains a later indication)

Go further

• Payment by check
• Payment by transfer
• Payment in kind
• Best entry practices
• Tax receipts