Financial Controls Flow Charts
These flowcharts are representative of a system of financial controls. They may not be workable in all
situations depending upon availability of staff and volunteer leaders. Adoption of these or any other
processes does not provide absolute assurance of financial integrity in the absence of periodic audits and
other controls.
For each of the processes, the flowcharts seek to depict the essential elements of control.
Collections:
(1) Counting by more than one unrelated person; (2) immediate deposit; (3) receipts to donors; (4)
verification of deposits against bank statements by persons who have not touched the cash/checks.
Purchasing:
(1) Budgeted expenses; (2) established approval regime; (3) payment only against prior approved
purchases; (4) check writer different than check signer.
Credit Cards:
(1) Approved card users; (2) documented purchases; (3) approval of purchases by another party; (4)
matching of approved purchases to statement; (5) card payment following purchasing regime.
Electronic Payment:
Payments may be originated either in the vendor system (e.g., telephone company) which authorizes a
bank draw; or the process is initiated through the bank account. Controls must be constructed accordingly.
(1) One person may process electronic payments – no shared login or password; (2) processor is not
approver of payments; (3) bank and vendor statements come to person other than payment processor; (4)
statements matched to approved payments.
Flowchart color coding depicts “separation of duties” which must be a required element of all transactions.
-- Insurance Board, 2011
SEPARATION OF DUTIES
COUNTING OFFERINGS
Counter 1 --
COUNTERS Counts all
Money Received - --Count Cash Immediate deposit
--Record checks Enter results and Prepare bank
-- Collections - cash, checks and cash to
--Enevelopes (mark cash both sign tally deposit slip
envelopes bank night drop
-- Fundraiser or check)
Counter 2 --
Counts all
Deliver tally to
Financial
Secreitary
Bank BANK
Cash & checks Statement
Treasurer receives
Deposit slip copy TREASURER unopened bank
from bank Church
mail statement
Enter deposits in Verifies bank Treasurer
Tally and Compare tally and deposits and reconciles
envelopes deposit slip bank reconcliiation
report cleared checks statement with
recon report
Forward
Record gifts FINANCIAL SECRETARY reconciliation report Audit
from
to Treasurer Commitee
envelopes
Note: This financial flowchart is provided as a representative procedure and guidance only.
Adoption does not provide absolute assurance of financial integrity in the absence of Insurance Board, 2010
periodic audits and other controls. C:\Users\Jon.OFFICE\Desktop\Copy of Financial Controls Flowchart (3)
SEPARATION OF DUTIES
PURCHASING AND CHECK WRITING
GOVERNING BODY
BOARD of
Authorizations DIRECTORS
--Finance Comm
Church --Purchasing
By-Laws --Audit Comm
Finance Committee Audit
--Budget
Budget Committee
--Approval Level 1
TREASURER Treasurer Verifies
Capital & Expense --Purchasing --acccounting
Signs checks
Purchases --Approval Level 2 --amounts
-- coding
Approved Purchase
orders
Vendors
FINANCIAL SECRETARY
Invoices
to church office Accounting entries
Notice to Treasurer
Locked Drawer
Staff Mails checks
Receipts NO
Personal funds Approval
reimbursement obtained?
Parishioners
YES
Receipts Write checks
Personal funds
reimbursement
Note: This financial flowchart is provided as a representative procedure and guidance only.
Adoption does not provide absolute assurance of financial integrity in the absence of Insurance Board, 2010
periodic audits and other controls. C:\Users\Jon.OFFICE\Desktop\Copy of Financial Controls Flowchart (3)
SEPARATION OF DUTIES
CREDIT CARDS AND EXPENSE REPORTS
FINANCE COMMITTEE Standards:
-- No individual may approve
Card Use Expense Report own expense report
Guidelines and Approval -- Fin. Secy not permitted credit
Approvals Guidelines card use
CARD USER
Individual Transaction receipt Revised expense
Credit Card Credit Card Periodic Expense
report
Purchase Report w/ Receipts
TREASURER OR APPROVER
Expense Report Resolve with Card
Approval Signs check
Holder
Note: If one card holder, (s)he may not be
expense approver.
Record and Match Approved
Report to Approver
Card holder Classify Approved Expenses to Expenses NO
record Expenses Statement matched?
FINANCIAL SECRETARY YES
Locked Drawer
Credit Card Write check (Purchasing
Statement Process
Forward
Statement
CREDIT CARD COMPANY
Note: This financial flowchart is provided as a representative procedure and guidance only.
Adoption does not provide absolute assurance of financial integrity in the absence of Insurance Board, 2010
periodic audits and other controls. C:\Users\Jon.OFFICE\Desktop\Copy of Financial Controls Flowchart (3)
SEPARATION OF DUTIES
ELECTRONIC PAYMENTS
TREASURER
Purchase & Receives unopened
Verify Statement
Payments statement directly
Against Support
Approved
FINANCIAL ASSISTANT
Purchase Forward to E-Mail
NOTE: Login & Order Record Treasurer Confirmation
Password are NOT
shared w. Treas.
Process
Approved
Transactions
Compare E-mail Notice Enter Vendor Authorize Chg
Payments to Received Pymt System to Bank or
Statement
VENDOR
Charge to
Bank
Unique Authenticate
Monthly E-Mail Stmt
Acct Order, Process
Statement Notification
Login & Order & Invoice
Pswd
Process
Credit
BANK Process
Electronic Monthly Statement
Fund Transfer
Note: In this example, payments are initiated through the vendor's website to the bank.
I different process will apply to payments initiated from the bank account to the vendor.
Note: This financial flowchart is provided as a representative procedure and guidance only.
Adoption does not provide absolute assurance of financial integrity in the absence of
periodic adits and other controls. Insurance Board, 2011
C:\Users\Jon.OFFICE\Desktop\Copy of Financial Controls Flowchart (3)
