How does your bookkeeper prefer to pay bills?
Most churches utilize online bill pay for most of their bills.
Some bookkeepers prefer to mail checks. They sometimes think, “We’ve done it this way for 25 years, no need to change our ways.”
I get that change is hard for some, and it may seem like there is no big reason to make these changes.
I disagree.
Here is a compelling argument to move away from using checks to migrate towards utilizing online payments:
Trees.
Checks are paper. You must kill a tree to make them. Stop. Go outside and hug a tree right now.
Convenience and Cost.
It literally takes about a minute to initiate an electronic payment. You can set up auto-pays and they take care of themselves. Payment is processed very quickly.
Think about how long it takes to find the checks, get an envelope, then a stamp, get signatures, copy the bill, put it in the envelope, lick the stamp and the envelope (tastes gross), find a mailbox, drop it in, and then wait for days for the bill to be paid.
Time is money. So are stamps, envelopes, and the cost to order checks.
The U.S. Post Office just increased the cost of a stamp to .78 cents. I recently worked with a church who mailed almost 80 checks each month. That’s over $60 per month for stamps alone!
Online payments free up staff and money to do more ministry!
Safety.
Online payments are very secure. Most vendors take extraordinary measures to protect your data. Banks often guarantee that your transactions are secure and will reimburse you if fraud occurs.
Checks can easily be stolen. Check fraud can easily be hidden by a dishonest bookkeeper. Checks can be stolen while in the mail.
Thieves can steal your account and routing number from your checks.
Accuracy.
Online payments reduce the chances of errors, such as writing or recording the wrong payment amount. The payments can be automatically made for the correct amount on the right day. Some accounting software will post them automatically. Churches still receive an invoice to review and can contact the vendor for questions.
Less chance for manual errors.
Here is what we recommend:
Use online payments as the primary method—especially for recurring or high-dollar vendors, utilities, or payroll. Services like ACH transfers through your bank or billpay through accounting software (e.g., QuickBooks or Aplos) are ideal.
Keep checks as a backup for vendors who do not accept online payments or in situations where a physical signature is required.
Use a dual-approval process for either method to maintain internal financial controls—Two different signatures for checks. Two people who review the payments on the bank statement, like the bookkeeper and a board member.
Train staff/volunteers on secure payment practices and proper documentation.
Need help moving away from checks? Give us a call!