Commit a batch to your database

1. From the Batch page in Administration, select Batch entry. The Batch Entry page appears.

2. Select the Uncommitted Batches tab.

   Note: If you use Blackbaud Internet Solutions, you can commit web batches from the Web Transactions page. To access your uncommitted web batches, select the Transactions tab.

3. Under Uncommitted batches, select the batch to commit.

   Note: On the Batch Entry page, you can limit the batches that appear in the Uncommitted batches grid to those of a specific type of data. To filter the grid, select Filter and select the Category by which to filter the batches. To view the batches that meet the specified filter, select Apply.

4. On the action bar, select Commit. The Commit Parameters screen appears. The default setting for commit parameters are defined on the batch template. For information about the items on this screen, see Commit Parameters Screen.

5. Under Batch commit instructions, select the options to perform during the batch committal.

   • To validate the batch before you commit it to the database, mark Validate batch before committing.

     Note: When you validate a batch, the program examines all the information entered in the batch to determine whether data entry errors exist. Before you commit a batch, we recommend you validate the batch to locate any data entry errors. For information about batch validation, see Validate a Batch.

   • To delete the batch after you commit it to the database, mark Delete batch after committing.

     Note: If you select to delete a batch after you commit it to your database, you cannot reuse its batch number. Each batch number must be unique.

   • To create a batch of all records that do not commit to the database, mark Create exception batch and enter a name to identify the exception batch.

6. Under Results, select how to handle the records the program commits to your database.

   • To generate a control report after you commit the batch to the database, mark Create control report. The control report describes the committed batch and provides information about the records included in the batch.

   • To create a selection of all the records created in the database when you commit the batch, mark Create output selection and enter a name to help identify the selection. To overwrite any existing selection of the same name, mark Overwrite existing selection.

     Note: The output selection query includes only records that commit to the database. The query does not include exceptions, or records that do not commit to the database. We strongly recommend you mark Create output selection. You can use this query when you create acknowledgement letters or other mailings for the constituents for whom you added payments in the batch.

7. Select Start. The commit process begins.

   • If you mark Validate batch before committing, the program validates the batch. If the batch validates, the program commits its records to the database. If the validation fails, a validation report appears so you can view the exceptions.

     Note: When you commit a web sign-up request batch that includes a new user registration that is linked to a constituent who is already a registered Blackbaud Internet Solutions website user, the transaction creates an exception. If you select to create an exception batch, you can delete the transaction from your database. From Blackbaud Internet Solutions, your organization can send the constituent an email as a reminder with the existing login information.

     When the process completes, the batch commit status page appears. For information about the batch commit status page, see Batch Commit Status Page.