USA entry problem

[zipzilch]

I am just starting to use QuickBooks for nonprofit organizations. I had a receipt from a store and half was paid with a gift card that was anonymously donated while the other half was paid by check. I know how to put the paid by check amount in but am having trouble with the gift card. How do I enter this and then use it for this receipt? Any help would be appreciated.

 

[timpgoetz]

You would need to have the gift card as an asset on your books so you can record the expense against that asset. So, basically, if you want the full receipt as an expense in your books the transaction would look something like this:
debit : expense $20
credit: cash $10
credit: gift card $10

If you first set up an asset account for the gift card, then enter this transaction:
debit: gift card asset $10
credit: income $10

Then when you enter the expense transaction, that will bring the gift card account to $0.

Probably not the best accounting advice - BUT, if the amount is immaterial, perhaps you can consider just recording as an expense the amount that was paid by check and leave the expense off the books for what was paid by gift card.
-Tim Goetz