You can specify graphics files for both your organization's logo, if you have one, and the receipt signing officer's signature, via the Select Logo and Signature Images button in the window that comes up when you select the Maintenance à Receipt Options menu option. That brings up the following window (with some sample data shown):
The two fields after the File prompts are not editable: you select the files using the Browse buttons. You may select files from any folder on your local hard drive, and they may be in any standard bitmap format (BMP, GIF or JPG). Once you select a file with the Browse button, the program will check that it has the correct dimensions (details below) and then display it in the corresponding Image area.
If you decide that you don't want to have one of the Logo or Signature bitmaps used, which you have previously specified, use the Clear button to remove it.
As usual, you can save your changes on this window with the OK button, or abandon your changes with the Cancel button.
Using your Logo in the Receipts
If you have an organizational logo, and specify it in the window above, it will display on the program's built in receipts, in the top right corner. (If you choose to generate receipts with Mail Merge, it will also display on them.) If you don't specify it in that window, your logo will not appear on the receipts, but they will still print fine.
The logo must be in a bitmap file as described above, with width 150 pixels and height 60 pixels. Alternatively, if you provide a bitmap whose size is a multiple of 150 x 60, e.g. 300 x 120, 450 X 180 or 600 x 240, it will be automatically scaled to fit into the desired space on the built in receipts (and may even look better on your printer). If your logo is not that shape, you will have to edit it with a graphics editing program (like Microsoft Paint, or PhotoShop), and try to fit it into the bottom (if it is wider and less high) or right side (if it is squarer) of the space provided, as it will line up with the other elements on the receipt better that way.
The same logo file is automatically included in the sample mail merge receipts and mail merge letters. However, it is not scaled to any given size - it will show up at whatever size the file actually is. You can also alternatively edit the sample mail merge receipt, to remove that logo file and insert a different one (of any size and shape) in its place, or in a different position in the receipt.
Unless you are printing on a colour printer, this will probably look best if your bitmap is all black-and-white, or what most paint programs call two-colour or monochrome.
The same logo file can also optionally be included on envelopes that you print for donors or receipts.
Using a Bitmap Signature on the Receipts
You can also use a bitmap for the signing officer's signature. It must be a bitmap file 166 x 39 pixels, or a multiple of that size, e.g. 332 x 78, 498 x 117 or 664 x 156. If such a file is specified in the window above, it will be used on the built-in receipts. If not, the space will be blank for a hand-written signature as usual.
The same bitmap signature file is also included in the sample mail merge receipts. However, as with the logo, it is not scaled to any given size - it will show up at whatever size the file actually is.
Some users may wish to use a password to govern the generation of receipts, since having the bitmap signature there makes it more of a one-person job that is less desirable from an audit perspective. To set up such a password, use Maintenance à Change Password à Receipt Password.
Different Files for Different Databases
Starting in version 3.30 of DONATION (in which the window above was introduced), it is now possible to have different logo and signature files for different databases, if you create and switch between multiple database for multiple organizations with the Database à Switch Databases menu option. Just go into the Logo and Signature Images window once for each of your databases, and choose the desired files for each one. They will then be automatically used, as you switch databases.
(Previous versions of DONATION always used the file C:\Program Files\Donation\logo.bmp for the logo, and C:\Program Files\Donation\signatur.bmp for the signature, for all databases, which was much more limiting. When you first upgrade from previous versions of DONATION to version 3.30 or higher, if those files are present, they will be picked up and displayed in the window above, and used on your receipts, but you can then change them if desired.)
Moving the Program to Another Computer
When you move the program to another computer, or just transfer your database to another computer via backup and restore, any logo and signature images you have specified come with the database, so you don't have to do anything special. (The actual files are not transferred, but their contents have been loaded into the database, so you don't have to transfer the files - they will just work.)
Using the Network Version of DONATION
If you are using the Network Version, you can set the logo or signature images on any of the computers running it (whether they are a Network Server or Network Client version of DONATION), and then next time you start DONATION on any of the other computers, they will pick up the change.
Notes on using Bitmap Signatures for Canadian Users
The Canada Revenue Agency, on a web page about Computer-generated Receipts, has some regulations about doing this, which DONATION seems to satisfy. However, you may wish to review that page yourself to convince yourself that it is OK.
Training Video
There is a training video on Using a Logo and Signature bitmap on your Receipts on the Demos and Samples web page, if you would prefer to see this feature demonstrated live, rather than just reading about it. This might be particularly helpful if you have no idea how to go about creating graphics files with the correct dimensions, because it gives a quick introduction to doing that using the Windows Paint program.
Help with Editing your Logo and Signature Files
If you have logo and signature bitmap files, but they aren't the right dimensions, and you don't feel competent to edit them to be the right dimensions (and don't have a friend or colleague who can do so), there's a solution.
There is a posting on the DONATION Support Forum, at http://forums.software4nonprofits.com/cgi-bin/fdsforum/gforum.cgi?post=682, with the name and contact information of a graphic artist who will do this editing for you, for a very reasonable price.
N.B. Editing these files for you is not something that is included in my usual support that you pay for with your Full License, Annual Renewal or Lite Support fees. I can do it for you at a separate hourly rate (minimum 1/2 hour), but it will be much higher than the one my graphic artist colleague mentioned in the Support Forum will do it for, and I may not do as good a job as this is not a particular area of expertise for me!