Campaign Finance Reporting

Campaign Finance Reporting Instructions

Thank you for agreeing to file your campaign finance report electronically in addition to filing on paper with the City of Milwaukee Board of Election Commissioners ("Election Commission"). Your participation in this program will enhance the public's ability to access this important information.

By using this spreadsheet you will be able to easily manage your campaign finance income and expenditures, print out a copy suitable for filing with the Election Commission, and filing electronically with the Election Commission. NOTE: DO NOT change the width or formatting of the columns or text; the spreadsheet has been set up to print landscape on an 8 ½ x 11" piece of paper. (Printing instructions are at the end.)

If you are not familiar with the information that you are required to report with the Election Commission for your campaigns, please be sure to consult the packet of information provided to new candidates. It may also be helpful to have the paper forms on hand as you work through this spreadsheet. All of the required information is the same, but the layout is somewhat different.

This spreadsheet contains nine "tabs" or individual sheets. Most campaigns will only need to use the tabs for the cover page and schedules 1A (contributions from individuals), 1B (contributions from committees), and 2A (expenditures). If you have other income, such as interest on your campaign account, you will need to fill out schedule 1C. If you made contributions from your campaign account to other committees (such as other candidates), you will need to fill out schedule 2B. Schedules 3A-3F largely deal with loans, incurred obligations and returned contributions.

Directions for filling out the COVER tab:

• Much of the numerical information on this page (contained in cells C16-C31) is calculated by the spreadsheet, based on your entries in the various schedules. These cells will automatically update as you enter information in the schedules.
• In cell B7 enter the name of your campaign committee (once you do this it will automatically fill it in on each of the schedules). In cells B8 and B9, enter the address.
• In cell C25 enter the cash balance at the beginning of this reporting period. If you filed a report for the previous period, this amount should be the same as the ending cash balance on that report. If this is the first report you have filed with this campaign committee, enter 0 (the spreadsheet will add the dollar sign and the decimal point).
• As you enter information in the schedules, the spreadsheet will calculate the entries for cells C16-C19, C21-23, and C26-31.
• When you are finished with all the entries, confirm that the amount in cell C29 matches the cash balance in your campaign account at the end of the reporting period.
• You will need to figure the amounts in the YTD cells D16-18 and D21-22. If you have filed a report earlier this calendar year, consult the totals for the YTD of the previous report, add them to the totals for this period. Enter those totals in cells D16, 17, 18, 20 and 21. The spreadsheet will calculate cells D19 and D23.
• In cell A36, type the name of the treasurer or the candidate, whomever will be signing the report.
• You will need to take care of a few other items by hand when you print the report (see printing instructions)

• This tab is for contributions, including loans and in-kind contributions, from individuals.
• Special note on UNITEMIZED contributions: often candidates will have a small amount of contributions of less than $20 which you are not itemizing. On the paper forms, this amount was noted at the bottom of the first page of Schedule 1A. If you have unitemized contributions, you will need to include an entry for them. Enter "Unitemized" in the "LAST" field, enter the last date covered by the reporting period in the "DATE" field, and enter the total amount of unitemized contributions in the "AMOUNT" and "YTD" fields.
• IN-KIND: if the contribution was an in-kind contribution, enter an "X" in this field. (On the paper forms, there was a small box that you used to check if it was an in-kind contribution.)
• CON: if the contribution was from a conduit, enter an "X" in this field. (On the paper forms, there was a small box that you used to check if it was an in-kind contribution.)
• DATE: use the format MM/DD/YY. For unitemized contributions, enter the last date of the reporting period.
• LAST: The last name of the contributor. If it is the total amount of unitemized contributions enter "Unitemized".
• FIRST: The first name of the contributor. If it is a committee contribution, enter the name of the committee here.
• ADDRESS, CITY, STATE, ZIP: Address of the contributor. Be sure the state entry is in capital letters and just the two-letter postal abbreviation for the state. For the ZIP entry, only include the first five digits (do not enter zip+four).
• EMPLOYER: You must record the employer of any contributors of more than $100. You can enter employers for smaller contributors as well. Include the employer's address, city and zip.
• OCCUPATION: You must record the occupation of any contributors of more than $100. You can enter occupation for smaller contributors as well.
• AMOUNT: Simply enter the amount. The spreadsheet will add the $ sign and the comma.
• YTD: If this contributor has made more than one contribution to your campaign in the calendar year, enter the year-to-date total from this contributor. If not, then the YTD is the same as the AMOUNT. Either way, be sure to enter and amount in this field.

• This tab is for contributions from committees (from other candidates' campaign accounts, political parties, political action committees [PACS]).
• IN-KIND: if the contribution was an in-kind contribution, enter an "X" in this field.
• DATE: use the format MM/DD/YY.
• LAST: Enter the word "COMMITTEE" in this field for every contribution in this schedule.
• FIRST: The name of the committee, party, or PAC.
• ADDRESS, CITY, STATE, ZIP: Address of the contributor.
• AMOUNT: Simply enter the amount. The spreadsheet will add the $ sign and the comma.
• YTD: If this contributor has made more than one contribution to your campaign in the calendar year, enter the year-to-date total from this contributor. If not, then the YTD is the same as the AMOUNT. Either way be sure to enter and amount in this field.

• This tab is for other income. Typically this schedule is only filled out by candidates who receive interest on their campaign accounts.
• DATE: use the format MM/DD/YY.
• LAST: If you are reporting interest, enter the words "INTEREST INCOME" in this field. Otherwise use it to report the last name of the contributor you provided the other income.
• FIRST: If you are reporting interest, enter the name of your financial institution in this field. Otherwise use it to report the last name of the contributor you provided the other income.
• ADDRESS, CITY, STATE, ZIP: Address of the source of other income.
• AMOUNT: Simply enter the amount. The spreadsheet will add the $ sign and the comma.
• YTD: Enter the year-to-date total of this type of income from this source for the calendar year.

• This tab is for expenses, not including contributions you make from your campaign committee to other committees (those go in SCH 2-B).
• IN-KIND: if the contribution was an in-kind contribution, enter an "X" in this field.
• DATE: use the format MM/DD/YY
• NAME: Enter the full name of the business or individual to whom payment was made
• ADDRESS, CITY, STATE, ZIP: Be sure the state entry is in capital letters. For the ZIP entry, only include the first five digits (do not enter zip+four).
• PURPOSE: enter the specific purpose of the expenditure
• AMOUNT: The spreadsheet will add the $ sign and the comma. Simply enter the amount.

• Each of these schedules should be self explanatory for the entry.

• Be sure you have everything entered. It is also a good idea to confirm the entries on the cover sheet accurately reflect the income and expenses on the various schedules. This report is just like filling out the paper reports and should be as complete as those were.
• Be sure the cover sheet totals (in column C, are accurate against your campaign account bank statement, just like you did with the paper reports.
• Print out the coversheet by going to the COVER tab. Be sure your printer settings are set on "portrait" when you print this page. HINT: With Excel it is usually best to "highlight" the area you want to print by clicking in the lower-right most cell of your entries and highlighting through the upper-left corner. Then, go to File=>Print and make sure "selection" is engaged. Be sure to look at a "print preview" before printing; the entire cover sheet should fit easily on an 8 ½ x 11" piece of paper. You can adjust print margins if need be from the print preview screen.
• Print out each of the other schedules you filled out. This time, For each schedule, be sure your printer settings are set on "landscape" before printing. HINT: With Excel it is usually best to "highlight" the area you want to print by clicking in the lower-right most cell of your entries and highlighting through the upper-left corner. Then, go to File=>Print and make sure "selection" is engaged. Be sure to look at a "print preview" before printing; every column on the sheet should fit on an 8 ½ x 11" piece of paper. If you have many entries, it will take two or more pages to print.
• On the cover sheet you will need to do the following steps by hand on the printed document: circle YES of NO indicating whether this report is an amendment; circle the name of the report and enter the year; sign and date the report. Turn it into the Election Commission by the required date.
• To file electronically, save the spreadsheet and e-mail it as an attachment to the Election Commission at CampaignFin@milwaukee.gov . You may also hand deliver the report on an IBM formatted  3 1/2  inch disk.

Remember:  Candidates are required to file a paper copy of their report with the City of Milwaukee Board of Election Commissioners.