recurring gifts

Darlene Ellis

We just started this month with recurring gifts but I’m finding there is not much out there for help. We have RENXT and BBMS but I use database view for all data entry. We received 20 monthly donors this month and, when signing up, they have a choice of 1^st, 15^th, and 25^th. My first run is this weekend on the 1^st. Does the run have to be done on Saturday the 1^st, or can it be done on Friday or Monday? I really don’t want to come in on my day off to run them.
I know there is a way to automatically run them but will have to look into the pros and cons of that this summer. Currently we have 180 monthly donors and do them each month through Moneris so I’m hoping to convert all of them over to recurring soon, once I know what I’m doing.

Thanks

Heather MacKenzie

We have a disclaimer on ours that says 15th or closest business day to that date. Don't come in on your weekend! In the database view, you are the one pushing the button (running the process) that makes them go through, but I don't yet know how they work in webview.

Lynnette Fisher

Darlene,


I converted all of my recurring gifts over NXT about 6 months ago and I love it. I don't have to think about whether or not the pull needs to be done on the 1st or the 15th, RENXT just does it and the batch is waiting for me when I come in. It would be a large undertaking for 180 donors to convert, but I bet afterward you would be amazed at all the time you save versus doing it through DB view. There are MANY things with RENXT that I think could be better, but the automatic Recurring gift function is definitely not one of them. Good luck!!


Feel free to contact me if you have any questions. I would be more than happy to try and answer them!!


Lynnette

JoAnn Strommen

You can do it the day you select. We will run our first of the month on Monday. I always opt for after the day they selected. When generating the batch you can say the date for gifts due on/before XXX.


The process is really quite simple assuming the data has been entered correctly. Create new batch > Select fields and set any defaults that you want > Data Entry. Then from menu select Tools > Automatically Generate Transactions/Payments. Select EFT, gifts types, card types. I usually create both reports just for reference. Enter data on tab 2 for gift date / post date. Click generate now. Don't panic, this is not charging cards yet just creating your batch. It can take a few moments to generate.


Once you had a chance to look over the batch created and all looks correct, go to Tools again and this time select Create EFT transmission files. This is when cards are actually charged. Wait for it to finish processing. I check the authorization code field to see that all processed. You can deal with any exceptions now or commit and get an exception file. When you commit all the gifts get recorded on records.


Our monthly donors' gifts are marked as do not receipt and then at year end I do a global change to not receipted and run consolidated receipts for them at that time.


NXT does have some nice features in that is can automatically process them on any day of month. You just have to go and approve each batch. We have a test batch with one monthly donor, but we are not using it yet for the rest as NXT batch does not have all the fields we need entered on gifts like gift code and a gift attribute. If it has the data you need it's certainly worth testing to see if you like it.

Meighan Corbett

Our business offices runs the monthly recurring gifts on the business day after the date. So in May 2021 both the first and 15th fall on a weekend; the gifts will be run on the Monday after. Don't come in on the weekend! You can also change the date somehow (to be the Friday before, call RE to find out how) but your donors maybe annoyed if you charge them early!