Automated Recurring Gifts

Kerry Kelleher

Hi,

We just moved to NXT and are looking at starting to use Automated Recurring Gifts. I read that you can't put an end date on an Automated Recurring Gift. That if you want it to stop processing that you have to mark it as Terminated or Completed. Is this true? We have converted Recurring Gifts with end dates to Automated Recurring Gift and want to know if they will stop processing based on that End Date or if we actually have to go in and mark them Terminated/Completed.

Also, it doesn't seem like we can get a List of active Automated Recurring Gifts out of the Web View - it doesn't seem like we can filter on the Status of the gift or if the gift is Manually Processed or Automated. Is this accurate?

I also thought we would see some kind of indication that a gift was setup as an Automated Recurring Gift in Blackbaud Merchant Services. I don't see any kind of placeholder or anything that indicates there will be an automated recurring gift for the donor. Does it just magically happen that the transactions are created in BBMS on the scheduled date?

Thanks for any input or information you can give to clarify exactly how the Automated Recurring Gifts function.

Kerry

Lindsay Sherman

@Kerry Kelleher
I just started using automated recurring gifts in NXT too and have the same questions. I started at a new org recently and just converted our manually processing recurring gifts to be automated, but there doesn't seem to be any way to query/pull a list on which are automated or view what payments are coming up.

It seems like there is still a lot for Blackbaud to build out with this. I'm interested in hearing how others manage automated recurring gifts currently and what Blackbaud is working on improving.

Lindsay

Dariel Dixon

I think you are looking for information in the wrong places @Kerry Kelleher. When a gift is setup online in NXT, the recurring gift template is created and will come through in batch processing. The schedule of the recurring gifts lives in RE, not in BBMS. You won't find a list of those gifts in BBMS until they process.

There probably should be some consideration for creating some of these recurring gifts as pledges, as they will stop at a prescribed end date. They can also be set to automatically debit the donor account on a schedule, so that they work just like recurring gifts.

Brian Soucie

@Kerry Kelleher
We've started with automated recurring gifts for new donations received via the NXT donation form. I had the same question regarding building a list of automated RGs in webview but was only able to track down this knowledgebase article that explains how to find in DB view: How to determine which recurring gifts have been automated in NXT (blackbaud.com). It's a little convoluted but is possible.

Kerry Kelleher

@Brian Soucie
Thank you Brian! Yes definitely convoluted but at least we can get the information out of the system somehow. I appreciate your help!

It's disappointing that the Web View reporting is not more complete in this and other areas. I am just starting to look at using the Event module too and I think we would have to manage the reporting from the Database View as well.

Faith Murray

@Kerry Kelleher, it certainly would be nice to be able to switch to NXT for recurring gifts, and allow donors to use the Portal! However, until BB adds capabilities like “skip next transaction”, “amend gift amount", or “amend fund” to the webview management of recurring gifts, we will stick with database batching. These two features are so important, they are dealbreakers for us. I can't count the number of times a donor has asked us to hold off on a gift for a couple months, or upgrade their gift amount without re-submitting payment info.

Kerry Kelleher

@Faith Murray
When I open an Automated Recurring Gift in the Web View, I see all those buttons on the Gift - Amend Gift Amount, Skip Next Payments and Amend Schedule. I haven't tried them yet since we just are trying out the NXT Recurring Gifts but wanted to let you know they seem to be in Web View now!

Carrie Aranda

@Kerry Kelleher I can confirm that those buttons work. We have used NXT recurring gifts for awhile now and have done all of these functions recently. It is super easy to go into the recurring gift and change the amounts, schedule and even payment information.

Faith Murray

@Carrie Aranda and Kerry, that's great news! Glad that BB has heard and made those features functional!

Juliana Lawson

@Kerry Kelleher Just in case you missed it. End date was added to the RENXT donation from last week.

Lesa Charran

@Carrie Aranda, @Juliana Lawson,

I would love to hear abut the bulk converting manual to automated process.

Would you be able to provide some details on the set up process in the ‘settings > gift Management > Automate manual recurring gifts section? I went as far as Getting started then where is asks you to ‘Convert to automated recurring gifts’ but did not ’Convert' because I wanted to know does system prompt you to select a query instead of converting all recurring gifts. Hope process is smoother than wat I am seeing.

Thanks in advance for your reply.

Austen Brown

@Lesa Charran - This blog includes a video demonstration; available at the bottom of the copy:

Juliana Lawson

@Austen Brown Thank you for adding that link here!

@Lesa Charran you should be able to see how it works in the video. Picking a query is not part of the feature right now. That might come later, but we wanted to get this out as soon as possible and the query would have taken more time.

Lesa Charran

Hi @Austen Brown, I am not seeing a video at the bottom as you mention. did you provide the correct link?

Austen Brown

@Lesa Charran - Looks like I included the wrong link… here's the right one:

Lesa Charran

Thanks @Austen Brown