Recurring Gifts that have been terminated

Tammy Godby

I'm trying to determine the best way to handle recurring gifts that have been terminated for whatever reason, then later the donor wishes to reinstate the recurring gift.  I'm on the fence whether to make the old gift active again, change all the necessary information and move forward from there OR make a new recurring gift and start over.  There are definite reporting issues to think about - appeal, fund, and campaign ID,reports, etc.

Is there any benefit in reinstating the plan or for the sake of database cleanliness do we start a new one from scratch?

Thanks,!

Tammy

JoAnn Strommen

Tammy Godby:

I'm trying to determine the best way to handle recurring gifts that have been terminated for whatever reason, then later the donor wishes to reinstate the recurring gift.  I'm on the fence whether to make the old gift active again, change all the necessary information and move forward from there OR make a new recurring gift and start over.  There are definite reporting issues to think about - appeal, fund, and campaign ID,reports, etc.

Is there any benefit in reinstating the plan or for the sake of database cleanliness do we start a new one from scratch?

Thanks,!

Tammy

This may be a good example of do what works best for you.  

I have instances where I have just restarted gift as essential info like fund/campaign did not change.  Have others where I have done an adjustment and changed fund to current annual fund for accurate reporting and accounts.  Have a few where just did new recurring gift.  Depended on what fund was involved (multi year vs. annual) and also the length of time that had passed.

I'd say look at how each way would affect your reporting.  To me that's much more important that having an added gift on a record.  To me that doesn't really dirty up your database.  It shows someone has come back to support your org.

Just my 2 cents...

Beverly Lyles

Tammy Godby:

I'm trying to determine the best way to handle recurring gifts that have been terminated for whatever reason, then later the donor wishes to reinstate the recurring gift.  I'm on the fence whether to make the old gift active again, change all the necessary information and move forward from there OR make a new recurring gift and start over.  There are definite reporting issues to think about - appeal, fund, and campaign ID,reports, etc.

Is there any benefit in reinstating the plan or for the sake of database cleanliness do we start a new one from scratch?

Thanks,!

Tammy

That is a very good question. I have no idea. I called BB for help and they told me to put an end date on the old ones and start a new one but the old ones still show up so now I have duplicate recurring gifts. Unless they have fixed this issue, I don't know any way to stop old ones. I do like the idea of starting a new one because it provides a history line for me to follow when I look at the gift history.

Tammy Godby

JoAnn Strommen:

This may be a good example of do what works best for you.  

I have instances where I have just restarted gift as essential info like fund/campaign did not change.  Have others where I have done an adjustment and changed fund to current annual fund for accurate reporting and accounts.  Have a few where just did new recurring gift.  Depended on what fund was involved (multi year vs. annual) and also the length of time that had passed.

I'd say look at how each way would affect your reporting.  To me that's much more important that having an added gift on a record.  To me that doesn't really dirty up your database.  It shows someone has come back to support your org.

Just my 2 cents...

 Thanks for the input.  I'm more worried about reporting and ongoing issues that I don't know to consider.  Such as: if I just reinstate the recurring gift and not make a new one, when I run reports, it will look as though  that person has been giving since... and not take into consideration the lapse...so when I try and get numbers for rejoining members, it might be skewed. I think there should be more reports for recurring gifts.

 

Thanks

Tammy

 

JoAnn Strommen

Tammy Godby:

 Thanks for the input.  I'm more worried about reporting and ongoing issues that I don't know to consider.  Such as: if I just reinstate the recurring gift and not make a new one, when I run reports, it will look as though  that person has been giving since... and not take into consideration the lapse...so when I try and get numbers for rejoining members, it might be skewed. I think there should be more reports for recurring gifts.

 

Thanks

Tammy

 

Yes, they've been a donor since that date but just like someone making cash gifts doesn't mean that they've given every month/year. 

You're on track for thinking what future issues might be.  If rejoining members is an important stat for you, then enter it so you can pull it the easiest - which sounds like it would be a new recurring gift. 

JoAnn Strommen

Bev Lyles:
That is a very good question. I have no idea. I called BB for help and they told me to put an end date on the old ones and start a new one but the old ones still show up so now I have duplicate recurring gifts. Unless they have fixed this issue, I don't know any way to stop old ones. I do like the idea of starting a new one because it provides a history line for me to follow when I look at the gift history.

Bev,

I'm not understanding why you have duplicate recurring gifts.  Are the original gifts marked as "complete" or "terminated"?  Especially with an end date they should not be processing a duplicate gift.  Are these gifts generated through batch?  Are people paying / being charged twice?  Something sounds wrong somewhere. 

When I've marked any of my recurring gifts as "complete" or "terminated", I've just removed them from my recurring batch (I use same batch for recurring gifts to a fund A and remove record for anyone who's done) and had no problem with ongoing payments.  For other funds, that I auto generate batch, the names have dropped automatically. 

However, there is an unresolved issue in RE with 'complete' or 'terminated' recurring gifts listing a next transaction date unless there's an end date.  Spent quite a while with support on this as some records will query as having a next installment and others don't.  They sent it back to development/programming or somewhere.  That was a couple months ago.  Haven't heard anything more.

Melissa Graves 2

Bev Lyles:
That is a very good question. I have no idea. I called BB for help and they told me to put an end date on the old ones and start a new one but the old ones still show up so now I have duplicate recurring gifts. Unless they have fixed this issue, I don't know any way to stop old ones. I do like the idea of starting a new one because it provides a history line for me to follow when I look at the gift history.

Bev, What do you mean by "old ones still show up"? Where do they show up and why? If I change the old one to terminated or completed - they do not cause me any issues.

If there has been a significant enough lapse and we have gone through the point of terminating the recurring gift then I tend to always create a new one. We do allow for 3ish months of lapsing before we terminate and if they come back within that time we just skip the missed payments and keep going (with amendments if necessary).