Recurring Gifts

Eileen McDermott

We are just starting to use Online Express.  If people decide to make a recurring gift, it records the information into RE into a recurring gift batch.  Does the batch automatically run on the selected monthly date or must I go into the batch each month and process the recurring gifts.  Thanks.

 

Jen Claudy

You must manually initiate the process every month on the date they are scheduled.  Depending on that schedule date (that you set) and the date the donor makes the gift, the first one may run at the time the donor submits the gift.  We run ours on the 10th, so a donor making a new recurring gift on the 7th will have their first charge happen on the 10th when I run the rest of them...but a donor making a new recurring gift on the 14th will have the first charge happen right then, and starting the following month will be included with the others on the 10th.  Well, shoot...apparently that's no longer the case (or I've been mistaken all along)...  I just went to our donation page and it says "Your first gift will occur on 1/10/2016".  So I guess they all will now wait for the next applicable date to be run (and all outside of OLX).



I believe (, hope, and pray) that BB is working toward a way to have these charges run automatically...or at the very least, an automatic reminder/notification to specified staff to run them.  I have an Outlook reminder and a recurring Task on my to-do list, but if I ever get "hit by a bus" and am out unexpectedly, they probably won't run, unless someone happens to check my Outlook Task List.



There is existing documentation in OLX Help about how to run the recurring gift charges, and it's not difficult, it's more remembering to do it. 



We used used to use language that says said "on or around the 10th" but that's changed as well.  With the approval of my boss, I am not expected to sign into RE on the weekend or a holiday to run recurring gift charges.  I wish we could still edit that text.  When I was on vacation over the 10th last June, I emailed our recurring gift donors (only 3 at that time, and 2 of them board members that I know) to explain and ask whether I should run it early before I left or late when I returned (actually, I think I said they'd be delayed unless the donor requested otherwise, which no one did).  Of course, having another person who could work in the database would help...



We also have donors who prefer to call with a credit card number or write it on the form and mail it in.  Those are run in RE Batch, just like the recurring gifts are, and actually can be done in the same Batch.  I have a BBMS recurring batch that I use for all of these.  It works smoothly...just the remembering to do it part that's a potential hazard.



 

Eileen McDermott

Jennifer Claudy:

You must manually initiate the process every month on the date they are scheduled.  Depending on that schedule date (that you set) and the date the donor makes the gift, the first one may run at the time the donor submits the gift.  We run ours on the 10th, so a donor making a new recurring gift on the 7th will have their first charge happen on the 10th when I run the rest of them...but a donor making a new recurring gift on the 14th will have the first charge happen right then, and starting the following month will be included with the others on the 10th.  Well, shoot...apparently that's no longer the case (or I've been mistaken all along)...  I just went to our donation page and it says "Your first gift will occur on 1/10/2016".  So I guess they all will now wait for the next applicable date to be run (and all outside of OLX).



I believe (, hope, and pray) that BB is working toward a way to have these charges run automatically...or at the very least, an automatic reminder/notification to specified staff to run them.  I have an Outlook reminder and a recurring Task on my to-do list, but if I ever get "hit by a bus" and am out unexpectedly, they probably won't run, unless someone happens to check my Outlook Task List.



There is existing documentation in OLX Help about how to run the recurring gift charges, and it's not difficult, it's more remembering to do it. 



We used used to use language that says said "on or around the 10th" but that's changed as well.  With the approval of my boss, I am not expected to sign into RE on the weekend or a holiday to run recurring gift charges.  I wish we could still edit that text.  When I was on vacation over the 10th last June, I emailed our recurring gift donors (only 3 at that time, and 2 of them board members that I know) to explain and ask whether I should run it early before I left or late when I returned (actually, I think I said they'd be delayed unless the donor requested otherwise, which no one did).  Of course, having another person who could work in the database would help...



We also have donors who prefer to call with a credit card number or write it on the form and mail it in.  Those are run in RE Batch, just like the recurring gifts are, and actually can be done in the same Batch.  I have a BBMS recurring batch that I use for all of these.  It works smoothly...just the remembering to do it part that's a potential hazard.



Thanks Jennifer.  That is what I was afraid of.  I do have the reminders in Outlook and my special TO DO list.  I agree it would be wonderful if BB could figure a way to run the recurring gift batches automatically.

 

 

Eileen McDermott

Eileen McDermott:  Thanks so much for your answer Jennifer.  It is what I thought and I agree it would be nice to one day have them run automatically.

Jennifer Claudy:

You must manually initiate the process every month on the date they are scheduled.  Depending on that schedule date (that you set) and the date the donor makes the gift, the first one may run at the time the donor submits the gift.  We run ours on the 10th, so a donor making a new recurring gift on the 7th will have their first charge happen on the 10th when I run the rest of them...but a donor making a new recurring gift on the 14th will have the first charge happen right then, and starting the following month will be included with the others on the 10th.  Well, shoot...apparently that's no longer the case (or I've been mistaken all along)...  I just went to our donation page and it says "Your first gift will occur on 1/10/2016".  So I guess they all will now wait for the next applicable date to be run (and all outside of OLX).



I believe (, hope, and pray) that BB is working toward a way to have these charges run automatically...or at the very least, an automatic reminder/notification to specified staff to run them.  I have an Outlook reminder and a recurring Task on my to-do list, but if I ever get "hit by a bus" and am out unexpectedly, they probably won't run, unless someone happens to check my Outlook Task List.



There is existing documentation in OLX Help about how to run the recurring gift charges, and it's not difficult, it's more remembering to do it. 



We used used to use language that says said "on or around the 10th" but that's changed as well.  With the approval of my boss, I am not expected to sign into RE on the weekend or a holiday to run recurring gift charges.  I wish we could still edit that text.  When I was on vacation over the 10th last June, I emailed our recurring gift donors (only 3 at that time, and 2 of them board members that I know) to explain and ask whether I should run it early before I left or late when I returned (actually, I think I said they'd be delayed unless the donor requested otherwise, which no one did).  Of course, having another person who could work in the database would help...



We also have donors who prefer to call with a credit card number or write it on the form and mail it in.  Those are run in RE Batch, just like the recurring gifts are, and actually can be done in the same Batch.  I have a BBMS recurring batch that I use for all of these.  It works smoothly...just the remembering to do it part that's a potential hazard.



Thanks Jennifer.  That is what I was afraid of.  I do have the reminders in Outlook and my special TO DO list.  I agree it would be wonderful if BB could figure a way to run the recurring gift batches automatically.