Recurring Giving - iATS vs Blackbaud EFT Module

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Rae Glispin
Rae Glispin ✭
Ninth Anniversary Photogenic First Reply
in Blackbaud Raiser's Edge NXT®: General Discussion
We currently use iATS as our gift processing company through NetCommunity. We are not presently accepting recurring gifts through our donation page, but need to start. What is everyone's experience with this transition? Have you used iATS and switched to EFT Module?
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  • Charles Babian
    Charles Babian ✭
    Ninth Anniversary Facilitator 1 Photogenic
    We use the EFT "module" -- though to me it seems like it is simply a function rather than a module -- and it works pretty well.  That being said, it took a bit to get used to it.  No one explained to us that enabling the recurring gift option would be like allowing a "pledge" online.  That in fact, the first "gift" is not really charged it is set up to charge on the day specified.  AND that it doesn't just charge itself, you have to create a "transmission file" (their term for it) on the day or the day after the charges are due.  If you allow donors to choose any day - you may be creating these files everyday (hey, it's a job, I guess).  If you have many of these gifts, I can see it as useful.  If on the other hand, few people "subscribe" to this kind of giving, I find it eats up a bit of time.  We only allow for the first of the month -- so it's a bit easier.  (I don't really know if that has actually discouraged anyone who wants to give this way from doing so.)  We also use BBMS as our merchant service -- this I find immensely easy, and it seems cost effective to us both in terms of a lower fee and ease of reconciliation.  For what it's worth....


    Charles
  • Brinda Goswami
    Brinda Goswami ✭
    Ancient Membership Facilitator 1 Photogenic
    In my experience, we have used EFT module for recurring gifts. As Charles mentioned from his experience, for us also it was a learning curve to adapt to how RE processes recurring gifts through EFT module. But it worked greatly. We also had our monthly donor processing on the 1st & 15th business day of the month only which was manageable. And our data entry person handled that very well.


    I've used both iATS and BBMS in past for one-time and monthly donor processing. And I agree with Charles that BBMS is a better choice both cost effective and easy reconciliation.


    Brinda



     

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