Commitments

The Commitments tab provides a centralized view of recurring donations—which process automatically on a fixed schedule. This tool is ideal for managing long-term donor support, updating payment methods, and reviewing contribution patterns over time.

---

Table of Contents

• Filter Commitments
• View Commitment Details
• Edit a Commitment
• Deactivate or Reactivate Commitments
• Export Commitment Records
• Best Practices

---

Filter Commitments

To quickly locate specific recurring donations, use the Filter drawer in the upper-right corner of the Commitments tab. The following Filters are available: 

• Status: Active, Retrying, Inactive

  • The system retries 4 times before deactivating a commitment. 

• Start/End Date

• Amount

• Frequency: Once, Weekly, Biweekly, Monthly, etc.

• Payment Method: Credit Card, Bank Account, PayPal, Google Pay, Apple Pay

• Origin Type: Direct (default), Conduit, Tandem

• Contact Info: First Name, Last Name, Email

---

Apply Filters

1. Click the Filter button (top-right)

2. Set your desired filter parameters

3. Click Apply Filters

4. Click the X to close the filter drawer and view results

5. (Optional) Click Reset Filters to begin a new search

---

View Commitment Details

To view an individual commitment:

1. Hover over the donor’s name

2. Click Actions > View

You’ll be able to review the donor’s recurring donation settings, including frequency, amount, and next scheduled charge.

---

Edit a Commitment

To update donor or payment information:

1. Hover over the donor’s name

2. Click Actions > Edit

3. Make updates in the Edit drawer

4. Click Save before exiting

---

Editable Fields

• Donor Info: First Name, Last Name, Middle Name, Title, Suffix, Email, Phone, Address

• Employment: Occupation, Employer

• Donation Settings: 

  • Amount

  • Frequency

  • Day(s) of Month – Set specific days for recurring withdrawals

  • Every (X) Months – Set multi-month intervals (e.g., every 3 months)

  • End After (#) Occurrences – Automatically deactivate after a set number of charges

  • End By Date – Automatically cancel on a specified date

• Payment Method:

  • Click Edit to update payment info

  • Or click Send donor link to email a secure update form to the donor

---

Deactivate or Reactivate Commitments

To cancel or reactivate a commitment:

1. Hover over the donor’s name

2. Click Actions > Deactivate (or Reactivate if previously canceled)

Canceled commitments can be reactivated using the same method.

---

Export Commitment Records

To generate a CSV export of commitment data:

1. Click the Export button (top-right of the Commitments tab)

2. Save the file to your device

3. Open in Excel, Google Sheets, or Numbers for analysis

---

Best Practices

• Encourage Donors to Use Monthly Giving

  • Use commitment language like "Join our giving community" or "Support us year-round" to emphasize long-term impact.

  • Highlight benefits such as convenience, flexibility, and special recognition.

• Communicate Value Through Stewardship
  • Send regular impact updates (e.g., monthly or quarterly) showing what their ongoing support makes possible.
  • Recognize recurring donors with exclusive emails, donor spotlights, or invitations to virtual briefings.
  • Always reinforce their role in your mission with every touchpoint.
• Monitor Upcoming Charges and Take Action Early

  • Regularly check the Next Charge column to identify upcoming commitments.

  • Use this insight to proactively reach out to donors with expiring credit cards or known failed attempts.

  • Set internal reminders to review retrying transactions weekly to prevent cancellations.

• Track Failed Charges and Retrying Commitments

  • Filter by Status = Retrying to monitor at-risk donors.

  • Follow up personally with donors after the second or third failed attempt to offer help and reinforce value.

  • Send payment update links to donors with outdated payment methods to prevent failed charges.

  • Avoid waiting for the automatic 4th failure before taking action.

• Segment and Report on Commitment Behavior

  • Export commitment data monthly and analyze:

    • Frequency of giving (e.g., monthly vs. quarterly)

    • Average commitment size

    • Cancellation trends

  • Use this data to adjust messaging, cadence, or default settings in your donation forms.

• Customize Commitment End Dates Strategically

  • For campaigns tied to time-limited initiatives (e.g., school year, fiscal year), use the “End After” or “Until” fields to automatically close commitments.

  • This reduces donor fatigue and simplifies accounting.