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 and reviewing contribution patterns over time.

Table of Contents

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

Credit Card Updater

Anedot’s Credit Card Updater automatically refreshes expiring or replaced cards on active recurring donations so gifts keep processing without interruption. If an update cannot be completed automatically, donors are prompted to securely update their card details, helping you prevent accidental lapses in ongoing support.

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 

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.