Question regarding auto monthly transactions.

Nathaniel Baker I previously created a semi-automated way to facilitate perpetual regular contributions using a combination of TNEW's contribution page and the Contribution Import Utility. In general, the process was:

• The TNEW contribution page provided a form to capture a patron's contribution preferences. This included amount, contribution frequency, etc. This first contribution would then be processed as a normal contribution upon completion of the transaction.
• The contribution preferences captured in the mentioned form would then be saved to a local system table instead of a CSI. A daily database job would then be run to check the data in this system table to determine whether are there any regular contributions that need to be processed on the day based on the contribution frequency that was captured from the patron.
• If yes, the job would execute the Contribution Import Utility and create the required contributions in a Controlled Batch ready for processing. A notification e-mail would then be sent to Philanthropy / Development staff notifying them that there are pending contributions waiting to be processed. Staff would then simply need to review and close the Controlled Batch which will then trigger the authorisation of the patron's credit card for the required contribution amount. Any issues with a transaction like expired cards, etc. would also be flagged here.
• The process did require the initial set up of a Contribution Import Set and ensuring that the relevant Campaign, Fund and Source Numbers were correct but that ended up being an annual update depending on how the Contribution Campaigns were set up. The contribution preferences stored in the local system table also allowed staff to amend or disable any record in the event a patron wanted to stop their regular contribution. It also allowed staff to manually add any new non-TNEW regular contributions if required.

This was a very customised process but got the job done enabling perpetual regular contributions and required minimal maintenance. It also negated the need to have an end date for a regular contribution processed as a pledge. Hopefully this helps spark some ideas along with all the other useful comments and feedback that have already been mentioned. Thanks!

Nathaniel Baker I previously created a semi-automated way to facilitate perpetual regular contributions using a combination of TNEW's contribution page and the Contribution Import Utility. In general, the process was:

• The TNEW contribution page provided a form to capture a patron's contribution preferences. This included amount, contribution frequency, etc. This first contribution would then be processed as a normal contribution upon completion of the transaction.
• The contribution preferences captured in the mentioned form would then be saved to a local system table instead of a CSI. A daily database job would then be run to check the data in this system table to determine whether are there any regular contributions that need to be processed on the day based on the contribution frequency that was captured from the patron.
• If yes, the job would execute the Contribution Import Utility and create the required contributions in a Controlled Batch ready for processing. A notification e-mail would then be sent to Philanthropy / Development staff notifying them that there are pending contributions waiting to be processed. Staff would then simply need to review and close the Controlled Batch which will then trigger the authorisation of the patron's credit card for the required contribution amount. Any issues with a transaction like expired cards, etc. would also be flagged here.
• The process did require the initial set up of a Contribution Import Set and ensuring that the relevant Campaign, Fund and Source Numbers were correct but that ended up being an annual update depending on how the Contribution Campaigns were set up. The contribution preferences stored in the local system table also allowed staff to amend or disable any record in the event a patron wanted to stop their regular contribution. It also allowed staff to manually add any new non-TNEW regular contributions if required.

This was a very customised process but got the job done enabling perpetual regular contributions and required minimal maintenance. It also negated the need to have an end date for a regular contribution processed as a pledge. Hopefully this helps spark some ideas along with all the other useful comments and feedback that have already been mentioned. Thanks!