Every organization, no matter the size or mission, will be entering gifts. While this task (or maybe the size of this "How To" article) might seem daunting, Virtuous has created tools and safeguards to allow you to efficiently import gifts and gift data into your database so that you're able to keep clean and up-to-date records of giving! Let's walk through the steps of Entering a Gift in Virtuous CRM+:
- Set Up A New Gift Import
- Manually Entering Gifts
- Importing Gifts Through A CSV
- Match Needed, Update Needed, or Ready for Import
- Import Your Gifts
1. Set Up A New Gift Import
The first step of entering gifts is creating a new Import in the Gift and Contact Import Tool. To navigate there, find Import Tool near the bottom of the left-hand Primary Navigation menu.
Create a new Gift Import by selecting the blue add button in the top right. This will open a New Import Screen with fields to define your gift data.
The required information on this screen will be choosing the CSV file if you are uploading data from a CSV or choosing to Enter Gifts Manually and including a name for this Gift Import.
There are, however, more optional details below you are able to include. You might want to use these Default Detail fields if the majority of the gifts that will be entered share the same Type, Date, Marketing Segment, Media Outlet, or Batch and Batch Total. You are also able to choose a Receipt Segment and Template if that is relevant to this import. The Default Transaction Source allows you to document a non-integrated giving app to include where gifts have come from.
2. Manually Entering Gifts
For Gifts that include Checks, Cash, In-Kind gifts, or any Gift information that is not already in a spreadsheet, it is best to manually enter the Gifts. While this option might have a few more steps than Uploading a CSV, Virtuous CRM+ has built-in features (like Contact Matching) to simplify the process! To begin entering a new Gift in the Virtuous CRM+ Gift and Contact Import tool,
- Select the blue add button in the top right or click on the Actions button in the upper right and then select Add a Transaction. If you prefer, you can also use the new transaction quick key command to bring up the entry form. This will open a New Gift page to begin entering your gift data!
- Quick Search for a specific Contact. As you type, the Quick Search bar tries to identify matching Contacts and display these matches on the right side of the screen. Select the correct Contact in blue on the right-hand side, or use the Quick Keys command to select the first suggested match.
In addition to Contact Name, you can search for a record using:
- Individual Name
- Contact or Individual ID
- Informal Name, Formal Name, Alternate Name, Nickname, Pre-Marriage Name, Middle Name
- mailing address components
- email address components
-
phone number
Note: If an Individual has multiple Contact Methods (for example, additional email addresses or phone numbers) on the record, Quick Search first tries to match using the primary email or phone number. If no match is found, Quick Search then checks non-primary email addresses and phone numbers, up to 3 values per method.
In some cases, matches may not be found with the Quick Search. Continue to enter all of the information you may have below -- most times, when entering check gifts, for example, you will have a complete mailing address, and maybe even a phone number. For addresses, begin typing in the Address 1 field to enter as much address data as possible, and Virtuous CRM+ will automatically search for an address and autocomplete the address fields with a standardized mailing address.
As you enter data, the system will begin building a new Contact profile. If there are no matches found for the information you provide, then click on the green button to create a new Contact. Contact records are created instantly. Make sure you do want to create a new record before proceeding to avoid duplicates. It’s best to try out a few searches first to confirm that your donor is new.
- Then, start entering the Gift details. Some of these fields may already be completed when you define any Default Details on the Import Setup page.
- Choose a Gift Date.
-
Select a Gift Type. The list of Gift Types is hard-coded in Virtuous CRM+. The values include Cash, Check, Credit, Cryptocoin, Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT), Noncash (or an In-Kind Gift), Other, Qualified Charitable Distribution, Reversing Transaction, and Stock.
- Note: Gift Type cannot be changed after a Gift is saved. This is because there are certain conditional fields that will be included on a Gift record, based on the Gift Type.
- Enter Gift Amount and indicate if the Currency is other than USD.
- If the Gift was a part of a Batch, include the Batch Code.
- Marketing Segment or code that allows you to track what communication reached your donor.
- Media Outlet
- Notes to indicate any Gift or donor details.
- Project and Split Amount to designate this Gift to a specific accounting fund.
- Premiums and Quantities to include any non-tax-deductible benefits (think tote bag or coffee mug) that were given to the donor.
- Pledges and Applied Amounts to credit your donor for contributing to their pledge.
- Recurring Gifts and Applied Amounts to account for a Recurring Gift payment.
- Memberships will allow you to apply the Gift toward any membership fees.
- Before you move on, ensure that your Gift does not include any of the Additional Gift Information details. Select the blue hyperlink to expand a few additional fields.
This shows fields including:
Define a Gift as Private to indicate an anonymous Gift
Select Non-Tax-Deductible, if applicable
Search for a Passthrough Giver to link a Contact the Gift originated with.
If a Receipt has already been sent or if you want to send a specific receipt to this donor, you are able to choose the Receipt Date, Segment, and Template.
Add the Cash Accounting Code for your Quickbooks Integration.
Mark if the Gift was made In Honor or Memory of a Tribute and who to Acknowledge for that tribute.
3. Importing Gifts Through A CSV
If Credit Card, Crypto, or EFT gift data is already stored in a CSV file, it will be more efficient to Upload that file rather than Manually Entering this information. In your Gift Import Setup, make sure to select the Upload a CSV bubble and choose the correct file to upload.
Once uploaded, Virtuous CRM+ will attempt to match all giving data in your file with Contacts in your Virtuous CRM+ Database. If there are errors or updates needed, you will be prompted to fix these on the next page.
4. Match Needed, Update Needed, or Ready for Import
When Gift data is added to the Gift and Contact Import tool, Virtuous CRM+ will look at all of the data provided with each transaction and attempt to match each Gift with the correct Contact record. These transactions will then be sorted into three different categories: Match Needed, Update Needed, or Ready for Import, which you’ll see listed at the bottom of the screen once you’ve begun your new Import.
Select each of the tabs to correct any errors, match or create Contacts, or make your updates.
If your organization has turned on Enable Ability to Create New Contacts With No Match On Import in your Organization Settings, a banner will appear at the top of the Match Needed tab with the option to Create New Contacts in bulk.
Select this action and confirm Create Contacts to begin creating the records of all unmatched Contacts.
Click here for more information on bulk creating Contacts in the Import Tool.
While the bulk creation is processing, you are still able to review Contacts sorted into the other tabs of your Import.
If you have chosen to not enable the bulk create Organization Setting, you’ll be required to click into each Gift record to create the new Contact, or use the quick key command to instantly create the new Contact and select them as a match.
If an existing Contact is matched with a Contact being imported with new data for the record, there may be updates needed to the existing Contact. In the Update Needed tab, all records with potential updates will be presented for review. And once the records have been tended to they will move to the Ready for Import tab.
5. Import Your Gifts
After all of your Gifts are in the Ready for Import tab, you can select the Import button in the top-right corner to begin the final Import.
Once the file Import has been completed you will receive an in-app notification as well as an email notification. And Ta-Da! You've completed Gift entry! Now, you'll be able to see these Gifts on the Contact records, and you're ready to get started with Receipting!