Donorfy supports regular payments created through online forms, payment gateway integrations, bank downloads, Direct Debit processors, and manual imports.
⚠️ Important: The EFT and Batch Transactions process is available only on Professional and Enterprise plans.Essential or Starter plan subscribers, please contact us to find out more about upgrading.
Regular Payment Options
Donorfy Online Payment Tools
Donorfy integrates with Stripe and GoCardless, allowing donors to set up secure recurring payments via continuous card payments or Direct Debit.
Recurring payments created through Donorfy’s online donation tools are fully automated, including all associated communications.
You can learn more about setting up each tool here:
Donorfy Forms
Stripe Web Widget
GoCardless Web Widget
Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT) and Batch Transactions
(Professional Feature Only)
Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT) allows you to collect funds on a recurring basis directly from your constituents’ bank accounts. It supports:
Standing Orders.
Committed giving through charitable giving platforms (e.g., CAF, Stewardship).
Direct Debits.
Typical uses include regular donations and membership subscriptions.
EFT Features
Add or import Regular Payment Instructions (RPIs).
Run multiple collection types simultaneously.
Collect monthly, quarterly, half-yearly, or yearly payments.
Apply upgrades to RPIs.
Send constituent communications.
Collect as frequently as needed.
Manage failed transactions.
Post successful transactions.
Maintain Gift Aid integration.
Automatically update summary statistics.
Match uploaded regular payments to RPIs.
Adding Regular Payments Directly to Donorfy
You can bypass the EFT process and:
Key payments manually onto a constituent’s Timeline and link them to an RPI.
Upload regular payments using the Donations File Upload template.
📌 Note: These manual processes do not update RPI summary statistics. If a payment is missed, an active RPI may need to be manually set back to Active.
How Regular Payments Work
A Regular Payment Instruction (RPI) defines key details of a donor’s recurring payment, including:
Amount.
Frequency.
Collection Day.
Campaign, Fund, Product.
Payment method.
Allocation rules.
Once an RPI is created, the process diverges based on your plan and collection method.
Essential and Starter Plans
Stripe and GoCardless recurring payments are fully automated. You do not need to run any processing.
Automated Process Overview
Regular payments created through Donorfy online forms are added automatically.
On the Collection Day, Donorfy sends a payment request to Stripe or GoCardless.
Payments follow processor timelines:
Stripe: Collected and posted to the Timeline on the same day.
GoCardless: Follows BACS timelines.
Once processed, the transaction is returned to Donorfy and added to the Timeline.
Adding Other Regular Payments
Regular payments received outside Stripe or GoCardless can be added by:
Uploading a Donations file.
Donorfy matches constituents using IDs, external keys, email, or phone number.Adding a payment directly to the Timeline and linking it to the RPI.
📌 Note: These methods do not update RPI summary statistics and may require the RPI to be manually set to Active after a missed payment.
Professional and Enterprise Plans
Recurring payments through Stripe and GoCardless remain fully automated.
Additionally, you can manage:
Your own Direct Debit processor
All other regular payment collection types (e.g., Standing Orders)
EFT and Batch Transaction workflows
Automated Stripe and GoCardless Process
Same steps as Essential/Starter plans.
Direct Debit and Other Collection Methods
Use the EFT process to:
Create and lodge Direct Debit instructions (CSV upload).
Apply failed lodgements to RPIs.
Manage cancelled RPIs via downloadable CSV.
Create download files and batches for regular payments.
Upload confirmation reports to apply and post transactions.
Update RPI summary statistics overnight.
Batch Transactions for Other Methods
Create a batch via the EFT process for each collection method.
Upload payment files (e.g., bank statements, CAF, Stewardship).
Match expected transactions.
Pay off unmatched items manually if required.
Post the batch to record Timeline transactions and update summary statistics.
Manual Additions
You may also upload a Donations file or add a Timeline payment and link it to an RPI.
These manual additions do not update RPI summary statistics.
Missed Payment Handling
From the 7th of each month, Donorfy checks for missed payments from the prior month and updates RPIs by:
Increasing missed payment count.
Updating the last missed payment date.
Updating consecutive missed payments.
Important Considerations
If an EFT batch exists but is not posted, the RPI will still show as missed until the next cycle.
If a batch is posted late, missed payment statistics remain until the following month’s recalculation.
Consecutive missed payments mark an RPI as Overdue.
📌 Note: Overdue RPIs that are still active must be manually reset to Active.
Requirements
The EFT process and Batch Transactions are available only on Professional and Enterprise plans.
Starter and Essential subscribers must upgrade to access these features.
Quick Start Guide
Follow these steps to add a new Regular Payment Instruction.
Go to the constituent’s Timeline, click Add, then select Recurring Payment Instruction.
Enter the RPI header details, including Start Month, Collection Day, Collection Method, Frequency, Currency, and Reference.
Complete the Acknowledgement settings.
Add RPI Payment details: Campaign, Amount, Starting, Ending (if applicable), Channel, and Reference.
Add RPI Allocation details: Campaign, Amount, Product, Fund, and Department.
Add any connections or Beneficiaries if required, then save the RPI.