Understanding Receipts
Donations and receipts go together like a horse and carriage. So making the most of receipts can be a great way to add value to your donors and help your campaign succeed. Let’s explore how...
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Receipts: Overview
Out of the box, every Raisely campaign has customisable messages sent via email, that include default Donation Receipts to thank your donors and provide payment information they can use for their tax-deductible donations. These are found within your Campaign Messages.
These are a great way to give customised information to your donors after they have made a one-off or regular donation. These are configured by default but within your message editor, you can add anything you like. You can add a PDF receipt attachment to your messages and even create custom donation receipts for multiple connected Stripe accounts. To access your message receipts, within your campaign, simply:
- From the sidebar select Messages > Automatic Messages
You have 2 default messages for Receipts:
- Donation Receipts - send to donors who make a one-off donation
- Regular Donation Receipts - sent to donors who periodically give at the time of their donation processing
Customising Email (Message) Receipts
Through Messages, you can customise your email receipts to offer receipt information and so much more. To edit your email receipt messages, within your campaign:
- 1
- From the sidebar select Messages > select Receipt Message
- 2
- Leave defaults in Steps 1 & 2. Focusing on Step 3, configure your Sender & Subject line and select Save
- 3
- Within Step 4, configure your receipt message content using the email builder. The email builder provides you with simplicity, helping you focus more on your content.
- Merge fields (#), including conditions {{ }}, can take your messages to the next level, allowing for creative personalisation options within your message. To find out more, explore the guide – Advanced Merge Fields
- 4
- Once complete, send a test email to see your edits live. Be sure to view it on mobile as well as desktop.
- Once you are ready, simply Save then enable the message in Step 5.
Here are some recommendations in customising your receipts:
- Change the Header Image to reflect your brand
- Be sure to have the word ‘Receipt’ in your subject line, so it helps your donors search for it down the track
- Don’t be afraid to use this message for more than a receipt. Yes, you run the risk of people not reading them due to the subject line, but place the ‘receipt details’ at the bottom and use the beginning of your message to connect with them and the cause.
- Keep emails short. Over 84% of users read emails first on their mobile phones, so get to the point.
- Personalise. Use Merge Tags such as:
- # Donation First Name,
- # Campaign Total
- {{#gt donation.amount 499}} Thank you for your generous donation{{/gt}}
Customising PDF Receipts
Raisely gives you the option of adding PDF receipts to your email message receipts. This is recommended as it enables you to record and resend receipts to donors. To customise and activate PDF receipts simply:
- 1
- Select Settings > Payments & Receipts from your campaign sidebar
- 2
- Under General Settings select Configure Receipt
- 3
- With a live preview, you can edit the look and feel of your receipt, as well as change the label names under the Advanced tab
- 4
- Once you have customised your PDF receipt, head back to Messages from the sidebar, select your donation message, and make sure you have Attach PDF Receipt to this message enabled in Step 4 ‘Add Your Content’.
PDF RECEIPTS FOR INDIVIDUAL PAYMENT GATEWAY ACCOUNTS
If you have multiple payment accounts set up, you may be wanting to customise your PDF receipts for each. A good example of this would be the need to have a different message for Tax Deductibility or you want to add in some unique custom fields.
To do this is easy. Within your campaign, simply:
- 1
- Select Settings > Payments & Receipts from the sidebar
- 2
- Your default Payment Account will use the default PDF receipt you have configured. Select Edit on the other Payment Account, and you will see the option ‘Use Custom Donation Receipt’. Select Enable and then Create.
- 3
- With a live preview, you can edit the look and feel of your receipt, as well as change the label names under the Advanced tab
- 4
- Save your PDF changes, and then Save again your Payment Account settings
Creative Ideas for your Receipts
Receipts typically are known to be mundane. So why not stand apart and develop a unique experience for your donors? Here are some tips to creating great receipts:
- Subject Line
Probably the most significant change you can make for your receipts is simply in your subject line. Be creative here, expressing thankfulness and inviting them into the message that has more. You can even use conditional formatting to create different subject lines for different donors. For more information check out: Advanced Merge Fields - Use Custom Fields in your Default PDF Receipts
This allows you to bring additional information into your receipt, which you can base on conditional logic so that it applies to pre-determined criteria. - Use animated GIF’s for your image header
Emails have constraints when it comes to design, so looking at ways to bring some design edge can be great. Since animated GIF’s are a format acceptable within emails, use these for your header to stand out.
FAQ’s
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# How do the Registration Fee’s appear in the PDF Receipt?
Registration Fees are shown as a separate line item. This is for the registration fee to be separated from tax-deductible items (eg. donations), as the receipt will present a new field that shows the tax-deductible total.
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