A tribute can be added to a donation by: searching and adding an existing tribute record, creating a new tribute record during donation entry, or adding a non-notify tribute directly to an existing donation. Creating a tribute record first, then adding it to all applicable donations is the recommended workflow for the fullest functionality and reporting capability. A donation can have only one tribute associated with it, but the same tribute record can be linked to multiple donations.
Who: Donor relations and gift processing staff managing tribute records, donor notifications, and tribute reporting.
When to Add a Tribute to a Donation
Add a tribute to a donation when:
- A donor sends in a check with a note saying the gift was made in memory of a family member who recently passed.
- A donor wants to honor a retiring colleague with a gift and asks that the colleague be notified.
- A memorial fund campaign that supports reading literacy is underway for a beloved librarian and multiple incoming donations all need to be linked to the same tribute record.
- A donor calls after their gift was already processed and asks to add a tribute notation.
- A one-time donation arrives with a handwritten note specifying it is in memory of their pet, but says they do not need anyone to be notified.
Tributes can also be added online while making a donation via the Giving Hub. See Tributes in Giving Hub for more information. Tributes Overview provides additional information about managing tributes.
Add an Existing Tribute During Donation Entry
When entering a gift, search for the existing tribute record and add it at the time of creating the donation. Linking gifts to existing tribute records streamlines donation entry, prevents duplication of tributes in the Tributes area, and allows for better notify contact management.
To add an existing tribute during donation entry:
- Follow instructions in Create, Copy, and Post a Donation to begin entering the new donation.
- Locate the Tribute Information section.
- Enter the tribute name in the Existing Tribute field and select the tribute from the drop-down list.
- In this example, a tribute record has already been created for Jameson Wright. Because this tribute record was already created and has a notify profile set up, it is not necessary to add any additional details during donation entry.
- In this example, a tribute record has already been created for Jameson Wright. Because this tribute record was already created and has a notify profile set up, it is not necessary to add any additional details during donation entry.
- Click Process once all other applicable information has been added for the donation.
Confirm the Existing Tribute Was Added
On the Donation Record
The tribute record will now show in the Tribute field in the Additional Information section. Click on the hyperlinked tribute name to view the tribute record itself.
In the Tributes Area
In the Tributes area, the donation will now display on the tribute record in the Donations section.
Create a New Tribute During Donation Entry
Entering information in the New Tribute section when entering a donation will create a new tribute record that is added to the Tributes area.
To create a new tribute record from the donation, fill out the New Tribute fields in the Tribute Information section.
- Follow instructions in Create, Copy, and Post a Donation to begin entering the new donation.
- Locate the Tribute Information section.
- In the New Tribute section enter all applicable information for the new tribute record.
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Type of Tribute - Creates the type of tribute, In Memory of or In Honor of.
- If No Tribute is selected, no tribute will be created. This is the default selection for all new donation records.
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Person Being Remembered/Honored - Enter a name for the new tribute record, typically the name of the person.
- This is a free text field. If the tribute name is entered exactly the same as an existing tribute record no new tribute record is created. However, if the tribute name is entered slightly differently, for example, due to spelling variations or the use of nicknames, the system will create a new tribute record. This can result in an unintentional duplicate.
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Whom to Notify - Enter the name of a person that should receive notifications for this tribute.
- This is a free text field; it will not check for an existing profile. No profile will be created for this person.
- If no contact person needs to be communicated with about the donation, then this can be left blank. A tribute record without any contacts will be added and will be considered a non-notify tribute. Non-notify tributes are for record keeping purposes only. Notify contacts can also be added later on the tribute record.
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How Would You Like The Person Notified? - Choose an applicable delivery method, Postal Mail or Email. Enter the corresponding contact information depending on the method selected.
- This contact information will only be available to view and edit in the Notify section on the tribute record.
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Type of Tribute - Creates the type of tribute, In Memory of or In Honor of.
- Click Process once all applicable information has been added for the donation.
Confirm the New Tribute Was Created
On the Donation Record
Once the donation is processed, the new tribute record will be created and added to the donation. The new tribute can be viewed on the donation record in the Additional Information section. Click on the hyperlinked tribute name to view the tribute record.
In the Tributes Area
In the Tributes area, the tribute record will now display the linked donation record in the Donations section.
When a tribute is created via a donation record, the Whom to Notify and email or mail address entered on the donation are stored only on the tribute record, and no profile is created in CommunitySuite. This is why no profile ID will appear in the ProfileID column.
By contrast, creating the tribute independently first that already has the right profiles added ensures proper profile association within CommunitySuite. Profile IDs can only be used when adding a profile to the tribute record because the contact already exists in the system.
Add a Non-Notify Tribute to an Existing Donation
A non-notify tribute records a tribute description directly on the donation without creating or linking to a tribute record. This option may be useful when a donor requests that a tribute be noted on their gift but no notification or further reporting is needed.
Adding a non-notify tribute does not create a tribute that could be selected on other donations and does not allow for the addition of a notify contact. The donation does not appear in tribute reporting or the Tribute bucket in Donations.
A non-notify tribute cannot be converted to a notify tribute after the donation is processed.
To add a Non-Notify Tribute:
- Navigate to the relevant bucket on the Donations page.
- Click the donation ID.
- Locate the Additional Information section and click Add in the Tribute field.
- Locate the Non-Notify Tribute Information section, and enter a Tribute Description.
- Click Update.
- This does not create a tribute that could be selected on other donations and does not allow for the addition of a notify contact.
- This does not create a tribute that could be selected on other donations and does not allow for the addition of a notify contact.
Confirm the Non-Notify Tribute Was Added
On the Donation Record
On the donation record, the non-notify tribute description will display in the Tribute field. The tribute name is not hyperlinked because no tribute record has been created.
Non-notify Tributes are not Included in Tribute Bucket
No Tribute to View in the Tributes Area
The non-notify tribute will not appear in the list of tributes in the Tribute bucket. In this example, donation ID 3838 is not included in the Tribute bucket. This is because the non-notify tribute does not create a tribute record and there is not a notify contact created to receive notifications. It is only a text note within the donation record.