Tribute Notifications

Notifications Are Not Sent Automatically

Because notifications are not generated or sent automatically, it is important to review the Tribute bucket regularly. The Tribute bucket on the Donations page does not display a count of pending notifications, so there is no visual indicator that notifications are waiting to be sent. 

It is recommended to establish a regular cadence for reviewing and processing tribute notifications, such as weekly or after each donation processing cycle, to ensure notifications are sent in a timely way.

Frequency Does Not Trigger or Schedule Notifications

In order to understand notifications, it helps to understand what the frequency setting for a notify contact actually does and does not do. The frequency setting on a notify contact does not generate notifications automatically for that contact or send a reminder that notifications are due to be sent. 

Frequency Is a Visibility Window, Not a Schedule

Frequency controls which donations appear in the Tribute bucket based on how much time has passed between the donation date and today. 

It works similarly to a lookback date: the system checks whether a donation falls within the frequency window counting backward from today. 

• If it does, the donation shows in the Tribute bucket as needing to be sent. 
• If it does not, the donation drops off the list whether or not a notification was ever actually sent.

Leaving the frequency field blank removes this lookback window entirely. Donations remain in the Tribute bucket regardless of age until a notification is marked as sent.

It is recommended to check the Tribute bucket on a consistent schedule, otherwise donations related to a notification set to daily, weekly, or monthly can disappear before anyone sees it, with no indication it was ever there.

• No Frequency - If you do not want a lookback window applied, this can be left blank. This tells CommunitySuite to include all unsent donations regardless of donation date, keeping them in the Tribute bucket until the notification is marked as sent.
• Daily - If you plan to send donation notifications daily. This tells CommunitySuite to keep a donation in the Tribute bucket until one day has passed since the donation date, after which it drops off the list.
• Weekly - If you plan to send donation notifications weekly. This tells CommunitySuite to keep a donation in the Tribute bucket until one week has passed since the donation date, after which it drops off the list.
• Monthly - If you plan to send donation notifications monthly. This tells CommunitySuite to keep a donation in the Tribute bucket until one month has passed since the donation date, after which it drops off the list.
   

Send Notifications in Bulk or Individually

Notifications can be generated in bulk from the Tribute bucket on the Donations page or individually from the donation. The preferred delivery method, mail or email, can be configured for each notify contact when the tribute is created. 

Tribute notifications use a template in order to be generated. If you have selected a tribute template on a tribute record, the system will use that template for print notifications. If not, the default tribute template will be used. Email notifications use the tribute_notify_email_body text in Tributes Site Custom Content.

To send tribute notifications in bulk from the Tribute bucket:

1. Navigate to the Donations page.
2. Click the Tribute bucket.
    
   • If the notify contact has a frequency set, the Tribute bucket displays all donations that have unsent notifications and fall within the frequency setting's lookback period. 
   • If the notify contact does not have a frequency set, the donation will appear in the Tribute bucket until notification is marked as sent.
3. Click Tribute Notify in the left-side menu.
   • Tributes with unsent donations will be listed, based on the same criteria as the Tribute bucket.
4. Select the applicable notification process from the Actions drop-down menu. 
   • Print Notifications (pdf) - Use to generate notifications in a .pdf format.
   • Print Notifications (word) - Use to generate notifications in a Word document format.
   • Print Envelopes - Use to generate a .pdf document that contains formatted envelopes for each notification.
   • Print Labels - Use to generate a .pdf document that contains mailing labels for each notification.
   • Email Notifications - Use to email notifications to the notify contact for each tribute. 
   • Mark as Sent - Use to remove the donations from the Unsent Tribute Notifications list.
      
5. Check the box for notifications that align with the Action process selected in Step 4.
   • For example, if Print Notifications (pdf) is selected as the Action, then check the boxes for Notify Method of mail.
   • If the Notify Method field is blank, notifications can be processed by any available method.
6. Click Submit.
    

A background job will be created. The job status will be listed in the Recent Jobs section.

• For email notifications, errors will be indicated in the Status section of the background job if any email addresses are missing or if any selected profiles are marked Do Not Email.

Unsent Tribute Notifications

The Unsent Tribute Notifications list only removes a notification list item when the Mark as Sent action is performed.

Once a notification is marked as sent, the individual or organization notified and the date will appear in the Tribute field on the corresponding donation record.

A manual tribute notification can be sent from the donation record.

To send a manual tribute notification:

1. Navigate to the Donations page.
2. Click the Tribute bucket. 
   
    
3. Click the Tribute that is being notified.
    
4. Click the ID of the donation attached to the tribute that is being notified.
    
5. Locate the Additional Information section, and then click Manual Notify next to the Tribute name.
   
    
6. Click the desired notification action to send the manual notification for the tribute.
   • PDF - Generates the notification in a .pdf.
   • Word - Generates the notification in a Word document.
   • Envelope - Generates a .pdf document that contains a formatted envelope.
   • Email - Emails the notification to the notify contact. 
   • Sent - Marks the tribute as sent and removes the donation from the Unsent Tribute Notifications list.
     

A tribute notification can be sent again after clearing and readding the tribute on the corresponding donation.

To resend a tribute notification:

1. Navigate to the Tributes page.
2. Enter the tribute name in the Search Tributes field and select the tribute from the drop-down list. 
   • Alternatively, click List in the left-side menu to view a list of all tributes. Click the ID of the tribute you want. 
3. Locate the Donation section, and then click the ID of the donation.
    
4. Locate the Additional Information section, and then click Clear in the Tribute field.
    
5. Add the tribute again. 
   • The notify item will appear again on the Tributes page.