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How to set up a Donations page (Legacy content editor)

  • Updated

To take donations on your website, create a donation buy item, add it to the Donations storefront on Programs > Store/Donations Setup, and add the standard Donations page in Content > Configurations > Site Pages. Donors sign in to check out unless you turn on Guest Checkout.

Applies to: Org admins · All plans · Legacy content editor

Where: Programs > Configurations > Buy Items/Add-Ons; Programs > Store/Donations Setup; Programs > Configurations > Store/Donations; Content > Configurations > Site Pages

Step 1: Create the donation item

  1. Go to Programs > Configurations > Buy Items/Add-Ons and click Add Buy Item.
  2. Enter the Item Name, such as General Donation, and the Item Description.
  3. To let donors choose how much to give, set Variable Cost to Yes and enter a Lowest Cost and a Highest Cost. For a fixed gift, such as a $25 brick, leave Variable Cost at No and enter the Item Cost.
  4. Keep the placeholder Item Image or upload your own.
  5. Optional: type a thank-you or tax note in Special Instructions; it prints under the donation on the donor's receipt.
  6. Click Save. You'll see "The Buy Item has been added."

Step 2: Add the item to the Donations storefront

  1. Go to Programs > Store/Donations Setup.
  2. In Storefront, choose Donations.
  3. Click Add Item.
  4. In Buy Item, choose the donation item. In Category, choose a category or leave it at No Category.
  5. Click Add. You'll see "(item name) has been successfully added".

To create donation categories, click Categories, then Add Category, and choose Donations as the Storefront. To show an item in a Featured Items strip at the top of the page, click its checkbox icon (Toggle Show as Featured).

Step 3: Add the Donations page to your website

  1. Go to Content > Configurations > Site Pages.
  2. Right-click Menu Pages (or a page group), point to Add Standard Page and click Donations.
  3. Drag Donations to where you want it in your menu, and click Save. You'll see "The changes to your menus have been saved."
  4. Open your website and check the new Donations page.

What you'll see: Donations in your website's menu, listing your donation items. The public sees them only after this page is on your site.

To add text at the top of the page, go to Content > Page Edit, choose Donations Page - Instructions Section in Page to Edit, type your text and click Save.

Step 4: Choose who can give without signing in

  1. Go to Programs > Configurations > Store/Donations.
  2. Set Guest Checkout to Yes to let donors give without signing in, or No to have them sign in at checkout.
  3. Optional: in Order Copy To, enter email addresses, separated by commas, that get a copy of every Store and Donations order.
  4. Click Save. You'll see "Configurations have been saved."

What donors see

  • Each donation item with its picture and description, and an Amount box ("Enter amount from" your lowest to your highest) or a Qty box for a fixed gift.
  • With Guest Checkout on, one button, Add & Checkout, opens a checkout page where donors enter their name, address, phone and email and pay by card, then click Place Order.
  • With Guest Checkout off, they use Add To Cart, Add & Checkout or Checkout, and anyone who isn't signed in sees "Please sign in to complete your enrollment or order." at checkout.

Receipts and copies

  • Donors get the Order Confirmation email. It goes to the adults with email addresses on the customer account the donation is recorded on; for a guest, that's the account with the email address they entered. The donation is listed as "Donation Item: (item name)", with any Special Instructions under it.
  • Copies go to the Order Copy To addresses on Store/Donations, the item's own Order Copy To, and Order Copy To on Administration > Configurations > General (all orders).
  • The Donations page receipt doesn't show your EIN or tax-deduction wording. Raise receipts can show your EIN; for tax receipts, use a Raise campaign or put the wording in the item's Special Instructions.

If it doesn't work

  • Visitors see "No donations items available at this time -- check back again soon!" No items are on the Donations storefront. Add them in Step 2 with Storefront set to Donations.
  • Donations isn't in the Add Standard Page list. The page is already in Site Pages. Find it there and drag it into Menu Pages.
  • "No payment gateway setup. Please contact TeamSideline support." Guest Checkout needs a card payment gateway. Contact TeamSideline Support.
  • "Buy Item field required." Choose an item in Buy Item before you click Add.
  • Donors see "Please enter a valid quantity or amount for at least one item." They need to enter an Amount or a Qty before they click a button.
  • "Donations Page - Instructions Section" isn't in Page to Edit. Ask TeamSideline Support to add it to your site.

Good to know

  • Guest Checkout applies to the Donations page only. Store shoppers still sign in to check out.
  • A guest donation is recorded on the customer account that has the donor's email address, or on a new account created with the donor's name, address and email. Find it under Customers > Account Management > Search.
  • Categories on the Donations page: donation items are grouped by category only when your Store also has items in categories, and the groups start open only when Store Expand Category is Yes. Donation Expand Category currently opens the Donations categories only on Store/Donations Setup.
  • A buy item's Terms and Conditions tab applies when the item is a program add-on. Donors on the Donations page aren't asked to accept those terms.
  • To see who gave, run Reports > Report Exports > Store/Donation Detail.
  • If your website uses Editor 2.0, set up the items the same way, then add the Donations page in the website editor (see the CMS article below).

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