Scheduled Payments, which are sometimes referred to as recurring billing, allow constituents to choose to spread their Donation or Membership payment amount over a defined number of payments at a regularly scheduled occurrence. The iModules system then handles the individual scheduled payments specified by the constituent in a programmatic manner, with email confirmations confirming each individual payment transaction.
Enabling Scheduled Payments on the campaign form
Enable Scheduled Payments (Donations and Memberships)
Select this option to allow constituents to break their donation or membership down into a series of payments over time. Constituents will pick when they want the recurring payment to be charged: current date, 1st, or 15th. If you check this box, you can also set the Minimum Scheduled Payment Amount you will allow.
Admins can edit the number of payments allowed and their frequency in the admin view of the form with the Edit Field option. See Configure Payment Options for more information.
Enable Perpetual Giving (Donations only)
Select this option to allow donors to make a recurring gift with no end date. For example, they can select to give $500 annually on an ongoing basis. Their credit card will be charged in the amount and on the frequency, they choose until they cancel, or the credit card expires.
You will set up the parameters for Perpetual Giving for the campaign by clicking the Edit Field icon on the campaign form. See Configure Payment Options for more information.
Business Rules
- If the pledge and initial payment are being made on the first day of the month, Encompass sets the next payment date to be the 1st of the next month. For example, I make a recurring transaction on June 1st. The first payment accompanies this commitment. I've selected ‘1st day of the month’ and Monthly for the schedule. The next payment date will be July 1st.
- If the pledge and initial payment are made on the second day of the month or later, Encompass sets the next payment date to be the 1st of the month following the next month. For example, I make a recurring transaction on June 2nd. The first payment accompanies the commitment. I've selected the '1st day of the month’ and Monthly for the schedule. The next payment date will be August 1st.
- If the pledge and initial payment are made on the 1st through the 15th of the month, Encompass sets the next payment date to be the 15th of the next month. For example, I make a recurring transaction on June 15th. The first payment accompanies the commitment. I've selected the '15th day of the month’ and Monthly for the schedule. The next payment date will be July 15th.
- If the pledge and initial payment are made on the 16th through the end of the month, Encompass sets the next payment date to be the 15th of the month following the next month. For example, I make a recurring transaction on June 16th. The first payment accompanies the commitment. I've selected the '15th day of the month’ and Monthly for the schedule. The next payment date will be August 15th.