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Refunding Gifts

From time to time, you may be contacted by a donor asking for a refund. Let's walk through how this can be accomplished.

Cody Walton avatar
Written by Cody Walton
Updated over 9 months ago

How to Issue a Refund

Locate and select the transaction within the Dashboard.

You can also locate the transaction by selecting the donor from the People section. We recommend confirming the transaction amount and transaction ID (when possible) before issuing a refund.

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Select the Refund button in the upper right corner.

A transaction can only be refunded when it holds the Transfer Pending or Paid status. If the gift is Pending, the refund button will not appear. Unfortunately, there is no way to cancel a transaction in the Pending state.

Previously disputed gifts, no matter the outcome, cannot be refunded.

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You can choose Add Memo (optional) to leave a note or complete the Refund.

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If you add a memo, there are two fields to fill out:

  • Message: this will be sent to the donor within the refund notice email

  • Internal Note: this information will remain within the Dashboard

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Best Practices

  1. We recommend having multiple members of the finance team approve a refund before it is issued, rather than a single individual.

  2. Issue refunds promptly to prevent the risk of donor-initiated chargebacks (see our article on chargebacks vs. refunds for more information).

FAQ

How does a refund get issued to my donor?

The refund is taken out of the "Pending Transfer" balance. If the pending transfer balance doesn't cover the full amount, then you won‘t see a transfer of funds to your bank until the "Pending Transfer" balance is positive. We will add a positive balance adjustment for the amount of the refunded gift fees, to be included in your next transfer.

How do I void a transaction?

Transactions cannot be voided because all transactions are processed immediately. You will need to issue a refund.

Can I issue a partial refund?

No, refunds must be issued for the whole amount. If a partial refund is necessary, we recommend that you refund the full amount and then assist the donor in creating a new transaction for the correct amount. This limitation is in place to protect your organization from exposure to chargeback risk (see our article on chargebacks vs. refunds for more information).

How do I give a refund to a different card?

Refunds can only go back to the card/account initially used for the donation. If funds cannot be returned to a donor’s card/account, please contact Support for assistance.

How do I cancel a refund?

Once a refund has been issued, it cannot be canceled. You will need to instruct your donor to make a new donation to offset the refund.

How do I charge someone’s card?

Only donors should create charges using your app or web giving screen. If a donor requires assistance, we recommend that you walk them through the process in person if possible.

Why was my donor’s charge declined?

Subsplash does not decline charges, rather, we request approval from the bank that issued the card. If a customer’s card is declined, they should contact their bank to determine the cause. You can assure them it is not an issue with your organization or your payment provider and suggest they call the support number on the back of their card.

Is there a time limit on refunds?

Refunds can be issued up to 90 days after the donation was given.

How long does it take for my donor to receive a refund?

Refunds take 7-10 business days to process.

Are refunds recorded in my integration?

At this time, data related to refunded transactions is not transferred to ChMS integrations. This information will need to be recorded manually.

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