How to issue a Refund for a Gift
Navigate to Giving> Gifts and locate the transaction. 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.
Select the Refund button in the upper right corner.
You can choose Add Memo (optional) to leave a note or complete the Refund.
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
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.
How to issue a Refund for a Payment
Locate the Payments area and select the transaction
Select the Refund button in the upper right corner.
Select Yes, refund upon reaching the confirmation modal. Refunding a Payment does not include the option to add a Memo.
If you need to refund a payment tied to an event registration, the process for refunding the payment is the same as above, but there are additional steps required for removing the registration. For step-by-step instructions, check out: Removing & refunding paid registrations | Subsplash Support
Best Practices
We recommend having multiple members of the finance team approve a refund before it is issued, rather than a single individual.
Issue refunds promptly to prevent the risk of donor-initiated chargebacks (see our article on chargebacks vs. refunds for more information).
How Refunds Work
When you issue a refund, the amount is first taken from your pending transfer balance (this is the money that hasn’t been sent to your bank yet).
If there’s enough in that balance, the refund is covered right away. If there isn’t enough, your balance may go negative, and you won’t receive a deposit to your bank until new donations bring the balance back above zero.
You’ll also receive a small credit for the processing fees from the original gift, which will be included in your next transfer.
For Example:
Let’s say you have $100 in your pending transfer balance and issue a $75 refund. The refund is taken from that $100, leaving you with $25 to be deposited into your bank.
If you instead issue a $150 refund with only $100 available, your balance would go to -$50. Any new donations will first cover that -$50 before you receive your next deposit.
FAQ
How do I void a transaction?
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?
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?
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?
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?
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?
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?
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?
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?
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.