How to Manage VIP Donors and Disable Auto-Charges in Fund-A-Need (FAN)

The VIP Donor feature allows organizations to disable auto-charges during a silent auction, fund a need (FAN), and item "Buy Now" purchases, giving organizations more control over how payments are processed.

How to Set Up and Use the VIP Donor Management Tool:

1. Access the VIP Donors feature

• From the dashboard menu, click on VIP Donors
• Here, you will find a table listing all your VIP donors with the following details:
  • Donor Name
  • Donor Email
  • Whether the donor has an account in the system
  • Auto-charge statuses for silent auctions, fund a need, and items for sale.

2. Add a VIP Donor

• Click the "Add VIP Donor" button.
• In the dialog that appears, you can either:
  • Select an existing donor from a list of user accounts linked to your organization.
  • Add a new donor by entering their name, email address, and specifying the auto-charge configurations (silent auctions, FAN, and items for sale).
• Once added, anytime this signed-in user participates in the silent auction, FAN or item Buy Now, the configured settings will apply.

3. Manage Existing VIP Donors

• In the VIP Donor table, use the kebab menu (three vertical dots) next to a donor to:
  • Edit donor details or configurations.
  • Delete the donor from the VIP list.
  • Send Password Reset if the donor needs help with account access.

4. Search and Filter VIP Donors

• Use the search bar to find donors by name or email.
• Apply filters using the single-select dropdowns to refine your view based on:
  • Has Account (Yes/No)
  • Silent Auction Auto-Charges (Enabled/Disabled)
  • Fund a Need Auto-Charges (Enabled/Disabled)
  • Item for Sale Buy Now (Enabled/Disabled)

How VIP Donor Configurations Work in Different Scenarios

1. Silent Auction Experience

• VIP donors with auction auto-charges disabled are still required to sign in and provide a credit card to place bids.
• At auction close, if they win an item, it will be added to their cart but not auto-charged.
• The VIP donor will be notified by email and text that they won, with an option to either complete their credit card purchase online or to wait until a member of the organization reaches out.

2. Fund a Need (FAN) Experience

• If FAN Auto-Charges are disabled for a VIP Donor, then the donor will only be able to pledge a donation.
• This applies to both Donor-FAN pledges and the Quick Entry tool in the ESM.

3. Item for Sale Buy Now Experience

• For VIP donors with "Buy Now" auto-charges disabled, a "Buy Now, Pay Later" dialog will appear when they attempt to make a purchase. 
• The item will be added to their cart as a pledge, and they will be able to complete payment later.
• This works even when Buy Now, Pay Later is disabled on the fundraiser, and the VIP donor is making a purchase outside of the event start/end date.

4. Managing an Attendee's Cart in the Check-In Tool

• In the Check-In Tool, VIP donors will be identified by a badge that appears next to their name.

• If the organization is managing a VIP donor's cart, they can still:
  • Charge the donor’s credit card as normal.
  • Mark auction items or purchases as paid offline.
  • Send payment links for online credit card purchases.
• A few exceptions:
  • The Process All Carts button in the Check-In Tool does not charge VIP donor’s credit cards. 
  • If the organization uses the Fund-a-Need Quick Entry Tool and the VIP donor has auto-charges disabled, the donor’s card will not be charged, and the pledge-only setting will apply.

By utilizing the VIP Donor Management Tool, organizations can provide their high-value donors with a customized and flexible payment experience, while ensuring proper handling of event funds and maintaining control over their payment processes.