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      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.

      Note: The VIP Donor feature is only available for organizations on an Enterprise plan.

      Important:

      • The VIP Donor must participate using the email address entered in order for the configurations to apply.
      • The configurations only apply to purchases made by the donor, not purchases made by a volunteer on behalf of the donor in the Check-In Tool.

      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, VIP donors will only be able to pledge, even if the fundraiser is configured to allow auto-charges.
      • 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.

      Please Note: At this time, Trellis does not have an invoicing feature.

       

      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.