Overview
This article shows you how to use the Transactions Report to locate specific donations, issue refunds, resend receipts, customize report views, and understand how payments were made.
Why This Matters
Understanding the Transactions Report equips admins to quickly resolve donor issues, identify problems like declined gifts, and ensure accurate reporting across funds and payment methods.
At a Glance
- Access the Transactions Report from the Reports menu.
- Filter and sort data using custom criteria and columns.
- Issue full or partial refunds to donors.
- Resend or print receipts for any transaction.
- Customize reports for future use and export.
Before You Begin
- Estimated Time to Complete: 5–10 minutes
- Required Role/Permissions: Admin access to the Giving Manager Dashboard
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What You’ll Need:
- Manager Dashboard access
- Report filters or search criteria
- Transaction details if issuing a refund or resending a receipt
Steps to Understand Transaction Reports
Accessing the Transactions Report
- Go to your Manager Dashboard.
- In the left sidebar, expand Reports.
- Select Transactions.
Filter and Sort Transactions
- Use the Search bar to locate a specific gift.
- Click the Filters icon in the top right.
- Apply filters to narrow your results:
- Status
- Fund
- Occurrence
- Location
- Payment Type
- Payment Method
- Deposit Account
- Your active filters will appear as chips at the top of the report.
- Click the X on a chip to remove it.
Sorting and Customizing Columns
- Click the Column Sorter icon (far right of column headers).
- Check/uncheck columns to customize the view.
- Click column headers to sort by ascending or descending order.
💡 Pro Tip:
Enable the Reason column to see why a transaction was declined.
Printing or Exporting the Report
Once the report is customized, use the buttons at the top of the page to:
- Print the report
- Export the report as a file
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Save your filter set to quickly access it later
Understanding Payment Methods
The Method column in your Transactions Report shows how the donor gave:
- FMS (Forms Manager): Donor gave via a direct link to a specific giving form
- Giving Portal: Donor gave through your church’s general giving URL
-
Virtual Terminal: Admin entered the gift manually in the Control Panel
Receipts, Refunds, and Other Actions
Click the three-dot (⋯) ellipsis next to a transaction to access these tools:
-
Resend a Receipt
- Select Resend Receipt
- The donor’s email is pre-filled (can be edited)
- Send the receipt again
-
Issue a Refund
- Select Refund
- Choose Full or Partial refund
- Refund is issued to the original payment method
-
Edit Fund Allocation
- Select Edit Fund
- Choose a new fund from the dropdown
- Save your changes
-
Manage Payment Profiles
- Select Payment Profiles
- View, add, or edit stored donor payment methods
- For more details, visit: Managing Giver Payment Profiles
Important Notes
- Only Admins can issue refunds or change fund designations.
- Donors cannot modify their own transactions once submitted.
- The “Reason” column is not visible by default—enable it to understand why donations were declined.
Troubleshooting
-
Issue: Receipt didn’t send or donor didn’t receive it
Solution: Verify the email address is correct and check the donor’s spam folder. -
Issue: Can’t find a specific gift
Solution: Use the Filters tool to narrow by date, status, fund, or method. Ensure you’re searching in the right report. -
Issue: Report doesn’t show the “Reason” for a decline
Solution: Click the Column Sorter icon and check the Reason column.
FAQ
Q: Can I customize and save multiple reports?
A: Yes. Once your filters and columns are set, click Save to reuse that configuration later.
Q: Can I edit a donation amount?
A: No. You must issue a refund and have the donor resubmit the correct amount.
Q: What happens if a refund fails?
A: Check with your payment processor or card provider. Refunds can fail due to account closure or expiration.
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