When a donor sets up a recurring gift on your Almabase giving page, you as an admin, would put it in a gift list on Almabase (just like a one-time gift) and from there sync it across to Raiser's Edge when you're ready. This article walks you through what to expect when syncing recurring gifts, as the process is slightly different from one-time gifts.
Who this applies to: This article describes the sync flow for recurring gifts processed through Blackbaud Merchant Services (BBMS). If your recurring gifts are processed through a different payment gateway, your sync flow is unchanged from how it has always worked.
The two records that make up a recurring gift
Raiser's Edge tracks recurring donations using two linked records:
A Recurring Gift is the parent record — the donor's ongoing commitment (e.g., "$50/month"). It's created once and stays in place for the life of the commitment.
A Recurring Gift Payment is each individual charge under that commitment — the first $50, next month's $50, and so on. Every payment links back to its parent Recurring Gift.
In Raiser's Edge, the parent record must exist and be approved before any payment under it can be approved. Almabase's sync follows that same rule.
How syncing works
Syncing a new recurring gift happens in two stages — the parent record first, then the first payment. After that, you're done; every payment after the first is handled automatically by the payment processor.
Stage 1
First sync: the parent record goes to a batch. When you sync your list, Almabase pushes the parent Recurring Gift to a batch in Raiser's Edge. The first payment stays on Almabase. The Recurring Gift's status on Almabase changes to Added to Batch.
Review and approve the parent in Raiser's Edge. Open the batch, make any adjustments, and commit it. The Recurring Gift's status on Almabase then updates to Synced.
Stage 2
Second sync: the payment goes to a batch. Sync your list again. The first payment is pushed to a gift batch in Raiser's Edge, and its status on Almabase changes to Added to Batch.
Review and approve the payment in Raiser's Edge. Open the gift batch, review the payment, and commit it. Its status on Almabase updates to Synced, and setup is complete.
The sync flow at a glance
A quick walkthrough
A donor named Jane sets up a $50/month recurring gift. Two rows appear in your Almabase gift list: the parent Recurring Gift ($50/month) and the first $50 payment.
You hit sync. The parent record goes to a batch in Raiser's Edge; its Almabase status becomes Added to Batch. You commit the batch in Raiser's Edge. The status updates to Synced.
You hit sync again. The first $50 payment goes to a gift batch; its Almabase status becomes Added to Batch. You commit the gift batch in Raiser's Edge. The status updates to Synced. Jane's first month is fully synced.
Mixed lists: one-time gifts and recurring gifts together
You don't need to separate them. On the first sync, one-time gifts and parent Recurring Gifts go through together. On the second sync, the Recurring Gift Payments go through, alongside any new one-time gifts that have come in since. Almabase tracks what's already been synced, so hitting sync more than once won't create duplicates.
Next month's payment, and the month after
You don't sync subsequent payments. Once the parent Recurring Gift is approved in Raiser's Edge, the payment processor takes over: it charges the donor on schedule, drops each payment straight into a gift batch in Raiser's Edge, and notifies Almabase so the payment appears in the recurring gift's history.
Your only ongoing task is what you'd already be doing in Raiser's Edge — reviewing and committing the gift batch. The two-stage sync applies only the very first time a recurring gift is set up.
What to do if the parent record doesn't go through
Sometimes the parent Recurring Gift won't pass review in Raiser's Edge — usually because a field doesn't match your Raiser's Edge configuration (a fund, a campaign, a constituent code). When that happens:
The payment is safe. It's still on Almabase, waiting.
You can't sync the payment until the parent is approved. Raiser's Edge requires the parent to exist before a payment can land against it.
Fix in Raiser's Edge. Open the parent record in the batch, correct what's flagged, and approve it. Then run the second sync on Almabase.
If the same kind of mismatch keeps recurring, it's worth a closer look at the underlying Raiser's Edge configuration — a renamed fund, a missing code — so future recurring gifts go through cleanly.
Frequently asked questions
What if I do the first sync and forget the second one?
Nothing breaks. The payment stays on Almabase with its current status until you sync again. Come back whenever you're ready.
Can I push the payment before the parent is approved?
No, and that's intentional. Raiser's Edge requires the parent to be in place first, so the second sync will wait.
Could I end up with duplicate gifts if I hit sync more than once?
No. Almabase tracks what's already been pushed and only moves new records forward on each sync.
Do I have to do this two-stage process for every donor every month?
No. The two stages only apply the very first time a recurring gift is synced. Every payment after the first is handled automatically by the payment processor.
Status reference
Status | Where it appears | What it means | What to do next |
(No status) | New row in your list | The recurring gift has just come in and hasn't been synced yet. | Run the first sync. |
Added to Batch | Parent Recurring Gift | The parent record is in a batch in Raiser's Edge, waiting for review. | Commit the batch in Raiser's Edge. |
Synced | Parent Recurring Gift | The parent has been committed in Raiser's Edge. | Run the second sync. |
Added to Batch | Recurring Gift Payment | The first payment is in a gift batch in Raiser's Edge, waiting for review. | Commit the gift batch in Raiser's Edge. |
Synced | Recurring Gift Payment | The first payment has been committed in Raiser's Edge. | Nothing. Future payments are handled automatically. |