Handling NPSP Automations That Reactivate Paused Recurring Donations

If you're using Salesforce NPSP (Nonprofit Success Pack) with WeGive, you may encounter situations where NPSP automations automatically reactivate recurring donations that have been paused in WeGive. This article explains the issue and provides workarounds to ensure your recurring donations maintain their intended status.

The Problem

NPSP includes built-in automations and workflows that monitor recurring donation records. When certain conditions are met, these automations may automatically change the status of paused or closed recurring donations back to "Active," which can:

• Override intentional pauses made by staff or supporters
• Create confusion about donor intent
• Trigger unwanted payment processing
• Cause discrepancies between WeGive and Salesforce data

Recommended Workaround: Permanently Close Instead of Pause

To avoid conflicts with NPSP automations, we recommend permanently closing recurring donations rather than pausing them when you want to end the donation schedule.

For Employees (Admin Users)

Step 1: Delete the Recurring Donation in WeGive

1. Navigate to the recurring donation in WeGive that you wish to close
2. Click "Edit"
3. Click "Delete"
4. Select "Permanently delete this donation"
5. Click "Delete Permanently"

Step 2: Update the Status in Salesforce

1. Wait a few minutes for the status to sync to Salesforce
2. Once the status shows as "Closed" in Salesforce, update the Status Reason field
3. Click "Edit", change the Status Reason to the appropriate value, and click "Save"

Step 3: Verify the Closure

1. In WeGive, search for the Supporter
2. Open their Profile
3. Navigate to the "Related" tab
4. Scroll down to view "Cancelled Recurring Plans" to confirm the donation appears there

For Supporters (Portal Users)

Step 1: Access Your Recurring Donations

1. Log in to the WeGive donor portal
2. Click on your Recurring Giving section
3. Click "View"

Step 2: Delete the Recurring Donation

1. Select the amount of the active recurring donation you wish to cancel
2. Click "Edit"
3. Click "Delete"
4. Confirm by selecting "Permanently delete my recurring plan"
5. Click "Permanently Delete Plan"

Step 3: View Archived Donations

1. Return to your Recurring Giving section
2. Click the three dots menu in the top right
3. Select "View Archived" to see your cancelled recurring plans

Why This Works

Permanently deleting the recurring donation in WeGive:

• Removes the active payment schedule completely
• Syncs a "Closed" status to Salesforce that NPSP recognizes as final
• Prevents NPSP automations from attempting to reactivate the donation
• Maintains a complete history in both systems for reporting purposes

Additional Tips

Communicate the Change: If your organization previously used the pause feature, train your team on the new permanent closure process to ensure consistency.

Document Status Reasons: Use Salesforce's Status Reason field consistently to track why donations were closed (e.g., "Donor Request," "Payment Failed," "Upgraded to New Plan").

Review NPSP Workflows: Work with your Salesforce administrator to review and potentially modify NPSP automations if they're causing frequent issues with your donation management workflow.

Monitor Regularly: Periodically audit your recurring donations in both WeGive and Salesforce to catch any discrepancies early.

Need Help?

If you continue to experience issues with NPSP automations reactivating donations after following these steps, please contact WeGive Support with:

• The Supporter name and email
• The recurring donation ID
• Screenshots of the status in both WeGive and Salesforce
• Details about any NPSP customizations your organization uses

Our support team can work with you to identify any additional configuration changes needed in your specific environment.