External Payments

External Payments allow you to track and manage donations that were processed outside of your connected Stripe account. This feature enables you to maintain a complete record of all donations to your organization, regardless of where they were originally processed.

What Are External Payments?

External Payments are donation records that represent transactions processed through third-party platforms like ActBlue, WePay, EveryAction, or other fundraising services. Unlike regular payments that are processed directly through your connected Stripe account, external payments are imported or added manually to maintain comprehensive donation records.

Key Differences from Regular Payments

Adding External Payments

Via API Integration

You can add external payments programmatically using the Users API. When creating or updating a user, include external donation parameters:

{
  "user": {
    "first_name": "John",
    "last_name": "Doe",
    "email": "[email protected]",
    "external_donation_amount": 25.00,
    "external_donation_date": "2024-01-15",
    "external_donation_source": "ActBlue",
    "external_donation_id": "AB123456789"
  }
}

Required Fields:

• external_donation_amount: The donation amount in dollars
• external_donation_date: When the donation was made
• external_donation_source: The platform where it was processed

Optional Fields:

• external_donation_id: Unique identifier from the external platform

Via Import Process

External payments can be imported in bulk through the People Import feature:

Step 1: Upload CSV

Upload a CSV file containing your donation data. The system will automatically detect if your CSV contains donation-related columns.

Step 2: Map Fields

Map your CSV columns to donation fields:

Required Mappings:

• Donation Amount: Map to columns containing dollar amounts
• Donation Date: Map to columns containing transaction dates

Optional Mappings:

• Donation Source: Map if your CSV has a source/platform column
• External Donation ID: Map if your CSV has transaction IDs

Step 3: Import Details

If you didn't map a donation source column, you'll be prompted to specify the source for all donations in this import batch.

Import Validation:

• Amount must be a positive number
• Date must be in a recognizable format (MM/DD/YYYY, YYYY-MM-DD, etc.)
• Source is required (either mapped or specified in details)

Where External Payments Appear

Finances Dashboard

External payments are integrated throughout the finances section:

Overview Page:

• Included in total donation amounts
• Displayed in daily/monthly revenue graphs
• Counted in donation statistics

Payments Page:

• Won't be listed in the default payment index, but they will have payment pages that will be linked to from a user's activity timeline
• Clearly marked as "External" with source information
• Cannot be refunded (external processing)

User Profiles

External payments appear in individual user profiles:

Activity Timeline:

• Shows when external donations were imported
• Displays donation amount, date, and source
• Links to the original import batch

Donation History:

• Combined view of all donations (Stripe + external)
• Sortable by date, amount, and source
• Export functionality included

Reporting

External payments are included in most financial reporting pages:

Activity Overview:

• Total donations include external payments
• Breakdown by source (Stripe vs. external platforms)

Graphs:

• Revenue trends include external donations
• Source attribution charts
• Comparative analysis tools

Import Process Details

Date Format Recognition

The system automatically recognizes various date formats:

• MM/DD/YYYY (01/15/2024)
• YYYY-MM-DD (2024-01-15)
• MM-DD-YY (01-15-24)
• Natural language (January 15, 2024)

Amount Processing

• Accepts dollar amounts with or without currency symbols
• Handles decimal places automatically
• Converts to cents for storage

Error Handling

Failed imports provide detailed error reports:

• Invalid amounts or dates
• Missing required fields
• Duplicate detection warnings
• Downloadable error CSV for corrections

Limitations and Considerations

What External Payments Cannot Do

Refund Processing:
External payments cannot be refunded through Solidarity Tech since they were processed elsewhere. Users must contact the original platform for refunds.

Real-time Updates:
External payments are not automatically synced. Updates must be imported manually or via API.

Fee Calculation:
Processing fees are not tracked for external payments since they're handled by third-party platforms.

Best Practices

Data Consistency:

• Use consistent source names across imports
• Maintain accurate external donation IDs when available
• Regular reconciliation with external platform reports

Import Timing:

• Import external donations regularly to maintain current records
• Consider automated API integrations for high-volume sources
• Use batch imports for historical data migration

Record Keeping:

• Keep original CSV files for audit purposes
• Document data sources and import dates
• Maintain mapping documentation for recurring imports

Getting Started

To begin using External Payments:

1. Identify External Sources: List all platforms where donations are processed
2. Prepare Data: Export donation data from external platforms
3. Test Import: Start with a small batch to verify mapping
4. Regular Process: Establish routine for importing external donations
5. Monitor Integration: Review finances dashboard to ensure accurate reporting

External Payments provide a comprehensive view of your organization's fundraising efforts across all platforms, ensuring no donation goes untracked in your Solidarity Tech system.