Editing Gift Designations: What You Can and Cannot Change

Administrators can update the fund (designation) a processed gift is credited to, but some limitations apply. This article explains how you can change a gift’s designation, the available options, and situations where a change isn’t possible.

Quick answer

You can update designations on completed gifts using the gift management interface.
Click the donation ID to open the gift record.
You may only change to designations that were available on the original giving form or campaign.

Where to edit a gift's designation

Click the donation ID for the gift record.
Use the designation/fund selector on the gift record to choose a new designation, then save your change.

(If you don't see a designation selector, review the troubleshooting checklist below.)

What you can change

Hidden designations now appear when editing a gift

When you open a processed gift to change its designation, the selector displays every designation assigned to the original giving form or campaign. This includes designations that are part of groups hidden from donors. Even if the designation falls under a hidden group, it appears in the selector (including via search) without requiring you to know the group name in advance.

Important details and edge cases

This feature applies only within the admin gift-editing interface. Hidden-group designations remain hidden on the live donor-facing giving form and will not appear at checkout.
A designation shows in the edit selector only if it was assigned to the form or campaign that processed the original gift. Designations that exist solely at the school level will not be listed unless they were added to that form or campaign.
To open a gift record from the school-wide gifts list, navigate to Online Giving > Manage Gifts, select the Donations tab, and click the donation ID. For gifts from a specific campaign, open the campaign under Online Giving, go to Manage Donations, and click the donation ID.

What you cannot change

You cannot assign a gift to a designation that is not available on the form where the gift was made. In order to add a designation you will need to add the designation to the form, then add it to the gift.

If the designation you need isn’t available on the gift record

Create or enable the desired designation at the school level if it doesn’t exist.
Add the designation to the giving form or campaign configuration to make it available.
Return to the processed gift’s record and select the new option once it’s added.

Tip: For new funds, update your school-level designations and include them on forms or campaigns before soliciting gifts, so donors can select the correct option at checkout.

Troubleshooting checklist

Verify you opened the correct gift record by clicking the donation ID.
Confirm the target designation existed and was included on the original form or campaign. If it wasn’t, add it to your school-level designations and update the form or campaign.

Notes and best practices

Plan designation options ahead of your fundraiser to ensure donors pick the correct fund at checkout.
When adding new school-level designations, update the relevant forms or campaigns so only valid choices appear during editing.

Additional limitations

Gifts made with cryptocurrency cannot have their designations updated through the gift record. The record displays the message "To update designations for crypto donations, please create a support ticket."
'Follow the Fund' matches cannot have their designations modified. These matches split donation dollars across funds based on the triggering gifts. To view how funds are designated, visit the Matches & Challenges tab on the campaign page and download a report.

Frequently asked questions

Q: Can I change a designation for a gift made through a different form or campaign?

A: You can move a gift to any designation that was offered on the original form or campaign, but you cannot select a designation that wasn’t available at the time of the gift.

Q: The designation exists at the school level but doesn’t appear when I edit the gift. Why?

A: The designation must also be assigned to the specific form or campaign that processed the original gift. Having it at the school level alone isn’t enough.