Donatly: how to use

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Donatly

Donatly adds a donation to the POS cart as its own line: a fixed amount, a percentage, an amount the customer names, or the change up to a round total. Every paid donation goes into a report you can export.

$0.99 / month30-day free trialShopify POS
Install from the Shopify App StoreWatch the video
On this pageHow it worksWhat it doesPrice & installationFirst setupSetup scenariosScreens and settingsEveryday useTroubleshootingFAQContacts
Overview

How it works

1

A donation reason is a name and a type

You create each reason once in Donatly: its name, its type and its amount. The name is the line the customer sees in the cart and on the receipt.

2

Five types

Percentage of the cart subtotal. Fixed amount. Custom Percent and Custom Amount: the cashier types what the customer says. Round up: the change from the order total up to the next 0.10, 0.25, 0.50, 1.00, 5.00 or 10.00.

3

The cashier adds it from a tile

Choose a donation opens the list of reasons. Apply your default donation adds the default reason in one tap. The donation becomes a custom sale line in the cart.

4

The amount is set at the tap

The amount is calculated from the cart when the cashier taps. If the cart changes afterwards, the line does not follow. Round up uses the total after discounts and tax, and takes a manual cart discount into account so the total lands on the step.

5

Reports come from paid orders

When an order is paid, Donatly records each donation line whose name matches a reason: date, order, reason, location and the amount after discounts. A refunded donation line is subtracted on the day of the refund.

6

A reason can have a goal

A fundraising goal with optional start and end dates. The progress shows in the list, in POS, on the default tile and in a block on your online store.

7

The money and the receipts are yours

A donation is an ordinary line of your order, so the money is paid to you with the sale. Donatly sends nothing to a charity. Passing the money on, any donation receipts and the tax treatment of the line are your responsibility. Check the rules of your state or country, and the charity's, before you start.

The app adds to Shopify POS. Payments, taxes and reports stay in Shopify.
Features

What it does

Five donation types

Percentage, Fixed amount, Custom Percent, Custom Amount and Round up.

Round up with a step

Steps 0.10, 0.25, 0.50, 1.00, 5.00 or 10.00. A round-up line is never taxable. If the total is already round, nothing is added.

The customer's own amount

Custom Amount and Custom Percent open a keypad. Digits fill from the right: 2, 5, 0, 0 gives 25.00.

Default donation

Tick Use by default? on one reason. The Apply your default donation tile adds it without a list.

Locations

A reason can be limited to Selected locations. Each location can have its own default reason.

Fundraising goal

Set Goal: an amount and optional dates. The list shows Raised $185.00 of $500.00; the default tile shows $185 / $500.

Progress on the online store

The Donation progress theme block shows the raised amount and the goal. It only shows; donations are taken on POS only.

Reports and dashboard

Logs by date range and location, with Refunded and Total donated. Dashboard shows this month, all time, top reasons, top locations and 12 months.

Export

Export emails a link to an .xls file. Download in the Shopify admin saves it at once. The link works for 24 hours.

Setup guide

Setup guide in the title bar opens a PDF guide in English, Spanish, German, French, Italian or Portuguese.

Built for: Stores on Shopify POS that collect for a charity, a school or a local cause at the register.
Install

Price & installation

The app has a 30-day free trial. Shopify bills the subscription with your Shopify invoice.

How to install

  1. Open the app on the Shopify App StoreUse the button above, signed in to your store.
  2. Click InstallApprove the permissions the app asks for.
  3. Choose the planThe 30-day free trial starts at once. Shopify bills the subscription with your Shopify invoice.
  4. Set the app up in your Shopify adminIt is listed under Apps. The first setup is below.
  5. Add the app's tile to Shopify POSOn the POS home screen add a tile, choose Apps and pick the app.
How to cancel the subscription

Cancelling means uninstalling the app. There is no separate billing screen.

  1. In the Shopify admin open Settings → Apps.
  2. Open the menu on the app's row and choose Uninstall.
  3. Confirm. The subscription stops when the app is uninstalled.
Start here

First setup

Do this once, in this order. The app is then ready for the shift.

  1. Open Donatly in the Shopify admin onceThis connects your store to the POS tiles. Without it the tiles show Couldn't load donations.
  2. Click Create donationThe list is called Donation Reasons. While it is empty, the card Add Donatly to your POS lists the four steps for the tiles.
  3. Enter NameUp to 50 characters. Each reason needs its own name: the report matches cart lines by name.
  4. Choose Type and the amountPercentage and Fixed amount: type the digits with the cents, 1, 0, 0 gives 1.00. Round up: choose Round up to the nearest. The custom types have no amount here.
  5. Set Taxable?Off on a new reason. Round up is always non-taxable.
  6. OptionalTick Use by default?Needed for the Apply your default donation tile.
  7. OptionalClick Set GoalEnter the goal Amount and, if you want, the dates. Click Apply in the dialog.
  8. Click SaveDonation saved successfully! confirms it.
  9. In Shopify POS, add the Donatly tilesTap Add tile, then App and Donatly: POS Donate & Round Up. Tap Add next to Choose a donation and next to Apply your default donation, then Save.
  10. Test on a saleAdd an item, tap Choose a donation and a reason. Check the line in the cart, then clear the cart.
Donatly has no store-wide settings. Everything is set per reason.
Configuration

Setup scenarios

Each scenario is a complete configuration. Follow the steps in order.

1. Round up for a charity

The customer gives the change up to the next dollar.

  1. Create a reason named Round up for the food bankType Round up, Round up to the nearest 1.00.
  2. Tick Use by default? and save
  3. At the register, ring up every item firstDiscounts too: round up is calculated from the final total.
  4. Ask the customer, then tap Apply your default donation
  5. Check the cartThe line holds the change and the total is round, for example $23.00.
When the total is already on the step, the toast Nothing to add: the donation comes to $0.00 appears and no line is added. Only a manual cart discount is taken into account; automatic discounts are not. With a fixed discount and tax added on top, the total can end a cent or two above the step.
2. The customer names the amount

Some customers want to give $5, others $20.

  1. Create a reason with Type Custom Amount and saveFor example School library.
  2. At the register, tap Choose a donation and the reason
  3. Type the amount on the keypad5, 0, 0 gives $5.00. C clears, ⌫ removes the last digit.
  4. Tap ApplyThe line is added and the list closes. A zero amount is not added.
3. A fixed donation or a percentage

One dollar per sale, or 1% of the purchase, for a cause you support.

  1. Create a reason with Type Fixed amount, Amount 1.00Or Type Percentage, Amount 1.00 for 1%.
  2. Save
  3. At the register, tap Choose a donation and the reasonA percentage is taken from the cart subtotal at that moment.
Add the donation after the last item. If the cart changes later, delete the donation line and add it again.
4. A fundraising goal with progress on the online store

You collect $500 for the school library by the end of the year.

  1. Open the reason and click Set GoalThe dialog is called Fundraising goal.
  2. Enter Amount 500.00 and a Goal end date (optional)Leave Goal start date (optional) empty to count every donation of this reason.
  3. Click Apply, then Save
  4. Check the progressThe list shows Raised … of $500.00 and Until …. If this is the default reason, the default tile shows it too.
  5. OptionalClick Show on online store in the goal dialogThe theme editor opens. Add the Donation progress block, fill Donation reason name and save the theme.
Raised is net of refunds. After the end date POS stops showing the goal; the storefront block keeps the final figure.
5. A different reason per store

Each store supports its own local cause.

  1. Create the reason for store AIn POS locations choose Selected locations and tick store A. Tick Use by default? if it is the default there.
  2. Create the reason for store B the same way
  3. Keep a reason on All locations as the fallbackIt is the default wherever a location has none of its own.
  4. Check each storeThe POS list shows the reasons of that location and those for all locations.
The POS locations field appears when the store has more than one location.
6. Monthly report for the charity

The charity asks what was collected last month.

  1. Open ReportsIt opens on the Logs tab for today.
  2. Choose Last month in the date range, and the Location
  3. Check Refunded and Total donatedTotal donated is net of refunds made in the period.
  4. Click Download or ExportDownload saves the .xls file at once. Export emails a link to it. POS has Export only.
  5. OptionalOpen the Dashboard tabTotals for this month, all time and the last 12 months.
Reference

Screens and settings

Every screen of the app and what each setting does.

Donation Reasons

The screenshot is Donatly opened from its tile in Shopify POS: each card has Apply donation. In the Shopify admin each card has Edit.

Donation Reasons
Setting What it does
Name The reason. It is also the line name in the cart and on the receipt.
Donation: The amount, the percentage, Round up to the nearest 1.00, or the name of a custom type.
Type: Percentage, Fixed amount, Custom Percent, Custom Amount or Round up.
Taxable: Taxable or Non-taxable.
Use by default The reason the default tile adds at this location.
Raised … of … Goal progress, net of refunds, with a bar and Until the end date.
Apply donation In POS only. Adds the donation to the current cart and closes Donatly. A custom type opens a Percent/Amount field first.
Edit In the Shopify admin only. Opens the form.
Red bin Deletes the reason after Are you sure you want to delete this donation? It leaves the lists and POS; its past report rows stay.
Create donation · Reports · Setup guide · Settings In the title bar; in POS under More actions. Setup guide is in the Shopify admin only.
Donation form

Create New Donation or Edit Donation. Save and Set Goal are in the title bar.

Setting What it does
Name Up to 50 characters, unique: A donation reason with this name already exists. blocks a duplicate.
Type Percentage, Fixed amount, Custom Percent, Custom Amount or Round up.
Amount Percentage and Fixed amount only. Digits fill from the right: 1, 0, 4, 5 gives 10.45.
Round up to the nearest Round up only: 0.10, 0.25, 0.50, 1.00, 5.00 or 10.00. The default is 1.00.
Taxable? Off on a new reason. Locked off for Round up.
POS locations All locations or Selected locations. Shown when the store has more than one location.
Use by default? One default per location; a reason for all locations is the fallback. Saving it removes the default from reasons of the same locations.
Save Stores the reason: Donation saved successfully!
Fundraising goal

Opens from Set Goal in the form. Apply copies the goal into the form; Save stores it.

Setting What it does
Amount The amount to raise, net of refunds. 0.00 means no goal.
Goal start date (optional) Only donations from this day count. Empty counts them all.
Goal end date (optional) POS stops showing the goal after this day. Empty means no end.
Show on online store Shopify admin only. Opens the theme editor with the Donation progress block.
Cancel · Apply Close the dialog without changes, or keep the goal in the form.
POS tiles

Both Donatly tiles are headed Donatly.

POS tiles
Setting What it does
Choose a donation Opens Donations, the list of reasons for this location.
Apply your default donation Adds the default reason of this location, or the one for all locations. With a running goal the line shows it, for example · $185 / $500.
Donatly: POS Donate & Round Up The app tile. Opens Donatly in POS: the reason list with Apply donation, Reports and Settings.
Donations list in POS

Opens from Choose a donation. The whole card is tappable.

Donations list in POS
Setting What it does
Card Name, the goal line, Donation:, Type:, Taxable: and Use by default.
Apply Adds the line and closes the list. A second tap before it closes adds nothing.
Loading donations… The list is being read from the server.
Couldn't load donations · Try again No answer within 10 seconds, or an error. Check the connection and try again.
No donations configured No reason exists for this location.
Keypad

Opens for Custom Amount and Custom Percent reasons.

Keypad
Setting What it does
Enter the amount to donate · Enter the percent to donate The value shows on the right as you type.
0–9 Digits fill from the right: 2, 5, 0, 0 gives 25.00. Up to 9 digits.
C Clears the value.
⌫ Removes the last digit.
Apply Adds the donation. Zero is not added.
Reports: Logs

Opens from Reports on today.

Setting What it does
Location All Locations or one location.
Date range Today, Yesterday, Last 7 days, Last 30 days, Last 90 days, Last 12 months, This month, Last month, or your own dates. No length limit.
Date · Order · Reason · Location · Amount One row per donation line, newest first, 100 per page. Order is the order name such as #1001; in the Shopify admin it opens the order. Online orders show Online.
Refunded Donation lines refunded in the period. Shown when there are any.
Total donated Donations of the period minus those refunds.
Export Enter an email and Send. The email carries a link to an .xls file, valid for 24 hours.
Download Shopify admin only. Saves the same .xls file at once.
Reports: Dashboard

The second tab of Reports, in the Shopify admin only. All sums are net of refunds.

Reports: Dashboard
Setting What it does
This month · All time Totals from the first of the month, and since the start.
Top reasons · Top locations The five largest, all time.
By month The last 12 calendar months, newest first. A refund lowers the month it was made in.
Settings

Opens from Settings in the Shopify admin or in POS. There are no store options here.

Setting What it does
Miss something? Tell us opens a form for a missing feature, with an optional email. Send sends it to us.
Contact us A button with contact@merchbytes.com that opens your email app.
App version The installed version. Quote it when you write to support.
Donation progress block (online store)

A theme app block for any section that accepts app blocks. It shows a heading, a bar and $420.00 raised of $1,000.00.

Setting What it does
Donation reason name As named in Donatly. Empty shows the first reason with a goal.
Heading Empty shows the reason name.

Screenshots of the running app in Shopify POS and the Shopify admin. Click one to enlarge.

At the register

Everyday use

What the cashier does after the app is set up.

  1. Ring up every item first. A percentage or a round-up is calculated at the tap.
  2. Ask the customer. Tap Choose a donation and the reason, or tap Apply your default donation.
  3. For a custom amount, type it on the keypad and tap Apply.
  4. A tap adds the line at once, with no confirmation. Check the cart before checkout.
  5. If the cart changes after the donation, delete the donation line and add it again.
If something is wrong

Troubleshooting

Symptom on the left, what to do on the right.

Symptom What to do
Couldn't load donations. Open Donatly once in the Shopify admin, then tap Try again. If it repeats, check the internet connection.
You don't have default donations. No reason has Use by default? for this location or for all locations. Tick it on one reason and save.
Nothing to add: the donation comes to $0.00. For Round up, the total is already on the step. For the other types, the amount came to zero.
Donation not added: this cart can't be changed right now. POS has locked the cart, for example during a return or an exchange. Add the donation before checkout.
Couldn't add the donation. Check the cart and try again. POS refused the line. Check the cart and add the donation again.
The round-up total is a cent or two above the step. That happens with a fixed cart discount and tax added on top. Automatic discounts are not taken into account at all.
A reason is missing on this POS. Check its POS locations. The POS list shows the reasons of this location and those for all locations.
A donation is missing from Reports. A row is written when the order is paid. The line name must match a reason that exists at that moment; a line added before a rename, or for a deleted reason, is not matched. Check the date range and the location.
Please open the app on the Shopify Admin page, then try again. Open Donatly once in the Shopify admin, then open it again in POS.
The app's tile is not on the POS home screen. Add it: on the POS home screen add a tile, choose Apps and pick the app.
The tile does not react or shows an old screen after an update. Close and reopen Shopify POS. If that does not help, update Shopify POS on the device.
The app asks for new permissions. A new version needs them. Open the app in the Shopify admin and approve them.
Questions

FAQ

Who receives the money?
You do. The donation is a line of your order and is paid to you with the sale. Donatly transfers nothing; you pass the money on to the charity.
Can customers donate in the online store?
No. Donations are added on POS only. The online store can show a goal's progress with the Donation progress block.
Does the donation change when the cart changes?
No. It is calculated at the tap. Delete the line and add it again.
Why is round-up never taxable?
Tax on the line would move the total off the round number, so the box is locked off.
Are refunds taken out?
Yes. A refunded donation line is subtracted from Total donated in the period of the refund. Refunding a product does not change the total.
Can each store have its own reasons?
Yes. POS locations limits a reason to selected locations, and each location can have its own default.
What happens when I rename or delete a reason?
Past report rows stay with the reason. A deleted reason leaves the lists and POS. A line added under the old name and paid after the rename is not recorded.
In which languages is Donatly?
English, Spanish, German, French, Italian and Portuguese, following your Shopify language, in the Shopify admin and in POS. The .xls file and the export email are in English.
How much does it cost?
$0.99 per month, with a 30-day free trial.
Support

Contacts

Email
contact@merchbytes.com
Website
merchbytes.com