Feature Request: Donation Option

[CSzRichmond]

We are a nonprofit theater that uses Square Register for our box office and concessions sales. We would love to give our customers the option to donate to our nonprofit through a question at the end of the transaction, very similar to how tipping works. It's better than asking all cashiers to ask every customer directly if they'd like to donate, and could give the customer the option to maybe round up to the nearest dollar or donate larger amounts very simply. I'm sure this would be an option that many other companies could use - even if you're not nonprofit, you could support a nonprofit with something like this.

A similar approach could be for us to set up donations as a sales item, and that this feature would be a feature that allows you to ask the customer if they'd like to also purchase X in addition to what they just bought, where X could be ANY item you'd like to try to place extra effort on selling.

Anyone else think these would be great options to have in the Square Register software?

[bihs1835]

We're a local historical society, and we're using Square for our members to pay online.  We'd like to make it as easy as possible for people to add additional donation amounts past their membership dues, but, I've tried this several different ways and noone has done it.  When people pay by check we usually get additional donations, we do this by prompting them on the paper form to do so, so this is out of character.  

Is there a way to have people add a custom donation amount when they click through to the checkout page?

[Sean]

Hi @bihs1835. Thanks for joining us in the Seller Community, we're happy to have you! As for your question, I really don't think there is a workaround that I can think of. While you can certainly set up a donation section, you can't add it to the check out flow for an item. I can definitely see how this would be useful for your organization. While I'm not sure, you might check out our eCommerce partners - perhaps one of them offer this functionality through their online store experiences. Hope to hear more from you in the future! 

[Kaloonthego]

How do I accept donations at checkout using square. Do I need to use anither app for that.

[Helen]

Hello @Kaloonthego! It's not possible to add a donation at checkout using Square at this time. I moved your post here so we can track this feature request! 

[jeneyc]

We are trying to see if we can set up our system in a way that gives the option for a donation in the same way that you can ask for tips during the purchase. Is there a way to accomplish this?

[Helen]

This reply was created from merging an existing thread: Donations within the tip window

@jeneyc There isn't a way to do this at this time! I've moved your post into this thread so we can track and share interest in this feature with the Product team. Thank you for letting us know this is something you're looking for! 

[bergerkn]

Hi! I'm also looking for this option. Not necessarily through the tip window but maybe a screen right after the tip screen that asks about a donation to a non profit. Thanks!

[sopo]

Hi,

We are also interested in the same - basically in the same way as the "Tips" screen except it would have wording customized to say "Donate" instead of "Tip"

[CFC1]

We are seeking the same option. Here's an article promoting the idea and concept: https://www.museumnext.com/article/retail-therapy-using-museum-shops-for-digital-fundraising/. As an arts non-profit, having this ability would be invaluable. 

[mitos]

Agreed!!  We started a new restaurant and were ready to open just as the pandemic hit.  We don't qualify for PPP and other funding due to our timimng, but we have to pay rent, insurance, etc., so we went ahead and opened.  I cannot afford to take tips for my employees (we are counter service, not full-service) because those just INCREASE my expenses (I have to pay the card fees, payroll taxes, etc. on that money), but I sorely need  "business donations" to help us pay the bills.  If I could re-label tips as "business donations" to help the business cover labor costs, that would have been great all this time.  Kudos to square for being so slow about so many of these things that would have really helped small and micro businesses for the past year.

[BAYarts]

Came here to look up this same thing - just another vote to add this feature ASAP.  Non-profits need all the help they can get this year.  Square - please make this easier for us!  Like many have said - it seems like the set-up is there with the tipping option - just allow us to customize with donation amounts!

[rickss]

We are a nonprofit that has been using SQUARE for our retail sales for four years.  In our ITEM list we created an item called CASH DONATION, with a variable amount.  We use a tablet as our POS device, so the clerk can scroll through the screens and select various items for sale, as well as a donation.  All of the items are bundled together and charged to the credit card.  It works fine.  The customer gets a receipt that shows the donation to a 501(c)(3) as part of the item description, and we can see, in the detail report, the listing of each item purchased, including the donation.  These data then go into our accounting system which has separate categories for retail sales and for cash donations.

The only glitch for us is that when SQUARE processes a card transaction, it calculates the fee for the whole amount charged to the card.  If more than one item was purchased it does not, therefore, tell us what is the card fee for any individual part of the transaction, so when our accountants ask "give us the card fee for that $50 donation", we have to manually do the math to assign a certain percentage of the fee to that particular sale item.  This is not unusual.  PayPal does the same thing. 

[sashakanno]

Where are you able to set the donation receipt separate? I don't see that, only for all the receipts? 

Is there a place where you can set the receipt different for 1 particular item?

Thanks-

s

[rickss]

When we set up the items in the ITEM list, each item has a description/  For example, the item   Bicycle Sale has the following description:  "Used bicycle sold at the Durham Bicycle Cooperative in "where is - as is" condition. Bicycle selected by volunteers to be sold independent from the co-pay program."   

So, for the item Donations in Cash to the Co-op, we created the description "EIN 26-3522625. Thank you for your donation of cash to the Durham Bicycle Cooperative: a 501(c)3 non-profit corporation."

So, when the customer gets a receipt, the name of the item(s) purchased,  and the item description(s)  appears on the receipt.

[rickss]

Here is an example of a receipt with two items sold, one of which was a Donation, and showing the description of each item.

 

$40.00 Payment

Dec. 9, 2020 4:38 pm

Collected at: Durham Bicycle Cooperative

Source: Point of Sale

Paid by: World Relief

Bicycle Sale - A nicer bicycle requiring less repair

Regular

$20.00

Note: Used bicycle sold at the Durham Bicycle Cooperative in "where is - as is" condition. Bicycle selected by volunteers to be sold independent from the co-pay program.

Donation in Cash to Co-op

$20.00

Note: EIN 26-3522625. Thank you for your donation of cash to the Durham Bicycle Cooperative: a 501(c)3 non-profit corporation.

[sashakanno]

Awesome. I edited our description for the donation item to act as the receipt. 

Smart workaround. Thanks!