Test and Go Live with Donation Forms

After you configure and save a donation form, test it while it's in test mode to make sure it's easy for donors to use. When you're satisfied with the form, switch it to accept real donations. For test card and direct debit account numbers, see KB 64901.

You can use the following payment methods when testing your form:

  • Credit card — enter any value for the cardholder name, CVV, and expiration date.

  • Direct debit account

  • Digital wallet — Google Pay supports testing in test mode. Apple Pay, PayPal, and Venmo require a live transaction after you select Start processing donations.

Test a Donation Form

You can test both one-time and recurring gifts, but you can only create one-time gift records in test mode.

  1. Navigate to Online Giving and select Donation forms.

  2. Select the form.

  3. Under Transaction processing, confirm Test mode without creating gift records is selected.

  4. Under Publish, select how you want to share the form for testing — from its URL, QR code, or from a hyperlink on a webpage.

  5. Open the form in a browser, use a test card number, and submit a payment.

  6. Make any necessary adjustments to the form and save it.

Create One-Time Gift Test Records

To review how gift records appear before you go live, you can create one-time gift test records while the form is in test mode.

  1. Navigate to Online Giving and select Donation forms.

  2. Select the form.

  3. Select Edit form.

  4. Select Payments and fees.

  5. Under Transaction processing, select Test mode and create one-time gift records.

  6. Save the form.

  7. Open the form in a browser, use a test card number, and submit a payment.

  8. Make any necessary adjustments to the form and save it.

Test gift records appear in a batch that matches the form's payment configuration and payment method. They don't have a receipt and don't display in giving statements.

Go Live with a Donation Form

After you test the form and confirm it behaves as expected, switch it to accept real donations.

Note: After you select Start processing donations, you can't return the form to test mode.

  1. Navigate to Online Giving and select Donation forms.

  2. Select the form.

  3. Select Edit form.

  4. Select Payments and fees.

  5. Under Transaction processing, select Start processing donations.

  6. Save the form.

Note: When you copy a donation form that's accepting donations, the copied form defaults to test mode.