If a donor pays by check and you enter the contribution manually, you can still send their gift acknowledgment by email—no printing or postage required. This is especially helpful if you already have acknowledgment templates set up and want a faster, more cost-effective option.
Follow the steps below to send an acknowledgment email after entering a check contribution.
What you’ll do
You’ll enter the check donation as usual, then send an acknowledgment email directly from the contribution record using an existing email template.
Step 1: Enter the contribution manually
Enter the donation as you normally would for a check payment.
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Record the contribution amount
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Set the Payment Method to Check
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Save the contribution
Tip: Make sure the donor has a valid email address on their contact record before moving on.
Step 2: Open the contribution record
After saving the contribution:
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Open the donor’s contact record
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Go to the Contributions section
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Open the specific contribution you just entered
This is where you’ll send the acknowledgment email.
Step 3: Send the acknowledgment by email
From the contribution record:
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Select the option to send an acknowledgment
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Choose Email instead of a printed letter
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Select the acknowledgment email template you want to use
If you already have mail merge templates for printed letters, look for an equivalent email-based acknowledgment template.
Step 4: Review and send
Before sending:
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Confirm the donor’s email address
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Preview the message to make sure the acknowledgment details look correct
When everything looks right, send the email.
The acknowledgment is now delivered electronically—no printing or postage needed.
What happens next
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The donor receives their gift acknowledgment by email
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The contribution record reflects that the acknowledgment was sent
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You’ve saved time, printing, and mailing costs
Common things to double-check
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The donor’s email address is correct and not missing
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You selected an email acknowledgment (not a printed letter template)
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The correct contribution appears in the message preview
If something doesn’t look right, you can cancel before sending and make corrections.
Quick reassurance
Sending acknowledgments by email for check donations is a common workflow. If you accidentally send the wrong template or notice a mistake, you can correct the contribution record and resend the acknowledgment. You’re not locked in after one try.
What else do you need help with?
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Return to Overview: End-of-Year Giving & Tax Receipts.