How to create Upgrade Links

The Dashboard lets you generate an Upgrade Link for any active recurring plan. This works well when you need a link for a specific supporter.

To create an Upgrade Link:

1. Go to the Recurring tab.
2. Select a recurring plan.
3. Click Offer plan upgrade.
   

4. A window opens with two links:
   • Recurring amount upgrade link: Lets supporters increase their donation amount.
   • Cost coverage upgrade link: Lets supporters start covering transaction costs (only appears if fees aren't currently covered).
   

5. Click Copy next to the link you want to use.

These links include a hash function, which means supporters can confirm their upgrade immediately without email verification. However, this also means the links must go to the correct supporter. If you send a link to the wrong person, they can modify someone else's recurring donation.

If you accidentally send a link to the wrong supporter, reset your Secret key immediately in Settings > Recurring plans. Learn more about hash functions and security.

If you use one of Fundraise Up's native CRM integrations, you can automatically send Upgrade Links to your CRM for all recurring plans. This saves time when you manage supporter communications through your CRM.

To map Upgrade Links:

1. Go to Integrations and select your CRM.
2. Go to the Mapping rules tab and click Add rule.
3. In the Fundraise Up column, select recurring from the dropdown.
4. Select the link type:
   • recurring amount upgrade link: For donation amount increases.
   • recurring cost coverage upgrade link: For cost coverage.
   

5. In the right column, choose where to send the data in your CRM.
6. Click Save changes.

Links sync to your CRM automatically. Fundraise Up only generates links for active recurring plans. If a plan isn't active, the fields export as empty.

These links include a hash function, which means supporters can confirm their upgrade immediately without email verification. However, this also means the links must go to the correct supporter. If you send a link to the wrong person, they can modify someone else's recurring donation.

If you accidentally send a link to the wrong supporter, reset your Secret key immediately in Settings > Recurring plans. Learn more about hash functions and security.

Map Upgrade Links to the donation or recurring plan record in your CRM, not to the supporter's contact record. This matters when supporters have multiple active recurring donations.

After mapping to the donation record, use your CRM's functionality to associate the link with the supporter's contact record.

Export all recurring plans with their Upgrade Links in a single file. This works well for bulk email campaigns or when you want to review links before sending them.

To export recurring plans with links:

1. Go to the Exports.
2. Сlick New export file. If asked, select Create a new export file (not Using existing templates)
3. For export type, select New recurring plans.
4. In the General settings tab, configure filters as needed. For example, you might want only monthly supporters or only supporters from a specific campaign. Learn more →
5. Go to the File columns tab.
6. Click Clear all to start with an empty template.
7. Add the Upgrade Link fields:
   • Search for Recurring Amount Upgrade Link and click it (or drag it to the left column).
   • Search for Recurring Cost Coverage Upgrade Link and click it (or drag it to the left column).
   

8. Add Recurring ID field to identify which link belongs to which plan. This helps when supporters have multiple recurring donations.
9. Add any other fields you need to identify supporters and their plans. You can find all available fields in the Fundraise Up Export Data Dictionary. Common choices include:
   • Supporter Email
   • Supporter First Name and Supporter Last Name
   • Campaign Name
   • Recurring Amount and Recurring Frequency
10. Click Download file.
11. Select the date range for recurring plans you want to include.
12. Click Download.

These links include a hash function, which means supporters can confirm their upgrade immediately without email verification. However, this also means the links must go to the correct supporter. If you send a link to the wrong person, they can modify someone else's recurring donation.

If you accidentally send a link to the wrong supporter, reset your Secret key immediately in Settings > Recurring plans. Learn more about hash functions and security.

Manual construction works for custom integrations with your own systems or when you need links without hash functions. You'll need technical knowledge and specific IDs from your account.

To construct Upgrade Links manually, gather:

• Basic link: Your organization's upgrade URL. Find it in Settings > Recurring plans > Upgrade Links. Only Organization Administrators can access this page.
• Secret key (for hash functions only): On the same page as your Basic link.
• Recurring ID and Supporter ID: Export these in bulk from the Dashboard.
  How to export Recurring ID and Supporter ID.

Links without hash functions require supporters to confirm through email before processing upgrades.

For amount increases:

1[BasicLink]?recurring=[RecurringID]&supporter=[SupporterID]

Example:

For cost coverage:

1[BasicLink]?mode=covering_costs&recurring=[RecurringID]&supporter=[SupporterID]

Example:

Create multiple links at once

To create links for many supporters:

1. Open the Upgrade Links template.
2. Copy the template to a new spreadsheet.
3. Choose the tab for amount upgrades or cost coverage.
4. Replace the example basic link with your organization's link.
5. Paste Recurring IDs and Supporter IDs from your Dashboard export. Make sure each Recurring ID aligns with its Supporter ID.
6. Add supporter emails, names, or other information you need (optional).
7. The first two links in Finalized link generate automatically. Extend the formula down to create all links.

Links with hash functions let supporters confirm upgrades immediately without email verification.

Create the signature using SHA256 with these inputs:

• RecurringID
• SupporterID
• SecretKey

1Signature = getSignature(RecurringID + SupporterID + SecretKey)

JavaScript:

1const crypto = require('crypto')
2
3function getSignature(RecurringID, SupporterID, SecretKey) {
4  return crypto.createHash('sha256')
5               .update(`${RecurringID}${SupporterID}${SecretKey}`)
6               .digest('hex')
7}
8
9function verifySignature(RecurringID, SupporterID, SecretKey, Signature) {
10  return getSignature(RecurringID, SupporterID, SecretKey) === Signature
11}
12

Python:

1import hashlib
2
3def getSignature(RecurringID, SupporterID, SecretKey):
4  return hashlib.sha256(f"{RecurringID}{SupporterID}{SecretKey}".encode()).hexdigest()
5
6def verifySignature(RecurringID, SupporterID, SecretKey, Signature):
7  return getSignature(RecurringID, SupporterID, SecretKey) == Signature
8

For amount increases:

1[BasicLink]?recurring=[RecurringID]&supporter=[SupporterID]&signature=[Signature]

Example:

For cost coverage:

1[BasicLink]?mode=covering_costs&recurring=[RecurringID]&supporter=[SupporterID]&signature=[Signature]

Example: