Donors Quick Start
Simple steps to add donors, import lists, and start stewardship in Expirely. This page is built for the first session: add one donor, record one real gift or note, and make the next stewardship step visible so your directory starts with live history instead of an empty database.
What this guide gets you
One donor profile with contact details that your team can actually use.
One logged gift, note, or interaction so stewardship starts with real context.
One repeatable approach for imports, thank-yous, and follow-up tracking.
Before you open Donors
- A spreadsheet, email, or note with one real donor you can use as your live example.
- At least one recent gift, note, or contact detail you want to preserve.
- A simple idea for tags or segments so every donor does not land in one giant list.
Start here
Use this order for your first donor session.
The goal is not to migrate everything on day one. The goal is to create one clean donor record and one real stewardship trail that proves the directory is usable.
Open the donor directory
Go to Donors in the top nav.
Create your first donor record
Click Directory to see your donor list.
Use the record to start stewardship
Click Add Donor to create your first record.
Good day-one win
End your first session with one donor profile that has contact information, one logged gift or note, and one clear follow-up action or thank-you step.
Core workflows
These are the donor motions that matter once the directory is live.
Read these as operating plays, not just feature tours. Each workflow is here to help you keep donor data clean and stewardship moving.
Directory
Add a donor manually
Start here when you need one clean donor record now instead of waiting for the perfect import file.
- 1Go to
Donors→Directory. - 2Click
Add Donor. - 3Enter name and email, then save.
- 4Add a first gift if you have it.
Imports
Upload donors in bulk
Use this once the single-record flow makes sense and you are ready to move larger donor lists in without chaos.
- 1Go to
Donors→Directory. - 2Click
Upload donorsorImport. - 3Upload a CSV/XLSX file using the template.
- 4Review the summary and confirm import.
Giving
Track a donation
This is the core action that turns the directory into fundraising memory instead of just a contact list.
- 1Open a donor record.
- 2Click
Add Donationand enter the amount/date. - 3Save to update lifetime totals.
Stewardship
Send a thank-you
Use this when you want the donor record to drive the next relationship step instead of ending at data entry.
- 1Open the donor record.
- 2Click
Send Emailor use theThank‑You Emailtool. - 3Edit and send the message.
Keep momentum
The habits that keep donor stewardship usable later.
Most donor systems get messy because notes, segments, and next touches are skipped. These small habits are what keep the directory valuable over time.
Stewardship habits
- Use tags to segment major donors or campaigns.
- Log calls and notes after each touchpoint.
- Keep donor addresses updated for receipts.
Marketing Quick Start
Use this next if you want to turn donor segments into campaigns, workflows, and automated follow-ups.
Help center
Best for exact product questions once you know which donor task you are trying to complete.
Contact support
Use this if you need help deciding on import order, stewardship setup, or team process for donor work.
FAQ
Questions teams usually ask once donor work is underway.
These are the common sticking points after a team has started using real donor records and needs the system to stay reliable.
Good stopping point for today
If the donor record is clean enough to contact someone, log a gift, and note the next touch, the directory is already doing its job.
Where do I find donor analytics?
Go to Donors → Donor Analytics to see trends and retention.
How do I edit a donor?
Open the donor record in Directory and click Edit.
Can I export my donor list?
Yes—use Export CSV from the Directory.