How it works

Follow these 4 simple steps to start sending tax-deductible donation receipts when customers add tips to their orders

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Order Created

App connector: Shopify • Time to complete: 0 minutes (Auto-configured)
Why this matters: This trigger monitors your Shopify store and captures every new order the moment it's placed, including any tip amounts customers add during checkout.

This step automatically activates whenever a customer completes an order in your store. The system captures all order details including customer information, purchase amounts, and most importantly for this workflow - any tip amount the customer added. No configuration is needed since it connects directly to your Shopify store and processes all incoming orders. All order data gets passed to the next step for evaluation.

Retrieve Shop

App connector: Shopify • Time to complete: 0 minutes (Auto-configured)
Why this matters: This step pulls your store's official business name and details, which are required to create legally compliant tax deduction receipts.

The workflow automatically retrieves your shop information from Shopify, including your store name, business details, and other relevant information needed for the donation receipt. This happens behind the scenes without any input required from you. Your shop details get added to the workflow data and will be used in the final email template to personalize the receipt with your business name.

Filter: Check tip value

App connector: Filter • Time to complete: 0 minutes (Auto-configured)
Why this matters: This filter ensures receipts only go out when customers actually made a donation, preventing unnecessary emails for regular orders with no tips.

The filter checks if the tip amount on the order is greater than zero dollars. Orders with no tip amount get stopped here and won't trigger a receipt email. Orders that do include a tip continue to the next step where the donation receipt gets sent. This prevents customers from receiving donation receipts for regular purchases where they didn't intend to make a charitable contribution.

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Send Email

App connector: Email • Time to complete: 2 minutes
Why this matters: This step sends the official tax deduction receipt to the customer, providing them with the documentation they need to claim their charitable contribution on their taxes.

The email step automatically sends a donation receipt to the customer's email address from their order. You can customize the email subject line (currently set to "Thank you for your donation!") and modify the message template to match your organization's tone. The email includes the customer's name, donation amount, date of contribution, and the required legal language for tax-deductible donations including your 501(c)3 status confirmation. Make sure your organization actually qualifies as a tax-exempt nonprofit before activating this workflow.

Make it your own

Customize this workflow even further:

Schedule follow-up donation requests
Send automated thank-you emails 30 days after a donation asking if customers would like to make their contribution recurring or increase their next purchase tip.
Create donor segmentation tags
Automatically tag customers based on their donation amounts (major donor, regular supporter, first-time giver) to personalize future marketing and stewardship communications.
Build a donor database
Store donation details in MESA Tables including customer information, donation amounts, and dates to track giving patterns and generate annual donor reports.
Deploy AI for personalized acknowledgments
Let AI agents analyze customer purchase history and donation patterns to craft personalized thank-you messages that reference their favorite products or shopping habits.

Frequently asked questions

Will this work if my business isn't actually a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit?
No, you should only use this workflow if your organization is legally registered as a tax-exempt nonprofit under Section 501(c)3. Sending tax deduction receipts when you're not qualified can create legal issues for both you and your customers.
Can I customize the donation receipt language to match my organization's voice?
Yes, you can edit the email message in Step 4 to personalize the tone and add your organization's specific details. However, make sure to keep the required legal language about 501(c)3 status and that no goods or services were provided in exchange for the contribution.
What happens if a customer places multiple orders with tips in the same day?
Each order with a tip will trigger its own separate donation receipt, so customers will receive individual receipts for each donation they make. This is actually preferred for tax purposes since it provides clear documentation for each charitable contribution.
What is a template?
Templates are pre-made workflows by our team of experts. Instead of building a workflow from scratch, these have all the steps needed to complete the task.
Can I personalize a template?
Yes! Every step can be customized to meet your exact requirements. Additionally, you can even add more steps and make it more sophisticated.
Are templates free?
Yes! Our entire library containing hundreds of templates are free to use and customize to your exact needs.

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