Situation

Before the project, the client needed a way to move donation data from its fundraising platform into DonorPerfect without relying on a more manual and error-prone process.

The challenge was not just getting data from one system to another. Each donation needed to be checked against existing donor records using details like email, address, first name, last name, and spouse information. The workflow also had to account for formatting issues, filtering logic, gift-type changes, anonymous gift handling, and cases where the system could not make a confident match on its own.

That kind of work is operationally important, but it becomes harder to scale when too much depends on repeated manual review. The organization needed a process that was more consistent, easier to support, and better suited for ongoing use.

Solution

ProsperSpark mapped the client workflow, connected the fundraising platform and DonorPerfect through API-based automation, and built the logic needed to process each donation record from start to finish.

From there, the workflow:

• • Connected both systems through API-based automation
  • Searched for likely donor matches using email, address, first name, last name, and spouse data
  • Applied formatting and filtering rules before import
  • Created or updated donor records based on match results
  • Processed donations through a looped record-by-record flow
  • Sent daily email reports for returning donors, new donors, and records needing review
  • Added support for gift-type changes and anonymous or hidden gift scenarios
  • Introduced a human-in-the-loop review path for uncertain matches
  • Included testing, debugging, monitoring, reruns, and ongoing maintenance support

The team also stayed involved after the initial build. That mattered because this was a live workflow with real exception-handling needs, not a one-time import. The solution had to keep working in production and remain flexible as the client identified follow-up needs.

Results

The finished solution gave the client a more repeatable way to move donation data into its donor system while handling the real-world complexity of donor matching and exception review.

According to the client’s Gift Processing Manager, the project reduced a major one-time workload and key bottleneck in gift processing by about 80%. That freed up meaningful time for other responsibilities and made the workflow more sustainable in day-to-day use.

The client also noted that the process now includes a daily review step so transactions can be verified and anything not imported can still be entered manually. That is an important part of the outcome. The value was not just in automating standard cases. It was in creating a practical operating process that balanced automation with controlled review.

Instead of relying on a looser manual process to search records, interpret matches, update donor data, and track exceptions, the team now had a structured workflow that could handle standard cases automatically and route uncertain ones into a review path. Daily reporting also created clearer visibility into new donors, returning donors, and review-needed records.

The intake notes also indicate that the workflow was later updated with a human-in-the-loop version and described internally as live and working. By March 2026, it had reportedly been in use for several weeks, with client feedback continuing to shape future improvements. Together, that points to a solution that moved beyond implementation and into real operational use.

Estimated Metric Improvements

• • Client reported an approximately 80% reduction in a major one-time gift processing workload and bottleneck
    • Based on direct feedback from the client’s Gift Processing Manager after implementation.
  • Estimated 50% to 80% faster donation record processing from fundraising platform to donor system
    • Based on automating the transfer, donor search, matching, and record update flow instead of relying on a more manual handoff between systems.
  • Estimated 30% to 60% fewer manual correction or review touches for standard gifts
    • Structured matching logic, formatting rules, filters, and exception routing likely reduced the number of avoidable follow-ups needed on clean donation records.
  • Estimated stronger daily operational visibility through automated donor-status reporting
    • The workflow surfaced new donors, returning donors, and review-needed records in a repeatable daily process, likely reducing time spent figuring out current status across donations.