Pathways are rules that decide, behind the scenes, which campaign, GL code and acknowledgement a payment gets, based on what the person chose on the form.
For example:
- Monthly gifts go to the Regular Giving campaign, and one-off gifts to General Appeal.
- Gifts in memory of someone get a different thank-you letter.
- Concession memberships are filed under a different GL code.
- Renewals get the renewal letter and their own campaign.
Donors never see pathways. To let donors choose where their money goes themselves, use a Designation section instead (see Donations and payments).
Where to find them
| Rules for... | Where |
|---|---|
| Donations | The Payment section's Vega setup tab, under Pathways |
| Memberships | The Membership section's Vega setup tab, under Membership pathways |
The Frequency section has a Set up in pathway rules shortcut that takes you to the donation rules.
Rules that choose a document are also listed on the section's Emails tab, under Set by rules, and in Form settings → All emails, so you can see every email in one place.
Donation rules
Click + Add rule. Each rule has two parts: When (what it matches) and Then (what it sets).
When (leave any of these as Any or Either to ignore it):
| Condition | Available when the form has... |
|---|---|
| Frequency | A Frequency section |
| Answer | A Custom attributes question with options, or a question saved to an attribute |
| Gift | A Gift options section: pick one of its options, including the in-memoriam option. A rule that already says Not in memoriam (rules from the old widgets often do) keeps that choice, but it isn't offered for new rules: use Any gift beside an in-memoriam rule instead |
Then:
| Outcome | Left blank, uses... |
|---|---|
| Campaign | The Payment section's default |
| GL code | The Payment section's default |
| Acknowledgement | The form's acknowledgement |
| Recipient document | Nothing is sent. Only offered if a gift option asks for the recipient's email. It's sent to the gift recipient, while the acknowledgement still goes to the donor |
Rules can only use choices the form actually asks for, so you can't set up a rule that could never be triggered. If the form asks nothing a rule could match on (no frequency choice, no question with options, no gift options), + Add rule isn't offered: a rule there would only repeat the Payment section's defaults. Add a Frequency, Custom attributes or Gift options section first.
Membership rules
Membership rules work the same way, with these conditions:
| Condition | Available when... |
|---|---|
| Membership | Always: any of the memberships on this form |
| Answer | The form has a suitable Custom attributes question |
| Renewal (Either / Renewal / New) | The section asks whether it's a renewal |
| Gift membership (Either / Gift / Not a gift) | Gift memberships are switched on |
| Donation (Either / With one / Without) | The form has a Donation amount section |
As well as campaign, GL code and acknowledgement, a membership rule can set the gift recipient's acknowledgement.
Membership rules are listed one per line, in plain words, e.g. Concession memberships, renewals → campaign Renewals 2026, GL 4100. Click a line to open and change it, and Remove rule to delete it.
A membership's own default
A rule naming a membership with every other condition left as Either becomes that membership's default. This is how you file each membership type in its own place.
When more than one rule matches
The most specific rule wins. A rule for monthly gifts in memory of someone beats a rule for just monthly gifts.
Each outcome is decided separately. If the most specific rule sets only the acknowledgement, the campaign can still come from a more general rule. Anything no rule sets uses the section's defaults.
When a donor makes a designation choice, that choice decides where the gift goes.
Campaigns in links
A link or website code can carry a campaign or GL code, for example from #URLParameters# in a Vega email (see Putting a form on your website). It overrides the pathway rules and the Payment section's default for the donation: whoever built the link chose it deliberately. A donor's designation choice still wins over it, and memberships and tickets keep their own campaigns. It's only used if it's one of your organisation's own active campaigns or GL codes.
Rules from the old widgets
Forms moved over from the old widgets may have rules this editor can't show in full. They're listed under Other rules, still apply, and can be removed but not changed. A rule kept from before that has nothing left to match on says Every gift under When.
You may also see a warning that some rules are for gifts in memory of someone, but this form does not ask. Those rules can't be triggered until you add a Gift options section with an in-memoriam option.
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