FundCollector Documentation

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Note: This documentation applies to both the Free and Pro versions of FundCollector. To install and use the Pro version, you must first install and activate the Free version, which should not be uninstalled. The sections relating to the Pro version are marked with PRO.

Troubleshooting & Next Steps

This page collects the most common issues administrators run into with FundCollector and a short pre-launch checklist to review before going live with real donors.

PayPal Issues

  • Donations not appearing in the Donations list: Check the PayPal webhook configuration. In the PayPal Developer Dashboard, verify that the webhook URL is exactly https://YOUR-DOMAIN/wp-admin/admin-post.php?action=fundcollector_paypal_webhook_rest and that it is subscribed to at least PAYMENT.CAPTURE.COMPLETED, PAYMENT.CAPTURE.DENIED and PAYMENT.CAPTURE.PENDING. Also confirm the Webhook ID pasted in FundCollector matches.
  • Payment fails at checkout: Verify currency compatibility with your PayPal account. See the Payment Methods guide for supported currencies.
  • Test mode (Sandbox) not working: Confirm you are using Sandbox credentials (Client ID, Client Secret and Webhook ID) in the Sandbox section — not Live. Also confirm Sandbox mode is enabled in FundCollector.
  • “This button is disabled” / SDK errors: Make sure JavaScript SDK v6 is enabled on your PayPal Developer app, and that your site uses HTTPS in production.

Mollie Issues PRO

  • Payments not appearing: Verify your Mollie webhook is configured correctly. Check the Mollie dashboard for webhook delivery logs under Developers → Webhooks.
  • Card form not loading: Ensure your Profile ID is correctly entered in FundCollector settings. The Profile ID starts with pfl_ and is found in Mollie Dashboard → Settings → Website profiles.
  • Test mode payments not working: Confirm you are using the Test API key (starts with test_) and that Test mode is enabled in FundCollector.
  • Recurring not available to donors: Verify that recurring payments are enabled both in your Mollie account and in FundCollector’s Mollie settings (Enable recurring donations checkbox).
  • Subscription creation fails: Use the Retry Subscription button on the Recurring Donations page. Check your Mollie account verification status — recurring payments require a verified Mollie account.
  • Subscription status not updating: Confirm the Subscription Webhook URL is registered as an additional webhook in your Mollie dashboard (this is separate from regular payment webhooks).

Email Issues

  • Emails not arriving: Configure SMTP in FundCollector → Settings → Email. Many hosts do not support PHP’s native mail() function, and emails are silently dropped without SMTP.
  • Emails land in spam: Use SMTP with proper SPF, DKIM and (ideally) DMARC records for your sending domain.
  • Mollie receipts not sent: Verify that the Mollie email templates are enabled in the Email Notifications tab (Donor – Mollie Receipt and Admin – Mollie Notification).
  • Test email works but real donation emails do not: Check that the email template for the specific payment method is Enabled, not just the SMTP configuration.

Reports Issues PRO

  • PDF not generating: Check PHP memory limit (minimum 128 MB recommended). Contact your host if the limit is lower.
  • Empty report: Verify the date range includes real donations, and check that your status / gateway / frequency filters are not excluding everything.
  • CSV opens as a single column in Excel: See Reports → How to import CSV in Excel for the recommended import procedure.

Backup & Restore Issues PRO

  • Backup fails: Check PHP memory limit and execution time. Try reducing the scope if your data is very large.
  • Restore fails: Ensure the zip file is a valid FundCollector backup (name starts with fundcollector-backup- and ends with .json.zip); check that the file size does not exceed 50 MB.
  • Some records skipped after MERGE: That is normal — MERGE skips rows that already exist on the current site to avoid duplicates.

Pre-launch checklist

Before switching from test/sandbox to live payments, go through this list.

1. Testing phase

  • Make a test donation via PayPal Sandbox mode
  • Make a test donation via Mollie test mode PRO
  • Set up a test recurring donation and verify the subscription is created in your Mollie dashboard PRO
  • Verify all emails are received correctly (donor receipts and admin notifications for every enabled gateway)
  • Test the bank transfer flow and check that the instructions email is correct
  • Try the donation forms on mobile devices
  • Check donations appear in the admin panel correctly
  • Generate a test report and verify PDF/CSV export PRO
  • Create a test backup and verify the download PRO

2. Before going live

  • Switch PayPal Sandbox mode off and enter Live credentials (Client ID, Secret, Webhook ID)
  • Switch Mollie Test mode off and enter the Live API key PRO
  • Make a small real donation to verify the end-to-end flow
  • Configure SMTP for reliable email delivery
  • Set up Google reCAPTCHA v3 keys for your production domain (optional but recommended)
  • Review all email templates for accuracy, branding and legal compliance
  • Activate your Pro license key to enable automatic updates PRO
  • Confirm your Thank You, Failed and Privacy pages are published (not in draft)

3. Launch & promote

  • Add the donation form to key pages (homepage, campaign pages)
  • Create a dedicated donation landing page
  • Promote recurring donation options to your community PRO
  • Announce to your community via social media and newsletter
  • Add the donation page to your website navigation menu

4. Ongoing management

  • Check donations daily
  • Monitor recurring subscriptions for cancellations or failed payments PRO
  • Verify bank transfers weekly against your bank statement
  • Generate monthly reports and export to PDF/CSV PRO
  • Create regular backups of your donation data PRO
  • Respond to donor questions promptly
  • Keep the plugin updated

Still stuck?

If none of the answers above help, visit fundcollector.net/support or contact us through the support form. When reporting an issue, please include:

  • WordPress version, PHP version and FundCollector version
  • The payment method involved
  • A short description of what you expected vs. what happened
  • Any error message you can see in the admin or in the browser console