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Setup Requirements

Before configuring the WeGive Planning Center integration, ensure you meet all the necessary prerequisites and have access to the required resources.

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Prerequisites

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Planning Center Account Requirements

  • Active Subscription: Valid Planning Center subscription with People and Giving modules
  • Administrator Access: Admin-level access to configure applications and API access
  • API Access: Planning Center account with API access enabled
  • Module Access: Access to both People and Giving modules

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WeGive Account Requirements

  • Organization Admin: Administrator privileges in your WeGive organization
  • Integration Access: Access to the WeGive integrations dashboard
  • Billing Status: Active WeGive subscription with integration features enabled

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Authentication Setup

The Planning Center integration supports two authentication methods. Choose the approach that best fits your organization’s security requirements.

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Planning Center OAuth Application Setup

  1. Login to Planning Center

    • Access your Planning Center dashboard with administrator privileges
    • Navigate to Settings → Developer

  2. Create OAuth Application

    • Click New Application
    • Provide application name: “WeGive Integration”
    • Set Application Type: “Web Application”
    • Configure Redirect URI: Contact WeGive support for the correct URI
    • Select Scopes: “people” and “giving”

  3. Obtain OAuth Credentials

    • Copy the Client ID and Client Secret
    • Store these securely for WeGive configuration
    • These credentials will be used for OAuth flow

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OAuth Benefits

  • Enhanced Security: No need to store Planning Center credentials
  • Automatic Token Refresh: Seamless authentication management
  • Granular Permissions: Specific access to only required modules
  • Audit Trail: Better tracking of API access

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Legacy Authentication (Basic Auth)

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Planning Center Application Setup

  1. Login to Planning Center

    • Access your Planning Center dashboard with administrator privileges
    • Navigate to Settings → Developer

  2. Create Personal Access Token

    • Click New Personal Access Token
    • Provide token name: “WeGive Integration”
    • Select Scopes: “people” and “giving”
    • Generate and copy the token

  3. Obtain Application Credentials

    • Note your Application ID from the developer settings
    • Use the Personal Access Token as the secret
    • These will be used for basic authentication

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Required Information

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From Planning Center

Gather the following information from your Planning Center account:

  1. Authentication Credentials

    • OAuth: Client ID and Client Secret from OAuth application
    • Legacy: Application ID and Personal Access Token

  2. Default Fund Configuration

    • At least one fund must exist in Planning Center Giving
    • Note the Fund ID for default fund assignment
    • This fund will be used for donations without specific designations

  3. Account Structure Review

    • Review existing people and contact organization
    • Understand current fund structure and categories
    • Identify any custom fields in use
    • Review existing giving batches and processing workflows

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From WeGive

Ensure you have:

  1. Organization ID: Your WeGive organization identifier
  2. Admin Access: Ability to configure integrations
  3. Data Review: Understanding of existing donor and transaction data
  4. Authentication Method: Decision on OAuth vs Legacy authentication

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Data Preparation

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Planning Center Data Review

Before integration setup:

  1. Clean Existing Data

    • Remove duplicate person records
    • Standardize naming conventions
    • Verify contact information accuracy
    • Ensure email addresses are valid and current

  2. Fund Structure

    • Ensure at least one active fund exists
    • Review fund naming and organization
    • Note fund IDs for mapping purposes
    • Understand fund categories and purposes

  3. Contact Organization

    • Review individual vs household contact structures
    • Understand any custom contact categories
    • Plan for contact information coordination

  4. Giving History

    • Review existing donation records
    • Understand current batch processing workflows
    • Plan for historical data coordination

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WeGive Data Review

  1. Donor Records

    • Review existing donor profiles
    • Identify potential duplicates with Planning Center
    • Prepare for initial matching process
    • Understand household and family relationships

  2. Transaction History

    • Review donation records that need syncing
    • Understand fund/designation mappings
    • Plan for historical data import if needed

  3. Fund Alignment

    • Compare WeGive funds with Planning Center funds
    • Plan fund mapping strategy
    • Identify any new funds needed

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API Access Validation

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Testing Planning Center API Access

  1. Verify Credentials

    • Test authentication using chosen method (OAuth or Legacy)
    • Ensure proper scopes are configured
    • Validate access to both People and Giving modules

  2. Check Permissions

    • Confirm read access to People module
    • Confirm read/write access to Giving module
    • Verify ability to create batches and donations

  3. Test Basic Operations

    • Retrieve person records
    • Access fund information
    • Test donation creation capabilities

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Network and Security

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Firewall Configuration

Ensure your network allows:

  • Outbound HTTPS: Port 443 to api.planningcenteronline.com
  • API Endpoints: Access to Planning Center API v2 endpoints
  • OAuth Redirects: Proper handling of OAuth redirect URIs

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Security Considerations

  1. Credential Management

    • Store OAuth credentials or tokens securely
    • Rotate credentials periodically
    • Monitor API usage for unexpected activity

  2. Data Privacy

    • Ensure compliance with data protection regulations
    • Review data sharing agreements between platforms
    • Understand data residency requirements

  3. Access Control

    • Limit integration access to necessary personnel
    • Use role-based permissions in both systems
    • Maintain audit logs of configuration changes

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Testing Environment

  1. Planning Center Sandbox

    • Use Planning Center test environment if available
    • Create test data for integration validation
    • Test both authentication methods

  2. WeGive Test Mode

    • Utilize WeGive’s test connection feature
    • Validate configuration before going live
    • Test sync operations with sample data

  3. Data Backup

    • Export current data from both systems
    • Maintain backups before initial sync
    • Document rollback procedures

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Integration Scope Planning

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Module Integration

People Module:

  • Contact information synchronization
  • Email and phone number management
  • Address information coordination
  • Contact notes and communication history

Giving Module:

  • Donation record synchronization
  • Fund designation management
  • Batch processing coordination
  • Recurring gift management

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Data Flow Planning

Pull Operations (Planning Center → WeGive):

  • Import existing contacts and donors
  • Synchronize fund structures
  • Import historical giving data
  • Coordinate recurring gift schedules

Push Operations (WeGive → Planning Center):

  • Create daily donation batches
  • Update contact information
  • Create new funds when needed
  • Process recurring gift transactions

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Performance Considerations

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API Rate Limits

  • Planning Center Limits: 70 requests per 20-second window
  • Batch Processing: Optimize API usage through intelligent batching
  • Rate Limit Handling: Automatic retry with appropriate delays
  • Performance Monitoring: Track API usage and response times

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Data Volume Planning

  • Large Datasets: Plan for longer initial sync times
  • Daily Processing: Understand daily batch processing requirements
  • Concurrent Operations: Plan for API capacity during peak usage
  • Growth Planning: Consider future data volume growth

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Validation Checklist

Before proceeding with setup:

  • Planning Center account has People and Giving module access
  • Authentication method chosen and credentials obtained
  • API access tested and validated
  • Default fund identified and configured
  • WeGive admin access confirmed
  • Network connectivity verified
  • Data backup completed
  • Security policies reviewed
  • Testing strategy planned
  • Integration scope defined

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Common Setup Issues

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Authentication Problems

Issue: OAuth application setup fails

  • Solution: Ensure admin privileges in Planning Center
  • Check: Verify correct redirect URI configuration

Issue: API access denied

  • Solution: Check application scopes include “people” and “giving”
  • Check: Verify account has access to required modules

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Data Preparation Issues

Issue: No funds exist in Planning Center

  • Solution: Create at least one fund before integration setup
  • Check: Ensure fund is active and properly configured

Issue: Duplicate contact records

  • Solution: Clean duplicates before initial sync
  • Check: Use Planning Center’s duplicate detection tools

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Network Issues

Issue: API connectivity problems

  • Solution: Verify firewall settings allow HTTPS to Planning Center
  • Check: Test direct API access from your network

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Next Steps

Once requirements are met:

  1. Proceed to Configuration Options
  2. Review Integration Nuances
  3. Study Data Mapping details