---
title: "Payments vs Gifts"
slug: "payments-vs-gifts"
updated: 2025-11-07T21:39:06Z
published: 2025-11-07T21:39:06Z
canonical: "knowledge.technolutions.net/payments-vs-gifts"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://knowledge.technolutions.net/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Payments vs Gifts

In Slate, **payments** and **gifts** are related, but separate, objects:

- A **payment** is the actual processing of funds in Slate.
- A **gift** is a record of a donation or a planned donation.

## Gifts in Slate

You can create a gift that is unaffiliated with the actual transfer of funds to an institution. For example, a gift can be recorded in Slate for $100,000, yet the funds might be sent directly from the donor's financial institution to the college or university's bank account.

A given payment (or transaction) can be associated with more than one gift. This [one-to-many relationship](/v1/docs/joins#2-onetomany) enables a smooth donor experience.

A donor can designate gifts across multiple funds. They may wish to designate $100 to an annual fund and $50 to a restricted scholarship fund. These two gifts could be processed in a single transaction of $150 paid via ACH or credit card.

## Payments in Slate

A *payment* refers to the actual processing of funds within Slate—the metaphorical (or literal) credit card swipe.

**📖 Further reading:** Process payments directly in Slate with [Slate Payments](/v1/docs/slate-payments-overview)

Slate sends [system emails](/v1/docs/system-emails-for-slate-payments) based on Slate Payment triggers. Many of these mailings can be customized. Some require configuration before they can be delivered.