Donor Templates
What a donor template is and why it matters.
A donor template describes the structure and rules of the report a donor expects. DonorDesk uses it to build the report outline and to guide the AI Reporter.
What a template contains
- Sections in a hierarchy (numbered, with sub-sections down to several levels).
- Per section: the donor's instructions, mandatory questions, evidence needed, required tables, page limit, and your own author instructions.
- Include in report – guidance-only sections are excluded from the report.
- Report requirements for the whole report.
- The original file, kept for reference and (optionally) donor-native Word rendering.
Lifecycle
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Extracting | DonorDesk is analysing the document. |
| Needs review | Extraction finished. A person must check it. |
| Reviewed | Approved and usable for reporting. |
| Extraction failed | Analysis failed; retry, paste the text, or build the sections by hand. |
Every edit is saved as a new version.
How it is used
- A full draft needs a Reviewed template. It is pinned to the reporting period.
- One template can be the project default.
- Templates can be saved to a library and copied into other projects.
- Section guidance feeds the AI Reporter for that section.
Extraction is grounded in your document. Titles and details that cannot be found in the source are dropped.