Year End Letters

Year End letters allow you to generate a single acknowledgment that summarizes a donor’s giving for the year. These letters are commonly used for year-end thank-you communications and tax substantiation.

This article walks through how to set up and generate Year End letters, along with special fields that are unique to this letter type.

Before You Begin

Before generating Year End letters, make sure:

• All relevant transactions have been entered and finalized

• Your Year End PDF Template is configured

• Your Year End Letter is created and reviewed

• Decide whether you will send the letter as an HTML email only with a PDF attachment, or Print.

Step 1: Create or Review the Year End PDF Template

1. Go to Settings → Transactions → PDF Templates.

2. Create a new template or edit an existing Year End PDF Template.

3. Configure the layout, margins, and letterhead as needed.

Signature Configuration (PDF Only)

1. Open the Signature tab.

2. Click Show Signature.

3. Upload a signature image.

4. Enter the Closing, Name, and Title.

Note: The Signature Block is only available in the PDF Text portion of the letter. It will not appear in the HTML email version.

This information will be inserted automatically wherever the {{SignatureBlock}} field is used in the PDF Text. 

Step 2: Create or Review the Year End Letter

1. Go to Settings → Transactions → Letters.

2. Create a new letter or edit your existing Year End letter.

3. In the HTML Email Body section, compose the letter that will appear in the body of the email.

4. In the PDF Text section, compose the letter that will appear in the attached PDF file on your stationery that you uploaded in the previous step.

When using a Signature Block:

• Do not manually type the closing, name, or title in the body of the PDF TExt.

• Insert the {{SignatureBlock}} field where the signature should appear. This can be at the end of your letter or after the {{TransactionList}}. 

When configuring the letter, remember that you have:

• HTML Email: This is what donors receive in their inbox

• PDF Attachment: The letter that can include the {{SignatureBlock}} and {{PageBreak}} fields for professional formatting.

Step 3: Generate the Year End Letter Batch

1. Go to Batches → Letters and click New Batch.

2. Select Year End as the letter type.

3. Choose whether to generate PDFs, Emails, or both.

4. Set your criteria, such as:

   • Date range -- use the range of the current year, or the previous year if you're doing this in January) 

   • Transaction categories -- optional: you might want to limit the result to Donations only)

   • Sent or unsent transactions -- typically, you would uncheck the 'Sent" filter to include the transactions that were already sent) 

5. Generate the batch and review the output. Then click the Email or PDF button to execute the task.

Special Fields in a Year End Letter

Year End letters support several special merge fields designed specifically for year-end acknowledgements. Fields that affect layout (like {{SignatureBlock}} and {{PageBreak}}) are only available in PDF Text, not the HTML email.

{{TransactionList}} Email body or PDF)

Displays a detailed list of the donor’s transactions included in the Year End letter.

• Includes one row per transaction

• Reflects the batch criteria (date range, category, etc.)

• Commonly placed at the end of the letter.

{{TotalAmount}} (Email body or PDF)

Displays the total amount of all transactions included in the Year End letter.

• Typically referenced in the main body of the letter

• Matches the sum of the transactions shown in {{TransactionList}}

{{SignatureBlock}} (PDF Only)

Inserts the signature section defined in the Year End PDF Template, including the closing, signature image (if any), name, and title.

This field should be used instead of manually typing signature text in the PDF Text.

{{PageBreak}} (PDF Only)

Forces the content that follows onto a new page in the generated PDF.

• Commonly used to keep the thank-you letter on the first page and the {{TransactionList}} on a separate page

• Only the first page will display the letterhead; subsequent pages use a blank layout

Example Year End Letters

Below are two sample layouts you can use as a starting point when composing your Year End letter. Please modify them as needed or create your own.

Example 1: Formal Year End Acknowledgement

Dear {{Salutation}},

As we reflect on this past year, we are filled with gratitude for your generous support of our Chabad community and outreach programs. Your contributions have enabled us to provide essential Jewish education, vibrant holiday programs, and meaningful community events that touch lives across our community.

Your total contributions for this year amount to {{TotalAmount}}. Each gift strengthens Jewish life, fosters learning, and brings light to families and individuals seeking connection and growth.

{{SignatureBlock}}
{{PageBreak}}

The following is a record of your contributions during the year:

{{TransactionList}}

Example 2: Warm and Personal Thank You

Dear {{Salutation}},

Thank you for being an indispensable part of our Chabad family. Because of your support, we were able to deliver inspiring Shabbat and holiday programs, Torah classes, and community events that touch hundreds of lives each week. Your generosity truly brings light into the world.

For your records, your total contributions for the year were {{TotalAmount}}.

Here is a summary of your contributions that made this impact possible:

{{TransactionList}}

With heartfelt gratitude and blessings for a joyous and meaningful new year,

{{SignatureBlock}}

Review your letter carefully before generating the final batch to ensure formatting and content appear exactly as intended.