ActBlue user roles and permissions dictate what users can do on our platform. If the tools or features in this article are unavailable to you, speak to your entity Admin first about updating your permissions.
In this article:
- Refcodes
- Pre-selected dollar amounts
- Building custom URLs with pre-set recurring forms
- Frequently used URL parameters
- Sharing custom URLs
Our URL builder makes creating custom contribution form links easy and requires no coding. The builder allows you to use refcodes and customize the pre-selected options when a donor lands on a form.
Head to the Contribution Forms tab of your Dashboard and open your form.
Under the “More” dropdown in the navigation bar at the top of your screen, select “Promote.”
A pop-up appears with sections for you to customize your URL.
Refcodes
A refcode (reference code) is a short word or phrase added to the end of a URL to make it unique and trackable.
We highly recommend using refcodes to collect data on what links your supporters are clicking. For example, you could use the refcode "email" in a link you're sending out via email and the refcode "website" in a link on your website. You can then track refcode data from your Statistics page and see how they compare. Learn more about using refcodes.
Type your refcode into the “refcode” field, and your link will automatically update at the top of the pop-up.
For accurate data, don’t repeat any refcodes on the same contribution form.
You can make as many refcodes as you want using the custom URL builder. Just copy the new link each time you make a new refcode.
If you’re using ActBlue Express Lane, refcodes are critical for determining which donation link amounts people click. Contact us with any questions about using refcodes with the ActBlue Express Lane.
Pre-selected dollar amounts
You can pre-set the contribution amount selected when a donor lands on your contribution form in the “Amount” field. Use this feature if you know how much your donors typically give or if you want to collect donations of a certain amount. Do not use a dollar sign when entering your pre-set amount into this field.

Building custom URLs with pre-set recurring forms
Only admins that ActBlue has approved to use pre-set recurring forms will see a “Recurring” field. Type a “1” in this field if you want donors who click this link to land on a form with the unlimited recurring contributions option pre-selected. To specify an amount of monthly recurring contributions, enter the number of months here.
Introduced in 2021, ActBlue policy requires groups using pre-set recurring forms to explicitly ask donors for recurring contributions immediately before the donor clicks the link to give.
Any pre-set dollar amounts in the recurring links must reflect what is in the ask. Here are some examples:
Read the full policy and get helpful examples here. If a group doesn't adhere to the policy, ActBlue will remove permission to use pre-set recurring forms. Reach out with questions or to request permission to use the feature.
Frequently used URL parameters
Behavior | URL Parameter | Notes |
Pre-set the recurring option | ?recurring=true | Sets the recurring option as pre-selected when a donor lands on the form. Please note that pre-set recurring can only be used with a disclaimer and is enabled by ActBlue staff via the Settings page of an entity. If pre-set has not been enabled on your account, this URL parameter will not work. |
Pre-set the recurring option for a specified duration | ?recurring=6 | Sets the recurring option as pre-selected with a custom number of weeks or months, depending on whether weekly or monthly is enabled on that form. |
Pre-fill amounts | ?amount=25 | Pre-selects the button with that donation amount. If no button with this amount exists, that amount will be filled into the “other amount” box. |
Pre-set button amounts | ?amounts=5,25,50,100,250 | Adjusts the form’s buttons to show the listed donation amounts. |
Pre-set donor info | ?firstname=jill&lastname=doe | Automatically fills in the donor’s first and last name |
Pre-set email info | ?email=donor@donor.com | Automatically fills in the donor’s email address |
Pre-set zip | ?zip=11111 | Automatically fills in the donor’s zip code |
Pre-set city | ?city=boston | Automatically fills in the donor’s city |
Pre-set state |
?state=MA |
Automatically fills in the donor’s state (state abbreviation needs to be capitalized) |
Pre-set phone number | ?phone-1234567890 | Automatically fills in the donor’s phone number |
Express Lane for a pre-set amount | ?express_lane=true&amount=3 | Pre-selects the button with that donation amount if Express Lane is enabled. This must be used in accordance with ActBlue’s Express Lane policy. Express Lane must be enabled by ActBlue staff via the Settings page of an entity. If Express Lane has not been enabled on your account, this URL parameter will not work. |
Refcode | ?refcode=example_ref | A refcode (reference code) is a short word or phrase added to the end of a URL to make it unique and trackable. This inserts a custom refcode of your choice. |
Refcode2 | &refcode2=example_ref_em | Some advanced users will track donor behavior via two refcodes, it is not required. This inserts an additional refcode of your choice. |
Sharing custom URLs
To use your custom URLs, copy the link in the pop-up and add it to your fundraising emails or website.
If you’re comfortable, add the refcode or pre-set a contribution amount without using our generator. To do this:
- Add a “?” after your link.
- Add each parameter (“refcode=” or “amount=”) after the question mark.
- Separate the parameters with ampersands.
The order of the parameters does not matter.
The amount of support that the ActBlue Customer Service Team can provide is dependent on the permissions that you have. Check with your entity Admin about your assigned role.
If you have any questions, please contact our support team using the email address you use to access your ActBlue account.
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