Member Types

What is it?

A Member Type is used to define a member’s attributes, dues payment schedule, and expiration settings. If your organization has 5 types of members, you will want a member type configured for each of them. Examples of member types include Professional, Associate, Student, Organization, Lifetime, etc.

NOTE: Before configuring your Member Types, we recommend setting your Account Settings, creating an Invoice template, and configuring your Built-In and Custom Attributes.

• Configuring Default Member Type Settings
• Configuring Default Notification Settings
• Adding a new Individual Member Type
• Adding a new Organization Member Type

Member Type Structures

There are two different Member Types Structures for your database. 

1) Individual Profiles: reflect the attributes of an individual person. They contain the built-in attributes (ex. name, email, address, phone) and any other custom attributes you assign. These profiles are not linked to any other profile in the database. They are stand alone and are responsible for paying their own dues each membership cycle, updating their own profile, and registering themselves for events.

2) Organization profiles: the Organization profile does not belong to a person. Rather, it is an aggregator profile that contains information about the organization (ex. address, phone, email, and any other attributes you assign) and has one or more individual linked profiles tied to it. An Organization's dues may be based on the number of linked profiles tied to that Organization, or an Attribute (ex. Total Personnel). The automated renewal reminders are sent to the email address in the Organization profile.

     Linked profile: Linked profiles are the individuals who work for the organization or company.       Think of them as an extension of the organization or company. Each linked individual will have       their own profile, which contains the built-in attributes (ex. name, email, address, phone) and       any other custom attributes you assign.

     Key Contact: Key Contacts are specific linked profile/s who are viewed as the organization’s         manager. An organization may have one Key Contact, or all of the linked users may be                 designated as Key Contacts. The Key Contact(s) can:

• Pay dues on behalf of the organization
• Edit and update the organization’s profile they're linked to
• Edit and update other profiles linked to their organization
• Register other linked users from their organization for events

 

How to Access

Navigate to Database > Member Types

Configuring Default Member Type Settings

We recommend configuring a default Member Type to begin, as all of the member types that you create will inherit these settings. 

1. To do so, choose the option to “Edit Default Settings” at the top of the page.

2. First, under General Settings, choose whether you want to Require approval for new members. If enabled, new members will be put into "Pending" status after filling out an application form and will need to be manually changed to "Active" status by an ASA or Admin.

3. Next, configure your Payment Settings as they apply to dues renewals. For applications, the invoice template, payment processor, and revenue account will be set on the membership form.

• Select an Invoice Template: this template will be the one used to send your members an invoice once their Renewal Period begins. 

• Select a Payment Processor: this processor will be used to allow renewing members to pay via a credit card. 

• Select a Revenue Account: the revenue from membership renewals will go in to this account.

4. Move on to set your Membership & Expiration Settings. There are two options:

a. Expiration is based on Date: with this set up, each member will have the same expiration date (ex. December 31). NOTE: Once a member type has been created as Period of Time or Date based, that setting is locked in for reporting purposes.

b. Expiration is based on Period of Time: with this set up, each member will have a unique expiration date based on the date they joined (ex. 1 year). NOTE: Once a member type has been created as Period of Time or Date based, that setting is locked in for reporting purposes.

• Example: If a member joined April 25th, 2019 and they renewed, their new expiration date would be April 25th, 2020. Their anniversary date will be April 25th, 20XX each year. This ensures that members get a full year of membership each year. 
• New Expiration Date based on Renewal Date: There is a secondary option on the period of time option that allows the member to have a different expiration date based on the date they renew. The setting is "New Expiration Date based on Renewal Date". This means that if the members expiration date is April 25th, 2019 and they chose not to renew their membership until May 5, 2019...then their new expiration/ anniversary date would be May 5, 2020.

This section also includes a toggle for Grace Period. The Grace Period begins immediately after a member expires, and will allow them to continue with member privileges for a set amount of time (ex. 30 days). The benefit of using a Grace Period is that you're able to continue messaging graced members to encourage them to renew.

*You can always adjust the Grace Period settings. A couple things to be aware of:

1. If members are in Active status or 'Active-In Renewal Period' status, they will automatically adopt the updated Grace Period settings after their expiration date.
2. If members are already in their Grace Period, you will need to move them back to Active status after changing the Grace Period. Overnight, the system will move them back to Graced status, with the new Grace Period settings.

5. Finally, choose your Renewal Settings.

• Auto-Renew: if Auto-Renew is set to Optional, members will be able to choose the option to keep a credit card on file so that their membership is automatically charged to their credit card each year. If Auto-Renew is set to Required, each member will be set to automatically renew. The member will receive a renewal reminder prior to their expiration date with the renewal invoice attached.
  NOTE: Auto-Renew must be set up with your payment processor, as member's credit card information is stored on the payment processor side rather than in MC Professional.

• Lapsed Renewals: here you determine what happens when a member expires, then rejoins - their expiration date can be based on their renewal date, or they can keep their existing expiration date.
  

Configuring Default Notification Settings

Before creating new member types, we recommend setting the default notifications, as these notifications will be used for all new member types you create.

1. Start here by enabling Notification Delivery, which controls all of the notifications on this page. NOTE: The box on this option must be checked in order for warning messages to go out, or for the renewal process to begin.

Default notifications will be used for each member type that has notifications enabled. New member types will inherit these notifications automatically, but they can be overwritten on a per member type basis. 

Notifications can be automatically sent to members at times relevant to 3 key renewal-related events: expiration, optional grace period, and when membership truly lapses. If no grace period is enabled in this member type's settings, a membership expiring and a membership becoming truly lapsed happen at the same time. Each event can have up to 4 notifications, each sending at a different time, totaling 12 notifications.

2. Notifications include a link to the invoice by default. If you would also like the invoice to be sent with the notification via an attachment, simply make sure the appropriate box is checked to allow this. 

3. Configure a new notification by clicking Add a Renewal/Grace/Lapsed Notification.

• Set the Number and Days or Months according to when you want the message to go out (ex. the message above will go out 10 Days prior to a member’s expiration date).

• Configure the Subject Line, From Name, and From Email.

• In the body of the message, we recommend linking directly to the Membership form.

NOTE: In addition to expiration notifications, member types that allow automatic renewal will receive 1 of 2 notifications dealing with payment confirmation or payment problems.

4. At the bottom of the page, configure the Payment Notification settings.

• Payment Confirmation: this message will be sent after a successful renewal payment has been made.

• Payment Failure: this message will be sent if an auto-renew payment fails. 

Adding a new Individual Member Type

1. To add a new Individual Member Type, click Add an Individual Member Type at the top of the page.

2. Enter a name for your new Member Type, select your Pricing Structure, and decide if you'd like to copy another Group's Permissions (if you don't want to copy permissions, simply do not select anything from that dropdown).

3. Update this Member Type’s General Settings:

• Choose whether you want to Require approval for new members. If enabled, new members will be put into "Pending" status and will need to be manually changed to "Active" status.

• Assign Custom Attributes: choose the custom attributes that are applicable for this Member Type, then click Update.

4. Set a Landing Page for this Member Type. Members of this type will land on the specified page upon logging in (ex. Member Landing Page, My Profile).

6. The Renewal Payment Settings and Membership & Expiration Settings pull in from your configuration of the Default Member Type Settings detailed above. Change them so that they’re specific for this Member Type if need be.

7. Under Renewal Settings, the Auto-Renew and Lapsed Renewals settings pull in from your configuration of the Default Member Type settings. In this same section, you also have the ability to define Renewal Paths.

Renewal Paths determine whether members of this type have the ability to upgrade or downgrade to another Member Type. Select the possible options this Member Type can renew as in addition to their existing Member Type, then Save (ex. this option would allow a Professional Member to upgrade to an Enterprise member, or downgrade to an Associate Member).

8. Configure Pricing Settings at the bottom of the page as applicable.

For Pricing Settings:

• For Period of Time Memberships: use the Add a Duration button to configure the settings for members who want to purchase multiple membership periods. This will allow you to discount multi-year memberships purchased at once, or set up an option for Lifetime membership. The options listed here will be available on a membership form for members applying, and inside the member profile for members renewing.

• For Date-Based Memberships: By default, one full year is accounted for under the Date-Based pricing settings. You can enter a full price of membership for a full year, or you may want to prorate membership based on when a member joins. Optionally, you can also set on which date  membership begins to rollover into the next year.

• Multi-Year Pricing can be used with Date-Based Memberships - the prices listed in the Multi-Year pricing section are for subsequent year(s). The pricing for the first year of membership is managed in the original table above. Lifetime memberships can also be created here, and ignore the pricing in the original table above. Note: Multi-Year Pricing is not available when auto-renew is enabled. 

For Advanced Pricing Settings:

If necessary, advanced pricing allows you to add more rules for pricing calculation on top of what is set up in regular pricing settings. Each of these additional rules are driven by the values of selected attributes. For Individual Member Types, you can set pricing rules after checking the Enable Advanced Pricing box. 

Adding a New Organization Member Type

1. To add a new Organization Member Type, click Add an Organization Member Type at the top of the page.

2. Enter a name for your new Member Type and Linked Member Type, select your Pricing Structure, and decide if you'd like to copy another Group's Permissions.

• Number of Linked Profiles: the pricing structure will be based on the number of users linked to an Organization Member Type

• Attribute-based pricing: the pricing structure will be based on a Custom Attribute NOTE: The Custom Attribute needs to be assigned to the Organization and/or Client in the above settings.

3. Update the General Settings for the Organization. NOTE: The Organization profile does not belong to an individual - it is an aggregator for the organization's membership.

• Choose whether you want to Require approval for new members. If the box is checked, new members will be put into "Pending" status and will need to be manually changed to "Active" status by an ASA or Admin.

• Assign Custom Attributes: choose the custom attributes that are applicable for this organization's Member Type, as well as the organization's individual linked profiles, then click Save.

4. Update the General Settings for the Linked Profiles. NOTE: Linked profiles are the individuals associated with the Organization.

• Set a Landing Page for the Linked Profiles: Members of this type will land on the specified page upon logging in.

5. The Payment Settings and Membership & Expiration Settings pull in from your configuration of the Default Member Type Settings detailed above. Change them so that they’re specific for this Member Type if need be.

Under Renewal Settings, the Lapsed Renewals settings pull in from your configuration of the Default Member Type settings.

6. Configure Pricing Settings 

Under Pricing Settings:

• If pricing is based on Number of Linked Profiles: use the Add a Price Point button to configure the tiers of pricing for Linked Profiles. To set a tiered pricing structure (with or without proration), click Edit Proration. You can also set a maximum number of Linked Profiles on this page.

• If pricing is based on a Number Custom Attribute: use the dropdown to choose the number attribute that membership dues are based on, then enter the price per unit to set the total price. You can also set a maximum number of Linked Profiles on this page.

• If pricing is based on a Selection Set Custom Attribute: use the dropdown to choose the number attribute that membership dues are based on and assign a price for each available selection. You can also set a maximum number of Linked Profiles on this page.

Under Advanced Pricing Settings:

If necessary, advanced pricing allows you to add more rules for pricing calculation on top of what is set up in regular pricing settings. Each of these additional rules are driven by the values of selected attributes. For Organizational Member Types, you can set pricing rules at both the organizational and linked profile levels. 

Note: the base pricing set up in the regular pricing settings will be included in online membership forms. Attributes that are included in the advanced pricing rule(s) will need to be manually added to membership forms where appropriate.