Skip to main content

Configure Organization Membership Level Settings

Quick Start

👥 Setting up membership management? Configure membership level policies, standing calculations, and categorization to automate member status tracking.

  1. Open Membership app → 2. Go to Member Management Administration → 3. Configure settings → 4. Set standing calculations → 5. Save

What you'll accomplish: Configure organization-wide membership level policies, financial standing calculations, and member categorization settings to automate member status tracking and ensure consistent membership management in about 10 minutes.

🚀 Quickstart​

  1. Navigate to Membership app and Member Management Administration
  2. Configure membership level types and categorization
  3. Set financial standing calculation parameters
  4. Define membership standing cutoffs and percentages
  5. Save configuration and test with member accounts

⚠️ Before You Start​

📋 Prerequisites Checklist
  • You have appropriate administrative permissions
  • Access to Member Management Administration page
  • Understanding of your organization's membership policies
  • Knowledge of financial standing requirements
  • Coordination with membership and finance teams

💡 Understanding Membership Level Configuration​

What These Settings Control:

  • Membership categorization by types and levels
  • Financial standing calculations for member status
  • Automated status tracking based on payment progress
  • Member eligibility for services and benefits

Key Configuration Areas:

  • Membership Types - Categories for different member classifications
  • Account Categorization - How accounts are grouped by membership
  • Standing Calculations - Automated financial standing assessment
  • Cutoff Policies - When and how standing is evaluated

Impact on Operations:

  • Member services - Controls access based on standing
  • Billing processes - Affects billing eligibility and timing
  • Reporting - Provides data for membership analytics
  • Communications - Enables targeted member communications

📘 Detailed Instructions​

Step 1: Access Membership Administration​

  1. Navigate to the Membership app from App Launcher
  2. Go to the Member Management Administration page
  3. Locate the Membership Settings section
  4. Prepare to configure organizational policies
Admin Access Required

If you don't see Member Management Administration, contact your System Administrator about access permissions for the Membership app.

Step 2: Configure Membership Level Types​

👥 Membership Type Configuration

Membership Level Requires Type Setting:

  • Enabled - System requires type classification for all membership levels
  • Disabled - Membership levels can exist without type categorization

When to Enable Types:

  • Multiple membership categories (Individual, Family, Student, Senior)
  • Different benefits/pricing by membership type
  • Complex membership structures requiring classification
  • Reporting needs by membership type

Type Examples:

  • Individual - Single person memberships
  • Family - Household memberships
  • Student - Discounted educational memberships
  • Corporate - Business/organization memberships

Configure Type Requirements:

  1. Locate "Membership Level Requires Type" setting
  2. Enable if your organization uses membership type classifications
  3. Select the Account Type field for membership categorization
  4. Consider impact on existing membership levels

Step 3: Set Account Categorization​

Account Type Field Selection:

  1. Choose the Account field used for membership categorization
  2. Verify field contains appropriate values for your organization
  3. Ensure field is accessible to membership staff
  4. Consider how this affects reporting and automation

Step 4: Configure Membership Standing Calculation​

📊 Standing Calculation Parameters

Financial Standing Components:

  • Fiscal Start Month - Beginning of your fiscal/membership year
  • Standing Cutoff - Days into fiscal year when requirements kick in
  • Standing Percentage - Payment threshold for "Good Standing"

How Standing Works:

  1. Grace period - All members in good standing initially
  2. Cutoff date - Standing requirements begin
  3. Payment assessment - System calculates payment progress
  4. Status assignment - Members marked as good/poor standing

Standing Calculation Example:

  • Fiscal Start: July (Month 7)
  • Cutoff: 60 days after fiscal start
  • Percentage: 50% paid
  • Result: After September 1st, members must have paid 50%+ of dues

Set Standing Parameters:

  1. Fiscal Start Month - Enter month number when fiscal year begins
    • January = 1, July = 7, October = 10, etc.
  2. Membership Standing Cutoff - Days from fiscal start when standing calculated
    • Common values: 30, 60, 90 days
  3. Member Standing Percentage - Payment threshold for good standing
    • Common values: 25%, 50%, 75%

Step 5: Example Standing Calculation​

Scenario Configuration:

  • Fiscal Start Month: 7 (July)
  • Standing Cutoff: 60 days
  • Standing Percentage: 50%

How It Works:

  1. July 1st - New fiscal year begins, all members in good standing
  2. September 1st - 60 days later, standing calculations begin
  3. After September 1st - Members with 50%+ of dues paid = Good Standing
  4. Ongoing - Standing updated as payments received

Step 6: Save and Verify Configuration​

  1. Review all settings for accuracy
  2. Click "Save" to apply membership configuration
  3. Confirm settings are saved successfully
  4. Test with sample member accounts

✅ How to Know It Worked​

Success Indicators:

  • ✅ Membership settings save without errors
  • ✅ Type requirements appear in membership level creation
  • ✅ Standing calculations begin working on cutoff dates
  • ✅ Member accounts show correct standing status

Verification Steps:

  • Create test membership level to verify type requirements
  • Check member accounts for standing calculations
  • Review reports for membership categorization
  • Test with different payment scenarios

🆘 Troubleshooting​

❌ Cannot Access Member Management Administration

Problem: Member Management Administration page not available

Contact your System Administrator to verify:

  • ✅ User profile has access to Membership app
  • ✅ Permission sets include membership administration
  • ✅ Tab visibility configured for Member Management Administration
  • ✅ Profile settings allow membership configuration access
❌ Standing Calculations Not Working

Problem: Membership standing not calculating as expected

Solutions:

  • ✅ Verify cutoff date has passed for standing requirements
  • ✅ Check fiscal start month matches organization's fiscal year
  • ✅ Review percentage calculations for accuracy
  • ✅ Test with known payment amounts and dates
❌ Membership Types Not Required

Problem: System not requiring types despite configuration

Solutions:

  • ✅ Verify setting is saved and checkbox is checked
  • ✅ Check existing membership levels for type requirements
  • ✅ Test with new membership level creation
  • ✅ Review field permissions for type field access
❌ Account Type Field Issues

Problem: Selected account type field not working properly

Solutions:

  • ✅ Verify field exists and is accessible
  • ✅ Check field values are appropriate for membership categorization
  • ✅ Review permissions for field access and editing
  • ✅ Test with different account type values

💡 Best Practices​

Membership Configuration Best Practices
  • 📋 Policy Documentation - Document all membership policies and standing rules
  • 🧪 Test Scenarios - Test standing calculations with various payment patterns
  • 📞 Clear Communication - Inform members about standing requirements and deadlines
  • 🔍 Regular Review - Monitor standing calculations and adjust as needed
  • 📊 Consistent Application - Ensure fair and consistent policy application
  • 💼 Team Training - Train membership staff on configuration and policies

Implementation Strategy:

  • Phased rollout - Implement configuration during off-peak periods
  • Member communication - Announce new standing policies in advance
  • Staff training - Ensure team understands new configuration
  • Monitoring plan - Track how configuration affects member behavior

Policy Considerations:

  • Grace periods - Consider grace periods for new members
  • Hardship policies - Plan for members experiencing financial difficulties
  • Payment plans - Ensure standing calculations work with payment plans
  • Communication timing - Notify members before standing changes

Common Configurations:

  • Annual memberships - 60-90 day cutoff, 50% payment threshold
  • Monthly memberships - 30 day cutoff, 75% payment threshold
  • Academic organizations - Align with academic calendar and semester billing
  • Religious organizations - Consider religious calendar and giving patterns

🔗 Related Actions​