As part of the membership application process – and optionally, the membership renewal process – you can offer optional extras, available at a separate cost in addition to the membership fee. For example, you could offer branded t-shirts or newsletter subscriptions.
You can also add extra charges that are calculated using a value entered by the applicant. For example, you could add an option to purchase a specific number of t-shirts, or charge a variable membership surcharge based on organization size or income.
To provide optional extras at a separate cost as part of the membership application process, you add custom membership fields. The custom membership fields are combined with common fields from your contact database to form the membership record and populate the membership application form.
If you are offering optional extras and want them to be available at renewal time, do not automatically generate the membership renewal invoice.
There are two types of extra cost fields: static fields which provide options that applicants simply choose, and calculated extra charge fields which display an input field whose value is used to calculate the actual charge.
For bundle memberships, extra cost fields will only appear to the bundle administrator, not to individual bundle members.
Adding static extra cost fields
Static fields provide options that an applicant can choose or choose from, such as a t-shirt or a newsletter subscription.
To add a static extra cost membership field, follow these steps:
- Hover over the Members menu and click the Membership fields option.
- Click the Add new field button.
- Under Type, choose one of the following types for the new field.
Multiple choice with extra charge
A set of checkboxes, each with an associated cost. Choose this type if you want to allow the applicant to make multiple selections.
Radio buttons with extra charge
A set of mutually exclusive choices, arranged like buttons on a car radio, each with an associated cost. Choose this type if you want to allow the applicant to make a single choice from multiple options. - In the Field label box, enter a name for the field. The name will appear as the label for the field on the membership application form.
- Check the Required field box if you want the charge to be mandatory. For example, you would check this for mandatory initiation fees.
- Under Items, choose the options to be displayed for this field on the membership application form, and specify the costs of each. Click Add new item to add items to the list. Click the minus sign beside an existing option to change or remove it. If you want an option to appear already selected on the form – to be checked by default – click the checkbox beside the item.
- Under Applications, indicate whether you want to include the field in new membership applications. If enabled, you can also control whether the cost should be prorated over a partial period of time. See Prorating membership dues for new applications for more information.
- Under Renewals, indicate whether you want to include the field in membership renewals. If enabled, you can also control whether members can change their original selection when renewing. If you are adding an extra cost field and including it in renewals with the Allow member to change selection during renewal checkbox unchecked, existing members will be unable to make a selection during renewal, so the default value will be automatically selected. If you add an extra cost field after members have already joined, they will be unable to select a field value at renewal time or change its default value, if set.
- Under Use in, choose whether the field applies to all membership levels or is restricted to one or more specific membership levels.
- Enter Field instructions explaining how to use this field. For information on controlling the appearance of field instructions, see Adding field instructions.
- Click Save all changes.
Within the membership application process, the options you have added will appear after the applicant has selected a membership level and provided an email address.
The selected extra costs items will appear as separate items on the membership invoice.
It is not recommended to make bulk changes to extra costs fields via import because invoices will not be updated. Instead, we suggest adjusting each record individually.
Adding calculated extra cost fields
You can add calculated extra cost fields that calculate an extra charge using a value entered by the applicant.
For example, you could add an option to purchase a specific of t-shirts, or charge a variable membership surcharge based on organization size or income.
To add a calculated extra cost membership field, follow these steps:
- Hover over the Members menu and click the Membership fields option.
- Click the Add new field button.
- Under Type, choose Extra charge calculation.
- In the Field label box, enter a name for the field. The name will appear as the label for the field on the membership application form.
- Check the Required field box if you want the charge to be mandatory. For example, you would check this for mandatory membership surcharges.
- Under Multiplier, choose whether to specify a unit cost or a percentage to be applied to the entered value. To do so, click the dropdown that initially displays the currency you chose in your online payment settings, and choose the currency if you want to specify a unit cost, or percent if you want to apply a percentage to the entered value.
- If you choose the currency, so you can specify a unit cost, you can also specify the minimum and maximum number of items you visitor can order.
If you are applying a percentage, you can specify a minimum and a maximum resulting value.
Values entered by the applicant or registrant that result in charge below the minimum or above the maximum will be automatically adjusted to fit within the limits. - Under Applications, indicate whether you want to include the field in new membership applications. If enabled, you can also control whether the cost should be prorated over a partial period of time. See Prorating membership dues for new applications for more information.
- Under Renewals, indicate whether you want to include the field in membership renewals. If enabled, you can also control whether members can change their original selection when renewing.
If you are adding an extra charge calculation field and including it in renewals, check the Allow member to change selection during renewal checkbox if you have existing active members, or else they will be unable to enter any values (since you cannot specify a default value). - Under Use in, choose whether the field applies to all membership levels or is restricted to one or more specific membership levels.
- Enter Field instructions explaining how to use this field. For information on controlling the appearance of field instructions, see Adding field instructions.
- Click Save all changes.
Usage examples
Below are a few scenarios in which extra cost fields can be used with different settings for different purposes.
One-time initiation/setup fee
Field type: Multiple choice with single option
Required field? Yes
Include in new applications? Yes
Include in renewals? No
Fee within membership level based on company size
Field type: Extra charge calculation
Required field? Yes
Include in new applications? Yes
Include in renewals? Yes
Branded merchandise for new members only
Field type: Multiple choice or extra charge calculation
Required field? No
Include in new applications? Yes
Include in renewals? No
Discounted merchandise as renewal reward
Field type: Multiple choice or extra charge calculation
Required field? No
Include in new applications? No
Include in renewals? Yes
Recurring payments
If you have recurring payments enabled, any extra charges will be included in subsequent payments only if you enabled the Include in renewals option for the extra charge field.
Viewing extra cost selections
You can see who has ordered or selected extra cost items by performing an advanced search on the Members tab.
Select the extra cost field from the criteria drop-down then check the option(s) you are interested in. Click Search to list all the members who have chosen the option(s).
Removing the Variable and Free labels
If you use extra membership costs in place of a membership fee – setting the membership fee to zero – your membership level will labelled as Variable in the level list and as Free on subsequent screens.
To remove the Variable and Free labels for all free membership levels, follow these steps:
- Go to Settings then click Global JavaScript (under Site settings).
- On the Global JavaScript screen that appears, copy and paste the following code:
<script type="text/javascript"> $('.levelPrice').each(function(){ if($(this).is(":contains('- Variable')") || $(this).is(":contains('- Free')")){ $(this).hide(); } }); </script> - Click Save.
