Program Structure Overview

Last updated: August 19, 2026

The Foundation of Programs (Overview & Structure)

This article establishes the foundational logic for the Programs module. In Memberworks, a "Program" is the overarching container, but the "Session" is the functional unit of participation. Understanding the hierarchy and how the system operationally splits activities is essential for ensuring accurate data, efficient staff management, and clean financial reporting. 

1. Defining a "Program" in Memberworks

A program is the primary operational bucket used for any activity that follows a registration-based model. It serves as a template for activities where members sign up to join a roster and are managed as participants over a duration of time.

  • Operational Context: If an activity requires a member to register, join a roster, and trigger prerequisites (like waivers), it is managed as a program.

  • Examples: Youth sports leagues, swim lessons, and summer camps.

When you create a program, you have a lot of options on how to configure the settings. Before you start building, make sure you're building the right type of program. First, you'll want to ask yourself the goal of the program. In our system, Events, Rentals, and Group Exercise classes are configured differently than standard "programs" to better meet the needs of those particular programs. So, while operationally you may call them programs - they may be better suited in one of those areas.

Ill break that down below: 

  • Classes & Training: 

    • Best for recurring group exercise classes or similar recurring events. You have online and mobile app booking for these classes. Access can be defined by membership type, if applicable, and you can enable drop-in fees for those who are not members. Roles can also be associated with any individual class so they can be substituted and managed by instructors. These classes have a simple management structure where you can add participants, they can book themselves, and they can be marked present or absent from the web or mobile app by an instructor.

  • Rentals: 

    • Best for room, facility, or party rentals. You will configure venues within a rental that people can register for online to book. These are great for batting cage rentals, retreat rentals, birthday party rentals, etc. 

  • Events: 

    • Events are very similar to group exercise, but are best for organization wide events. These events can sell tickets , or just be open to the public. They have the same tools to add and checkin people to the event. For both group exercise and events, barcodes can be scanned to record attendance.

  • Programs (the left rail categories for Sports, Custom Programs, Childcare, etc.) :

    • Best for end to end program management, includes but not limited to: collect registrations , manage participants and rosters, build schedules, track activities, checkin and checkout, as well as team and group assignments.

    • Participants can register for multiple sessions at a time

For this guide, we are focusing on the standard Programs - end to end program management (Ex: sports league, swim lessons, etc.) 

  1. Does this program occur at multiple locations (Sites and/or Branches)? 

    1. If the answer is yes, you will need to make a session inside of the program for each location , in addition to the sessions that are separated by weeks 

      1. Example: I have a camp at 2 locations, and each session is 1 week long for 4 total weeks. Instead of just 4 sessions, you'll want to create a session for each week at each location, so you will have 8 total sessions.

  2. Does this program operate on recurring time schedules that they will need to choose from during registration? For example, swim lessons has a Tuesday/Thursday class or a Saturday class. Or, afterschool runs from Mon-Thursday each week. 

    1. If the answer is yes, you'll want to create "plans" (the plan settings of program management) for those different schedules 

  3. Does this program end? Or is it a subscription based ongoing program like masters swim. 

    1. If the program does not have an end date (it just keeps going) , in the program details setting you'll want to toggle the ongoing program setting to on

  4. What is the pricing style of this program? 

    1. Do participants purchase a pack of "sessions" that can be redeemed (like personal training) 

      1. If the answer to this is yes, in the pricing settings choose token-based pricing

    2. Is it subscription- based, as in people are drafted on a regular frequency throughout the session they registered for? Ex: an afterschool program with a session from Sep 1-May 1 that bills each month on the 1st

      1. If this answer to this is yes, choose subscription-based in the pricing settings. 

    3. Do parents pay a deposit and then the remainder is drafted at a later date? 

      1. If the answer to this is yes , choose standard pricing and then choose deposit required. Standard pricing can work for pay in full up front, or deposit down and pay the rest later

2. The "Mini-Program": Understanding Sessions

While the Program is the template, the Session is the active instance. You should view Sessions as "mini-programs" that live within the larger program structure.

  • Time-Bound Periods: Sessions define the specific dates and times when the activity occurs (e.g., "Session A: June 1–15" or "Morning Session").

  • Location Binding: Crucially, while a Program may be broad, the Session is tied to a specific Branch or Site. This allows one program template to have different instances running at multiple locations simultaneously.

  • Lifecycle Logic: Sessions are organized into Seasons (e.g., Summer 2026). This allows you to reuse program configurations year-over-year; instead of building a new program, you simply create a new session tied to the current season and location.

3. The Three-Tier Operational Hierarchy

To ensure every activity is searchable for staff and correctly managed, Memberworks uses a mandatory three-tier structure. This hierarchy is designed to mirror how your organization operationally splits its work.

  • Tier 1: Program Categories (Operational Buckets)

    • These are high-level "buckets" such as Sports, Aquatics, or Childcare.

    • Operational Impact: Categories allow you to split and manage activities by department. They also serve as the primary driver for General Ledger (GL) Mapping, ensuring revenue is routed to the correct departmental budget.

  • Tier 2: Program Types (Functional Tools & Granular Mapping)

    • Types live within categories and define what the program does (e.g., Preschool Swim Lessons vs. Adult Swim).

    • Operational Impact: The Type determines which specialized tools are enabled (e.g., skill-level assessments for swim lessons).

    • Financial Impact: Types can also influence GL mapping. If your finance team needs to track "Swim Lesson" revenue separately from "General Aquatics" revenue, the system can drill down to the Type level to provide that granularity.

  • Tier 3: Individual Programs (Member-Facing Names)

    • This is the specific name members see when browsing (e.g., "Winter 2026 Competitive Basketball League").

4. Critical Distinction: Programs vs. Classes & Training

The system treats "Typical Programs" differently than the Classes & Training module (sometimes referred to as Mass & Liturgy). Their mapping logic is distinct:

  • Typical Programs: These focus on the participant journey and rosters. They are mapped at the Session level to a Branch or Site.

  • Classes & Training: These focus on time-bound events in a specific space (e.g., Group Ex classes or Adoration).

    • Venue Mapping Logic: Unlike typical programs, Classes & Training must be mapped all the way down to the Venue level (e.g., Pool Lane 1 or Studio B). This enables the system to monitor space availability and automatically flag "Blocking Time Slots" if another event is already booked in that room at the same time.

5. Administrative Identifiers

  • Program Tags: Visual badges used for internal filtering and sorting (e.g., "Grant Funded"). These are managed centrally in the CMS to maintain data consistency.

  • Tax Deductibility: For programs like childcare, you can flag the offering as tax-deductible. The system will then automatically include the required tax IDs and information on member receipts and annual statements.

System Setup Checklist

  • Operational Alignment: Confirm your Program Categories and Types match how your departments manage their budgets and staff.

  • Branch/Site Verification: Ensure the physical Branch or Site is correctly configured in Locations & Venues before building a new Session.

  • Season Check: Verify the correct Season is active so that your new sessions appear in the correct reports.