Managing People and Households

1. Introduction to System-Centric Record Management

Memberworks operates as a centralized data engine designed to provide a single, accurate source of truth for your organization. Rather than managing disparate silos of information, the system uses a person-centric architecture where every interaction—program registrations, facility rentals, and "Joining a Membership"—is tied to a unique Person Record.

This article details the logical structure of Person Records and Households. Maintaining these structures correctly is essential for long-term data health, accurate financial reporting, and a seamless member experience. By focusing on household hierarchies rather than individual isolated records, the system can automate complex tasks such as subtype selection and combined family billing.

2. The "Search First" Rule for Data Integrity

The primary defense against duplicate records and data fragmentation is the "Search First" mandate. Staff must verify a person’s existence in the database before attempting to create a new profile.

People Lookup Process

To ensure data integrity, follow this sequence for every walk-in or new inquiry:

1. Access Lookup: Navigate to the "People Lookup" tab.

2. Conduct Search: Search for the individual by name or other identifying criteria.

3. Verify Results: Review the search results to confirm the individual does not already have an existing profile (even if inactive).

4. Transition to Add: Only if the search yields no results should you proceed to the "Add" tab to create a new profile.

Note: The Importance of Data Integrity Data integrity starts at the front desk. Creating duplicate profiles causes technical consequences, including fragmented involvement history, split financial balances, and failures in automated prerequisite tracking. Always search before you add.

3. Establishing the Household Foundation

Memberworks uses a "Primary Member" logic to establish households. This hierarchy ensures that billing and relationships are linked correctly from the start.

The Household Workflow

• Creating the Primary: When a family arrives, the primary member (usually the head of household or the person responsible for billing) is created first via the "Add Member" screen.

• Best Practice Note: While the "Add Member" screen allows you to add multiple people simultaneously, the recommended implementation workflow is to add only the primary here and then move to their profile to add family members. This ensures the hierarchy is established cleanly.

• Adding Dependents: Once the primary profile is established, all other household members are added using the "Add Family Member" button located within the primary member’s profile. This action automatically links the new profile to the existing household structure.

Required Data Points by Profile Type

Data requirements vary based on the age and role of the individual within the household. Note that Personal Info (typically Date of Birth and Gender) is mandatory for all profiles to drive age-based and gender-restricted eligibility logic.

4. Navigating the Person Profile

A Person Record is divided into functional tabs designed for quick navigation and information retrieval.

• Profile: Centralizes personal information, relationship management (organizing the household by adults and children), emergency contacts, and cases (such as incidents or contact forms).

• Communications: This is the administrative repository for the account. It displays a full history of all communications sent and provides the interface for staff to add and view internal administrative notes.

• Involvement: Functions as the hub for all participation, including programs, rentals, and events. The system automatically flags divisions that are ineligible (e.g., gender-restricted), but provides staff with the flexibility to perform a manual override when necessary.

• Financials: This section is divided into two key administrative areas:

  • Invoices: Used to manage outstanding balances. Staff can apply manual discounts, hold auto-draft payments, or change "Bill To" and "Due Date" information.

  • Transactions: Provides a completed history of all payments. This is where staff can view the audit trail, download PDFs, or initiate refunds for completed transactions.

  • Billing Information: Specifically for managing "Payment Profiles" (saved credit cards or ACH accounts).

• All Activity: Provides a comprehensive system timeline. This view can be toggled to show only the current member's activity or the combined activity of the entire household, including check-ins and registrations.

• Prerequisites: Manages automated "to-do" items. When a person registers for a program, the system automatically populates required waivers and camp requirements here for completion.

5. The "Manage Membership" Tool: Dual-Logic Functionality

The "Manage Membership" button is a one-stop administrative tool that adapts based on the member's current status.

State 1: Acquisition (Purchase)

If a profile has no active membership, the tool initiates the purchase workflow:

1. Selection: Staff select the Membership Type (e.g., "Join the YMCA").

2. Location: Choose the specific branch or location.

3. Inclusion: Select which household members will be covered.

4. Billing Term: Choose the appropriate term. This typically defaults to a "Standard Monthly" rate but may include options for a "1-week" or "Free Trial" term for visitors.

State 2: Maintenance

For active memberships, the tool provides lifecycle actions:

• Upgrading or Downgrading subtypes.

• Freezing or Canceling the membership.

• Adding recurring or one-time add-ons.

Automated Subtype Selection

The system removes the risk of manual entry errors through automated logic. When household members are included in a membership, Memberworks evaluates the composition and automatically selects the appropriate subtype (e.g., "Young Adult with Dependents") based on pre-configured organizational rules.

6. Membership Lifecycle Adjustments

As household needs change, the system allows for real-time adjustments to the membership structure.

Upgrades and Downgrades

• Upgrade: When adding a new member to an existing membership, the system re-evaluates the household and suggests a new membership subtype automatically.

• Downgrade: If a member is removed, the system automatically updates the billing and shifts the record to a simplified subtype (e.g., moving from a family subtype to a "Young Adult" subtype).

The Freeze Function

• Requirements: Staff must specify a start and end date and select a reason for the freeze.

• Financials: Freeze-associated discounts can be applied, reducing the membership cost by a set amount for every month the membership remains in a frozen state.

7. System Integrity and Troubleshooting

Maintaining system health requires the use of specialized tools for troubleshooting and communication.

• Staff Impersonation: A critical tool for implementation and support. By clicking the "Impersonate" button next to a staff record, you can view the system exactly as that user does. This is essential for troubleshooting permission-based issues or assisting members who are calling in with questions.

• Person Tags: Use the dashboard to apply specific tags to a person’s account. These provide immediate visual indicators of a member’s status or specific needs.

• Quick Actions: Located on the dashboard for immediate communication:

  • Email/SMS: Send one-off messages directly to the individual.

  • Tasks: Assign "to-dos" to the member (viewable on their dashboard) or assign internal tasks to other staff regarding a specific profile.

8. Chapter Summary and Best Practices

To maintain maximum efficiency at the front desk, adhere to these three golden rules:

1. Search first, create second: Always check the "People Lookup" tab before clicking "Add" to prevent duplicate records.

2. Let system logic drive subtype selection: Trust the automated rules to select the correct membership level based on who you have included from the household.

3. Use Impersonation for Troubleshooting: Before escalating a technical issue, use the Impersonate tool to see exactly what the user or staff member is experiencing.