First, you will want to give the form a name and it is always a good idea to include the year as well in case you decide to alter the form from year to year. Also, since this form will add a user to a specified group, you will need multiple application forms if you have multiple groups. For this reason, it helps to include the name of the group in the form as well. For example, if you have groups called Members and Affiliates, we recommend creating two forms named 2013 Members Application and 2013 Affiliate Application. After you’ve named your form, click the Next Page button.

 

In Step 2 of 5, you have the options to either create a single user, multiple users or linked parent and child profiles. Creating a single user would create one profile to be added to a specific group. Creating multiple users would create a primary profile in one group while create a specified number of secondary users in the same or different group. These profiles would not be linked so there would be no option for the primary member to renew the secondary members upon the profile expiration. The best example of this would be a gift membership. The primary user would purchase the first year of membership on behalf of the secondary profile while the secondary user would be responsible for their own renewal. In order for the primary member to have some administrative control over the secondary profile, a parent-child relationship must be create with the last option.Please note that creating multiple users is an advanced process and will be covered in a separate article. If you would like help creating multiple users with a single form, please contact a Maximization Specialist at maximization@memberclicks.com.

Here, you can choose which group this user is to be added to and whether or not the user is valid or invalid. Invalid is a special status in the MemberClicks product. An organization might want to use the invalid status if their new applicants must meet certain criteria before being accepted into the membership. Invalid users will not be able to access any of the member-only content or other member benefits until they are validated by an admin. To learn more about the invalid status, please click here.

In Step 4, you can collect the database attributes to be automatically added to the form. These will include the necessary contact information for each profile created. Attributes can be added to or removed from the form outside of the set-up wizard.

In the final step of the wizard, you will set up the application fee structure. You will enter a description and a pricing option. You can add additional options by clicking the 'Add another option' link. An example of an additional option would be using offering a multi-year membership. For example, you could offer 1- and 2-year memberships and set up the options to advance the membership expiration date 1 and 2 years, respectively.

All pricing options can be set up at outside of the wizard as well. By default, options are created as radio buttons. If you would prefer them in a different selection set type, you can leave Step 5 blank and add it in later.

 

After clicking save, your form will be created. One page will be created, listing all of the Profile Information from the attributes selected in Step 4 and the pricing options at the bottom of the page as a radio button selection set.

A very important portion of the application form is the pricing options field. Usually, it is highly recommended to make this field required. This helps prevent against forms being submitted without a payment attached. We also recommend adding expiration date settings to the field as well.

Expiration date settings are what will tell the system how long to advance the users expiration date attribute. Expiration date settings have to be applied to a selection set (drop-down selection set, radio button or checkbox). To get started, you will click on the pricing options field. On the right side of your screen, you can give the field a Field Label and an Export Name. Now, click on 'Edit expiration date settings'.

You will see all of your options available with an 'Add' button.

Clicking that button will ask you what expiration date attribute you want to add (it is possible to have multiple expiration dates but that is a relatively advanced set-up that we won’t be covering here).

Then the next page asks you how long this is supposed to advance the expiration date.

For more information about setting up the expiration date attribute, please visit this Help Article.

If you select option 2, the member will not be automatically be added to your database and you would have to manually track and add the member.

And generally speaking, you would only want your members to take an application form once. Ideally, they would take a Renewal (Dues) form to extend their membership. And if you are changing your Application form each year, there would be no need for someone to apply more than once.

If you need additional insight for the rest of your Form's set-up, check out our Form Management Overview!