Getting Started: Applications

This article will guide you through the basic steps involved in making sure your users can apply for membership. Read the guides below to learn how to create application forms, set fees and approval requirements, and then start offering and processing applications for your prospective members.

Creating Application Forms

To get started, read our guide on creating a membership application form:

How to Create a Membership Application Form

Customizing Application Forms

In response to user feedback, we’ve created a few guides on specific ways to modify application forms:

How to Add a Checkbox Question to a Membership Application

How Do I Add Birthdays to a Membership Application?

How to Disable a Field in a Membership Application or Contact Record

How to Add or Edit Membership Application Disclaimers

Fees and Approval

Fees

Before anyone applies, you’ll want to establish some requirements for the application process. You should begin by setting up application and renewal fees for the membership category in question:

How to Manage Membership Category Fees

Approval

Decide whether this membership application process requires approval or not, and modify your settings accordingly by using this guide:

How to Enable Membership Approval

Workflow

You can choose whether to collect payment on application or on approval, whether to provide Member Portal access on approval or upon payment being processed, and whether renewals must be approved. To do so, follow the steps outlined here:

How To Configure Your Membership Approval Workflow

Testing and Using the Application Process

Now that you’ve created an application form and set its fee/approval settings, it’s time to test it, distribute it and review the results before deciding whether to approve each application.

Finding the Public Application Link

Whether or not you plan to test your application process — which is the next guide we’ll link you to — you’ll need the public link first. Here’s where to find it:

How to Access Membership Application Links

Testing the Application Process

We’ve created a guide on how to walk through and test your own application process. You can find it here:

How to Verify a Paid Membership Application Process

Reviewing and Managing Applications

Once a user has submitted a successful application, you’ll want to review their responses and then approve or deny their application. These two guides will show you how:

How to Access Responses to Membership Application Forms

How to Manage Membership Applications

Notifications

If you’d like to be notified when users apply for and/or renew memberships, follow the instructions found here:

How to Review Membership Application and Renewal Emails