Before You Begin:
- Levels should only be used when the Membership Name is the same except for the level assignment, the applicant can self-select the appropriate level, the pricing is fixed (pre-determined, not variable) for each level, and each level uses the same Directory assignments and number of Categories.
- You need permission to manage membership settings.
- Levels are added from the Membership Types page. Convert Types to Levels is a separate migration tool for moving existing membership types into a level-based structure — it is not how you add a single level.
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IMPORTANT: If your membership is set to recalculate and was established and assigned to contacts prior to adding levels, go to those memberships and upgrade them to add the level to prevent billing issues. You can see which memberships need to be upgraded by running the Membership Report (go to Reports, click All Reports, then click Membership Report) and filtering on Level.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Go to Memberships, click Settings and select Membership Types. The page opens as Membership Settings.
- In the Levels column, click the link in the row for the membership you wish to add levels to. On a type that has no levels yet, that link reads <No Levels>.
NOTE: If levels have already been added to a membership type, click the numbered link in the Levels column. - The Edit Membership Levels window opens. Click the add (+) button to the right of the Levels heading.
- Enter a Name for the level. This name will be displayed for selection on your membership application form. Do not repeat the Membership Type Name as the Level Name.
NOTE: Names may be unique but are not required to be unique per Membership Type. Do not use semi-colons in the Membership Level Name, as this will prevent the frequency description from appearing on the membership application. - Click the add (+) button at the right of the Recurring Fee Items section to add a recurring fee to this membership level.
NOTE: If you have set pricing for the membership type, the recurring fees set for the level are in addition to the base fees. It is not necessary to create a base fee. See Add Pricing to a Membership Type for further information. When invoicing, two line items would be displayed: one for the base fee, and one for the level fee. - Repeat Step 5 above to add additional recurring fees.
- If you wish to add setup or one-time fees, click the add (+) button at the right of the Setup/One-Time Fee Items section.
NOTE: If you have set one-time fees for the membership type, the one-time fees set for the level are in addition to the one-time base fees. See Add Pricing to a Membership Type for further information. - Repeat Step 7 above if you wish to add additional one-time fees.
- Click the Done button.
Repeat Steps 2–8 above to add additional levels to your membership type. You may add up to 50 levels.
Where Levels Appear
If you choose to include this membership type on your Membership Application form, applicants will be able to select the desired level from a drop-down list. The levels, their name and pricing will be displayed.
NOTE: If you have enabled the Hide Pricing on Membership Selection option for your Membership Application form, pricing will not be displayed on the first page of the application. If enabled, pricing will only be displayed once a member reaches the payment page. See View or Create your Membership Application Form for further information.
Additionally, when adding a membership from the back office, you will have the ability to assign the level. See Add a Membership to a Contact for details.
The membership level will display on the contact’s Overview tab in the Memberships section. The Membership name will reflect Type + Level + Chapter if applicable.
Common Pitfalls
- Not upgrading existing memberships: If a recalculating membership was assigned to contacts before you added levels, those memberships must be upgraded to include the new level — otherwise you risk billing issues. Use the Membership Report to find which ones need updating.
- Using semi-colons in the Level Name: A semi-colon in a Membership Level Name prevents the frequency description from appearing on the membership application.
- Starting from Convert Types to Levels: That page migrates existing membership types into a level-based structure. To add a single level to an existing type, start from the Membership Types grid instead.