Member types overview and default settings

Member types define a member's dues payment, renewal notification schedule, and expiration settings. If your organization has several different types of members, you can create a member type for each. Examples include professional, associate, student, organization, and lifetime. This article describes the different member types in MC Professional and how to configure the default settings that automatically apply to all new member types.

Prerequisites: Before configuring default member type settings, set up your account settings, create an invoice template, and configure your built-in and custom attributes.

About member types

Two different member types are available:

Individual profiles are for individual members. They contain the built-in attributes (name, email, address, phone) and any custom attributes you assign. Individual profiles are not linked to any other profile in your database. Each member is responsible for paying their own dues, updating their own profile, and registering for events.

Organization profiles are aggregator profiles that contain information about an organization rather than an individual member. An organization's dues may be based on the number of linked profiles tied to it, or on a custom attribute. Renewal reminders are sent to the email address in the organization profile. Within an organization profile, you can have linked profiles and key contacts:

• Linked profiles are the individual members who work for the organization. Each linked member has their own profile with built-in attributes (name, email, address, phone) and any custom attributes you assign.
• Key contacts are linked profiles that manage the organization. An organization can have one or more key contacts. Key contacts can:
  • Pay dues on behalf of the organization
  • Edit and update the organization's profile
  • Edit and update other linked profiles within the organization
  • Register other linked profiles for events

Configuring default member type settings

All member types you create inherit the default member type settings.

1. Go to Database > Member Types, then select EDIT DEFAULT SETTINGS.
2. Under General Settings, configure the approval setting. If Require approval for new members is enabled, new members enter pending status until an admin manually sets them to active.
3. Under Renewal Payment Settings, select the invoice template, payment processor, and revenue account. These selections automatically populate on your membership application and renewal form.
   • Invoice Template: The template used for renewal invoices.
   • Payment Processor: The processor used for online renewal payments.
   • Revenue Account: The account where revenue from membership renewals is recorded.

4. Under Membership & Expiration Settings, select how expiration is calculated:

   • Expiration is Based on Date: All members share the same expiration date. To adjust the Membership Year Begins On date, contact the support team.

   • Expiration is Based on Period of Time: Each member has a unique expiration date based on when they joined. For example, a member who joins April 25, 2023 with a one-year membership expires April 25, 2024.

     An additional option is available for period-of-time memberships: New Expiration Date Based on Renewal Date. When enabled, the expiration date is based on when the member renews rather than when they joined. For example, if a member's expiration date is April 25, 2023 and they renew for one year on May 5, 2023, their new expiration date is May 5, 2024.

   Warning: Once a member type is created, its expiration setting (date-based or period-of-time) is permanent and cannot be changed.

   This section also includes a Grace Period checkbox. The grace period begins immediately after a member expires, letting you continue messaging graced members while they can still renew. Grace period settings can be adjusted at any time.

   Note: Members in active or active-in-renewal-period status automatically adopt updated grace period settings after their expiration date. If members are already in their grace period when you change the settings, move them back to active status — the system moves them to graced status the following day with the new settings applied.

5. Under Renewal Settings, configure auto-renew and member profile renewal options.

   • Auto-Renew — Optional: Members can choose to renew manually or keep a credit card on file for automatic annual billing.
   • Auto-Renew — Required: All members are set to renew automatically. Members receive a renewal reminder before their expiration date with the renewal invoice attached.
   Note: Auto-renew must be configured with your payment processor. Credit card information is stored in your payment processor, not in MC Professional.

   Toggle Renew from Member Profile on or off to control whether members can renew directly from their profile. When enabled, members see a dropdown with two options: generate a renewal invoice in their profile, or redirect to a URL such as your renewal form.