Import Memberships

The ‘Import Memberships’ feature in Membership Management module of Retention CRM allows Associations, Chambers of Commerce and NGOs to efficiently import membership data from external sources (like spreadsheets) into their Retention CRM instance. This saves time and effort compared to manually entering membership information for each member.

General Functionality of the ‘Import Memberships’ Feature

Steps involved in Importing Memberships:

1. Upload Data (Step 1 of 3):
   • Choose Data Source: Select “Upload CSV File”.
   • Import Data File: Choose the CSV file containing your membership data. Ensure it’s comma-separated (CSV) and UTF-8 encoded for special characters.
   • Import Field Separator: Specify the delimiter separating your data columns (e.g., comma, semicolon).
   • Import Options:
     • Contact Type: Select “Individual” as you’re importing memberships for individual nurses.
     • Import Mode: Choose “Insert new Membership” to create new memberships for uploaded data or “Update existing Membership” to update existing memberships based on matching criteria (explained later).
     • Date Format: Select the date format used in your CSV file for membership-related dates (e.g., start date, end date).
2. Match Fields (Step 2 of 3):
   • In this step, you’ll map your CSV file’s column headers to corresponding Retention CRM fields (e.g., “Email Address” in CSV to “Email” in Retention CRM). Retention CRM tries to do some automatic matching, but you can review and adjust as needed. This ensures accurate data import.
3. Preview (Step 3 of 3):
   • Here, you can preview a sample of imported data to identify any potential errors or inconsistencies before finalizing the import.

Using ‘Import Memberships’ Feature in Association Management

Let’s say a nursing association is transitioning from a legacy membership management system to Retention CRM. They have a CSV file containing nurse member data, including:

• Member ID (unique identifier in the legacy system)
• First Name
• Last Name
• Email Address
• Membership Type (e.g., Registered Nurse, Licensed Practical Nurse)
• Join Date
• Membership Status (Active, Expired)

Here are the steps for an Association that will be involved to import its membership data into Retention CRM.

1. Upload Data:
   • Data Source: Upload CSV File.
   • Import Data File: Select the CSV containing member data.
   • Import Field Separator: Specify the delimiter (e.g., comma).
   • Import Options:
     • Contact Type: Individual.
     • Import Mode: Insert new Membership (to create new memberships in Retention CRM).
     • Date Format: Choose the format matching their CSV file’s dates.
2. Match Fields:
   • Map CSV headers to Retention CRM fields:
     • Member ID might not have a direct match, but you can create a custom field in Retention CRM to store this legacy ID for reference.
     • First Name to Retention CRM’s “First Name”.
     • Last Name to Retention CRM’s “Last Name”.
     • Email Address to Retention CRM’s “Email”.
     • Membership Type might require creating a custom field in Retention CRM to map these categories.
     • Join Date to Retention CRM’s “Membership Start Date”.
     • Membership Status to Retention CRM’s “Membership Status” (ensure these values match Retention CRM’s options, like “Active” or “Expired”).
3. Preview:
   • Review the data preview to catch any errors (e.g., missing data, incorrect formats).

Benefits

• Saves significant time and effort compared to manual entry.
• Ensures data accuracy by eliminating manual entry errors.
• Streamlines the membership transition process to Retention CRM.
• Allows for efficient management of member data within Retention CRM.

More Use Cases for Associations

Membership Data Transfer for a Professional Association

• Scenario: A professional association is migrating from a legacy membership management system to Retention CRM. They have a large dataset of member information stored in a CSV file, including details like names, contact information, membership categories, and subscription statuses.
• Process: The association can leverage the “Import Memberships” feature to efficiently transfer their member data into Retention CRM. By mapping the CSV file’s columns to corresponding Retention CRM fields (e.g., email address to Retention CRM’s “Email” field), they can ensure accurate and streamlined data import.

New Member Onboarding through Batch Upload

• Scenario: A sports club wants to automate their new member onboarding process. They receive applications in batches via CSV files containing details like contact information, membership type selection, and preferred payment methods.
• Process: The club can utilize “Import Memberships” to create new memberships in Retention CRM for each applicant in the uploaded CSV file. This saves time and minimizes errors compared to manual data entry for each member.

Membership Renewal Management

• Scenario: A non-profit organization is preparing for their membership renewal season. They have a CSV file containing renewal information for existing members, including membership IDs, expiry dates, and chosen renewal options.
• Process: The organization can use “Import Memberships” to update existing memberships in Retention CRM based on the uploaded data. By selecting “Update existing Membership” in the import mode and mapping the CSV’s “Membership ID” to Retention CRM’s unique member identifier, they can efficiently update membership statuses and details for the renewal period.

By utilizing the ‘Import Memberships’ feature effectively, a nonprofit, chamber of commerce or association can seamlessly import its membership data into Retention CRM, enabling it to manage its members and memberships efficiently.