Committees and Workspaces FAQs

This FAQ answers common Committees and Workspaces questions for Member365 administrators. Navigation and available options can vary by permissions and configuration.

How do I create a Committee?

When would I use this? Use this to set up a committee and, optionally, a private workspace for its members.

1. Open Modules → Committee → Create Committee, or Configuration → Committees → Setup → Create Committee.
2. Enter the committee name and click Save; add its description.
3. If a committee workspace is needed, open Workspace, enable it, enter its name and welcome message, and choose features such as discussions and file library.
4. Review workspace access and notification settings, then click Save. Verify the committee and workspace with an intended member.

How to Create a Committee

How do I add a Member to a Committee?

When would I use this? Use this when you need to add a Member to a Committee. For example, a workspace administrator may need this answer to give the right people access to collaborate.

This article will guide you through adding members to a committee.

1. Log in to your Member365 Administrator Dashboard.
2. On the navigation bar, hover over ‘ Modules ', then hover over ' Committees ' in the dropdown and click ' Manage Committees ' in the subsequent dropdown.
3. Click the name of the Committee to which you would like to add members.
4. Click the ‘ Members ‘ tab.
5. Click ‘ Add Committee Member ‘.
6. Enter the name of the member in the ‘ Search Contacts ‘ bar and click it when it appears, then select their intended role from the ‘ Select a Committee Role ‘ drop-down menu.
7. Use the two date picker tools at the bottom to set the start and end dates of this member’s term in the Committee, then click ‘ Assign ‘.

View the complete step-by-step guide.

How do I create Committee Roles?

When would I use this? Use this when you need to create Committee Roles. For example, a workspace administrator may need this answer to give the right people access to collaborate.

Within the Committee feature, you can create roles for your members and then assign members to these roles. This article will guide you through creating or removing Committee roles: note that this process creates roles that can be used by any of your organization’s Committees, as opposed to creating a set of roles specific to one Committee.

1. Log in to your Member365 Administrator Dashboard.
2. On the navigation bar, hover over ‘ Modules ', then hover over ' Committees ' in the dropdown and click ' Manage Roles ' in the subsequent dropdown.
3. Click ‘ Add Role ‘.
4. In the window that appears, enter the name of the new role into the ‘ Role Name ‘ box and then click ‘ Save ‘.

View the complete step-by-step guide.

How do I create a Workspace?

When would I use this? Use this to create a private area for discussions, files, events, or a member directory.

1. From the Administrator Dashboard, open Member Portal → Administration → Create Workspace and name it.
2. Turn on only the workspace features you need, set directory field visibility and email notification behavior, and use Access Assignment to select groups and permissions.
3. Assign a workspace category if useful, then click Save. Optionally continue to individual access assignment and save those permissions.
4. Open the new workspace in the Member Portal and verify access with an eligible and an excluded test contact.

How to Create a Workspace

How do I access and Reply to Workspace Discussion Topics?

When would I use this? Use this when you have access to a workspace and want to read or reply to its discussion.

1. Open your organization’s Member Portal using its portal link and sign in with a contact that has workspace access.
2. Select Workspaces, open the workspace, and choose the discussion topic; use View All Topics if it is not on the main page.
3. Enter a comment in the reply box and click Reply. Confirm it appears in the thread.

If the workspace or reply control is absent, ask an administrator to review your workspace access and discussion permissions.

Workspace discussion guide

How do I set up an all-member discussion board and give new members access automatically?

When would I use this? Use this when every current and future member should be able to join a workspace discussion.

Before you begin: Decide which memberships qualify. An imported list is static; a list created from membership filters updates as contacts meet those filters.

Steps in Member365:

1. From the Administrator Dashboard, open Member Portal → Administration → Create Workspace.
2. Name the workspace and enable Discussions.
3. Under Access Assignment, select the relevant membership category or a list built from current-member filter criteria. Avoid an imported static list when future members need automatic access.
4. Give participants Post Discussions permission, set notification options, and save the workspace.

Expected result: Members matching the access criteria can participate; a filtered list updates as new members qualify.

Test before going live: Check access with a current member, a new qualifying member, and an ineligible contact.

What happens next? Review the filter and permissions if new members cannot enter.

How to Create a Workspace

What information belongs in the committee member import template?

When would I use this? Use this when adding many members to a committee and specifying their terms.

Before you begin: Download a fresh template; Committee Name means the committee receiving the contact.

Steps in Member365:

1. Open Modules → Committees → Manage Committees.
2. Choose Committee Options → Import Members and download Import Template.
3. Fill in each row's email address, committee name, role, term start, and term end; the term dates occupy the template's date columns.
4. Choose File, select the completed spreadsheet, and click Import.

Expected result: Members are associated with the named committee and their specified term dates.

Test before going live: Try a small sample and check the imported committee roster and terms.

What happens next? Correct any rejected rows before importing the remainder.

How to Import Committee Members

How can I share a video only with members who registered for an event?

When would I use this? Use this when a recording should be visible to a group defined by event registration rather than an entire membership category.

Before you begin: Create a list filtered by the relevant event registrants. Host the video externally and obtain its embed code; video files cannot be uploaded directly to a workspace. Gather any slides or handouts for the workspace File Library.

Steps in Member365:

1. From the Administrator Dashboard, open Member Portal → Administration and create or edit a workspace.
2. Under Access Assignment, assign the event-registrant list to the workspace.
3. In the workspace description, choose Source, paste the video embed code, and click Save.
4. For downloadable event materials, enable File Library and add the slides or handouts as workspace files.

Expected result: Eligible users see the workspace in their Member Portal and can open the embedded video and files.

Test before going live: Sign in as an eligible contact and an ineligible contact; check access to both the workspace and the external video host.

What happens next? Refresh or review the list as registrations change and update the materials when a new recording or handout is ready.

Share a Video in a Workspace · Create a Workspace

Can a committee member have two roles in the same committee?

When would I use this? Use this when one person performs two functions on the same committee.

Before you begin: A committee member can be assigned one role in that committee. If both functions must appear, create a combined role with an appropriate name.

Steps in Member365:

1. Open Modules → Committees → Manage Roles, click Add Role, enter a combined role name, and Save.
2. Open Modules → Committees → Manage Committees and select the committee.
3. Under Members, select the member, choose the new role, click Assign, and then Save.

Expected result: The member has one role label representing both functions.

Test before going live: Reopen the committee member list and confirm the role is displayed correctly.

What happens next? The new role is available across committees, so use a name that makes sense wherever it may be assigned.

Create Committee Roles · Change a Member’s Role

Why does a removed committee member still appear on their profile?

When would I use this? Use this when someone was removed from a committee’s current member list but the committee still appears in their history or profile.

Review the committee’s historical membership area as well as its active members. Removing a current assignment may leave the historical record visible.

Steps in Member365:

1. Open Modules → Committees → Manage Committees and select the committee.
2. Check the current Members list and the historical membership area for the contact.
3. If the historical entry is incorrect and should be removed, use its removal control after confirming that your organization does not need to retain that history.

Expected result: The committee display reflects the remaining current and historical memberships.

What happens next? Check the contact’s profile again after refreshing. If the history must be retained, keep it and explain the difference between past and current membership.

Remove a Member from a Committee

How do I pause workspace email notifications while preparing content?

When would I use this? Use this while uploading documents or setting up a new workspace before members should receive updates.

Set the workspace’s email notification frequency to Never and force that setting during preparation. Members cannot change a forced frequency; restore the intended frequency when the workspace is ready.

Steps in Member365:

1. From the Administrator Dashboard, open Member Portal → Administration and edit the workspace.
2. In Email Notifications, select Never and set Force Email Notifications to Yes; save the workspace.
3. After content review, return to the same setting, choose the intended frequency such as Daily, and decide whether members may change it.

Expected result: Workspace activity during setup does not trigger routine workspace notification emails under the forced Never setting.

What happens next? Test the notification behavior with a staff account before inviting or notifying all members.

Configure Workspace Email Notifications

Can a contact join a committee workspace without a membership?

When would I use this? Use this when a board or committee includes participants who are not active members.

Before you begin: The person must exist as a contact and have the portal access needed for the workspace.

Steps in Member365:

1. Open the committee setup and select the committee.
2. Under Members, choose Add Committee Member.
3. Find the non-member contact, assign the committee role and term dates, then save.
4. Check the contact’s Member Portal and workspace permissions.

Expected result: A non-member contact can participate in the committee workspace when the appropriate access is granted.

What happens next? Test the contact’s view before sharing private committee content.

Add a Contact to a Committee · Manage Non-Member Portal Access

Can a workspace chair create events through workspace permissions?

When would I use this? Use this when a chair or manager can manage workspace content but cannot find an event-creation permission.

Before you begin: Workspace roles offer description, file, and discussion permissions; they do not grant event creation in the CRM.

Expected result: Creating an event requires administrator access to the CRM with the appropriate permissions. A workspace role alone is insufficient.

What happens next? Review the scope of administrator permissions before granting CRM access for this purpose.

Grant Workspace Permissions to a Group

How can members get workspace access automatically by region?

When would I use this? Use this when members should enter a province or regional workspace without manual assignments.

Before you begin: Collect a consistent region value, such as a required application question or address field.

Steps in Member365:

1. Create a List Builder list for each region using the chosen field or demographic.
2. From the Member Portal, open Administration, edit the relevant workspace, and select Assign Automatic Workspace Access → Assign Access.
3. Choose the matching list or demographic, set the desired workspace permissions, and add it.
4. Test an application for each region and confirm that its contact can access only the intended workspace.

Expected result: The workspace’s automatic access rule follows the matching contact group.

What happens next? Keep the region source field current so new members are classified correctly.

Create a Workspace · Grant Workspace Access to a Group

Why can archived members see a workspace meant for active members?

When would I use this? Use this when workspace access is based on membership category.

Before you begin: Support confirmed category-based workspace visibility can include active, lapsed, and archived members in that category.

Steps in Member365:

1. Create a saved contact list filtered to active members.
2. Change the workspace visibility setting from the membership category to that active-member list.
3. Refresh and check access with an active and an archived contact.

Expected result: Only contacts meeting the list criteria can see and interact with the workspace.

Test before going live: Confirm that the list updates as membership status changes.

Can I create a workspace for files without a discussion board?

When would I use this? Use this when members need a restricted document library but no discussions.

Direct answer: A workspace can be set up with its file library enabled and its discussion area disabled. The File Repository is another module for a broader document library and may need Member365 Support to enable it.

Steps in Member365:

1. Open Member Portal → Administration and create or edit the workspace.
2. Enable the file library, disable discussions, and set its permitted audience.
3. Preview the workspace as an eligible member.

Expected result: Eligible members see the intended files without a workspace discussion board.

Test before going live: Verify access to one test file and check that a nonmember or excluded contact cannot see it.

Why can I edit a workspace but cannot find Workspaces in the Member Portal menu?

When would I use this? Use this when workspace administration works but the live portal has no menu item named Workspaces.

Direct answer: The Member Portal menu label can be renamed. In the confirmed case, the Workspaces menu was called Resources. Check the configured menu label before assuming access is missing.

Steps in Member365:

1. Open the Member Portal and inspect its navigation for an alternate name such as Resources.
2. Open that item and verify the intended workspace is listed.
3. If it is still absent, review the workspace’s audience and the contact’s access.

Expected result: The live workspace can be found under its configured portal menu label.

Test before going live: Compare an eligible member’s portal with the administrator’s workspace setup.

Why do group-membership employees lack access to a workspace assigned to their membership category?

When would I use this? Use this when organization primary contacts can open a workspace but their employee contacts cannot.

Assigning a group membership category to a workspace can grant access only to the primary membership holder. Use dynamic contact lists for both primary and employee contacts when both groups should enter.

Steps in Member365:

1. In List Builder, create or verify an active primary-contact list and an employee-contact list for the intended membership group.
2. In the workspace's access settings, assign both lists instead of relying only on the group membership category.
3. Test with a primary contact and an employee contact, then add a new test member to confirm the lists update dynamically.

Expected result: Both eligible primary and employee contacts receive workspace access as their dynamic lists update.

How do I rename a workspace file category or subcategory?

When would I use this? Use this when the folder labels in a committee workspace document library need a clearer naming scheme.

Administrators can edit workspace categories and subcategories through the workspace category management area.

Steps in Member365:

1. Open the workspace's Administration area.
2. Select Manage Workspace Category.
3. Edit the relevant category or subcategory name and save.
4. Check the document library to confirm the revised label appears where expected.

Expected result: The existing workspace category or subcategory displays the new name.

Test before going live: Check the relevant files and permissions before reorganizing a live document library.