Membership Portal FAQs

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

How do I configure my Member Portal?

When would I use this? Use this when you need to configure my Member Portal. For example, a portal administrator may need this answer to configure a clear and reliable self-service experience for members.

Member365 offers your organization the ability to configure the function and appearance of your Member Portal. By adjusting aesthetics, content, and functionality – you can offer more value to your members, and enjoy the increased engagement that results!

1. Log into your Member365 administrator dashboard and then click ‘Configuration’ in the top blue menu bar.
2. From the ‘Configuration Page’, find ‘Member Portal’, and click ‘Setup‘.

View the complete step-by-step guide.

Can I rename the built-in section headings on a membership application for only one category?

No. Built-in membership-application headings such as Organization, Contact Information, and Business cannot be renamed for only selected membership categories. A change to those shared labels would affect every membership category and must be reviewed with Member365 Support.

Use category-specific controls instead:

1. Open Membership → Category Setup and select the membership category.
2. Open Application Form. Turn the available default contact-information fields on or off for that category. Required system fields cannot be disabled.
3. If the category needs different questions or wording, open Modules → Forms → Create, find Membership, and click Create.
4. Build the custom membership form, then save or publish it.
5. Return to the category’s Application Form tab. Under Custom Question/Fields, enable Link a custom form to the membership category?, select the form, and click Save Membership.

Expected result: The selected category collects the intended default fields and custom questions, while the shared built-in section headings remain unchanged.

Test before going live: Open that category’s public application link and confirm the fields, custom questions, and headings. If the shared built-in labels must change, contact Member365 Support and confirm that an organization-wide change is acceptable.

Choose the Contact Information Collected on an Application · Create a Membership Application Form

How do I send or resend Member Portal login details to a contact?

When would I use this? Use this when a contact needs portal access for the first time or needs another copy of the welcome email containing their login details.

Direct answer: Granting Member Portal access sends the welcome email automatically. If the contact already has portal access and the welcome email exists in their communication log, resend that existing email instead of removing and re-granting access.

Before you begin: Confirm the correct contact record and email address, and confirm that the contact should have Member Portal access.

1. From the Member365 Administrator Dashboard, search for the contact and open their Contact Record.
2. Open Permissions → Member Portal & Workspace Access.
3. If Member Portal Access is No, set it to Yes and choose Give Access and Send Email.
4. If access is already Yes, return to Contact Details. In Communications and File Log, open the Emails tab.
5. Locate and open the welcome email, then click Resend Email.
6. Confirm the resend appears in the contact’s email log.

Expected result: The contact receives the welcome email and login details without changing their existing portal access.

Troubleshooting: If no welcome email exists in the email log, verify how and when portal access was granted. Use the portal-access or password-reset process that matches the contact’s current state instead of claiming that an absent email was resent.

Locate and Re-Send the Welcome Email and Login Credentials · Grant or Revoke Member Portal Access

Why is the Reset Password button missing, and how do I send new portal credentials?

When would I use this? Use this when a contact cannot receive a password-reset email or the administrator cannot see Reset Password on the contact record.

Before you begin: The contact must have Member Portal access before a password can be reset.

Steps in Member365:

1. Search for the contact and open their contact record.
2. If Reset Password is missing, open Permissions → Member Portal & Workspace Access.
3. Set Do you want this contact to have access to the member portal? to Yes, then choose Give Access and Send Email.
4. To replace an existing password, return to the contact record, click Reset Password, enter the new password, and select Email New Password to Contact.
5. Click Confirm.

Expected result: The contact has portal access and receives working login credentials.

Test before going live: Confirm the access toggle is saved and ask the contact to open the delivered portal link.

What happens next? If no message arrives, check the email address and junk or quarantine folders before resending.

How To Change and Send a Member Portal Password · How to Grant or Revoke Access to a Member Portal Account

How do I edit my Portal Welcome Message?

When would I use this? Use this when the portal landing page needs updated text or a large linked image.

Before you begin: Decide whether the change is for members or non-members and prepare the image and destination URL.

Steps in Member365:

1. From the Administrator Dashboard open Configuration → Member Portal → Setup.
2. Choose Manage under Member Portal Welcome Message or Non-Member Portal Welcome Message.
3. In the editor, add text or use Show Media to insert an image; select the image and add its hyperlink. For a bilingual portal, put English links on the English tab and French destination links on the French tab of the member or non-member welcome message.
4. Click Save.

Expected result: The chosen audience sees the updated welcome content, including the linked image.

Test before going live: Open the correct member or non-member view and click the image to confirm its destination. If your portal supports both languages, test profiles set to English and French and check each link in the corresponding version.

What happens next? Update or remove old promotional images when the related campaign ends.

How to Edit Your Portal Welcome Message · How To Configure Your Member Portal

How do I allow Members to Edit the Organization Listed on their Member Profile?

When would I use this? Use this when you need to allow Members to Edit the Organization Listed on their Member Profile. For example, a portal administrator may need this answer to configure a clear and reliable self-service experience for members.

This article will guide you through allowing your members to edit the name of their listed organization.

1. Log in to your Member365 Administrator Dashboard and select ' Configuration ' from above the navigation bar
2. In the ' Member Portal ' box, click ' Setup '
3. In the ' Member Portal Permissions ' section, hover over the three dots in the ' Profile Control ' box and select ' Manage '
4. Find the ' Organization/Family Name ' field and set the ' Allow user to edit? ' toggle to ' YES '
5. Scroll to the bottom and click the green ‘ Save ‘ button in the bottom-left corner.

View the complete step-by-step guide.

If an option described here is unavailable in your system, contact Member365 Support.

How do I make a long policy available from a Member Portal badge?

When would I use this? Use this when a policy or guide is too long to display inside a dashboard badge.

Before you begin: Prepare a current PDF or a page containing the full text. Decide which members should see the badge.

Steps in Member365:

1. Sign in to the Member Portal with badge-management access and open Manage Badges → Create or edit an existing badge.
2. Add a short title and explanatory text. Link that text to your policy webpage, or use the editor’s Upload File option to attach the PDF.
3. Open the badge’s Access tab, choose the intended audience, and click Save.

Expected result: Members see a short badge and can open or download the full policy.

Test before going live: View the badge as an eligible member and check the link, PDF version, and audience access.

What happens next? Replace the linked file or page when the policy changes.

Create a Portal Badge · Upload a File to a Description

Why does a member have no Member Portal access after being added to a membership?

When would I use this? Use this when a contact has a valid membership but a sign-in or password reset says they lack portal access.

Before you begin: Confirm the correct contact record and that granting portal access is appropriate. A membership assignment does not resolve a separate disabled portal permission.

Steps in Member365:

1. From the Administrator Dashboard, search for and open the contact.
2. Open Permissions → Member Portal & Workspace Access.
3. Under Member Portal Access, set the toggle to Yes.
4. Ask the contact to try the portal again using their own account.

Expected result: The contact can access the Member Portal.

Test before going live: Confirm the permission changed and have the contact test a password reset or sign-in without sharing a password.

What happens next? Check for other account issues if the contact still cannot sign in.

Grant or Revoke Portal Access

How do I add an external website to the Member Portal menu?

When would I use this? Use this when members should reach an outside training site or another web page from a portal menu item.

Before you begin: Decide whether an existing module menu should be disabled and confirm that removing it will not interrupt an active workflow.

Steps in Member365:

1. Open Configuration → Member Portal → Setup from the Administrator Dashboard.
2. Find Custom Portal Menu Item and enter the label and destination website address.
3. Save the menu configuration and, if applicable, separately disable the unused built-in module.
4. Open the Member Portal as a test member and click the new link.

Expected result: The custom menu item opens the specified external website from the Member Portal.

Test before going live: Check that the URL, label, and member permissions are correct.

What happens next? Review the external site's sign-in requirements separately; a menu link does not establish single sign-on.

Configure Your Member Portal

Are new members forced to change their password on first login?

When would I use this? Use this when preparing welcome instructions for new Member Portal users.

Member365 does not force a password change at first login. If you want new members to choose a new password, tell them how in the welcome message and membership welcome email.

Steps in Member365:

1. Open the Member Portal welcome-message setting and add a short instruction to update the password after signing in.
2. Review the membership category's welcome email and add the same reminder where appropriate.
3. Send a test welcome email and check the password-change path using a test contact.

Expected result: New members see the recommendation and can change their password voluntarily after first login.

How can an administrator test the Member Portal without seeing administrator controls?

When would I use this? Use this when making member-facing instructions or checking what a non-member or member actually sees.

Sign in with a separate test contact in a private browser window. Administrator impersonation can still show the return-to-CRM banner, so it is not an exact view of a normal portal login.

Steps in Member365:

1. Create or select a dedicated test contact with a separate email address.
2. Give that contact non-member portal access, or enroll it in the membership category you need to test.
3. Use the contact's own credentials in an incognito or private browser window and review the relevant pages.
4. Remove or retain the test account according to your organization's test-data practice.

Expected result: You see the Member Portal with the test contact's access and without the administrator return banner.

Test before going live: Check both member and non-member views separately if you document both.

Why does {RENEWALDATE} not show a date in my Member Portal welcome message?

When would I use this? Use this when a portal welcome message shows a literal or blank renewal-date smart tag.

The {RENEWALDATE} smart tag is supported in membership email templates, not in the shared Member Portal welcome message. The welcome message can be shown to contacts with different membership histories, so that tag cannot be resolved there.

Steps in Member365:

1. Open Configuration → Member Portal → Setup and edit the applicable welcome message.
2. Remove {RENEWALDATE} from the shared message; use wording that does not depend on a specific membership renewal date.
3. Put a verified renewal-date tag in an appropriate membership email template if a personalized date is required.
4. Preview the portal message as a test member.

Expected result: The portal welcome message displays clear shared content without an unresolved renewal-date tag.

Test before going live: Check both members with one and multiple membership records before relying on personalized portal wording.

Which event appears in the Member Portal’s Next Event banner?

When would I use this? Use this when checking the order of upcoming events shown to members.

Direct answer: The banner uses the nearest upcoming event date among events visible to that member. It is not ordered by the date registration opens.

Steps in Member365:

1. Review the upcoming event dates and each event’s Member Portal visibility.
2. Impersonate or test with an eligible member account to check which event is shown.
3. If the expected event is absent, review its audience and portal placement settings before changing dates.

Expected result: A member sees the nearest upcoming eligible event first.

Can I display a public Google Calendar in the Member Portal?

When would I use this? Use this when your organization maintains a public Google Calendar and wants members to see it inside the portal.

Direct answer: A public Google Calendar can be embedded in a Member Portal area that accepts HTML, such as a suitable badge, workspace, or custom HTML section. This displays the Google Calendar; it does not replace or synchronize the built-in Member365 calendar.

Steps:

1. Make the intended Google Calendar public and copy its iframe embed code from Google Calendar.
2. Open the Member Portal area that supports HTML or Source editing and paste the embed code.
3. Save and test the display using a member account on desktop and mobile.
4. Keep events in Member365 when members must register, RSVP, or purchase tickets through Member365.

Expected result: Members can view the embedded Google Calendar. Its entries remain display-only in Member365, with no two-way sync or Member365 event checkout.

Test before going live: Check who can view the embedded calendar and avoid embedding a private calendar.

Which welcome email should I edit for a new member or non-member portal user?

When would I use this? Use this when an organization contact receives a portal invitation with a subject that does not explain why they received it.

Direct answer: The two welcome templates serve different audiences. Membership Welcome is sent to members. The separate welcome email immediately below it is sent to non-members who are granted Member Portal access, such as an employee contact created without their own membership.

Steps:

1. Identify whether the recipient is a member or a non-member contact with portal access.
2. Open the applicable automated welcome email template in the Administrator Dashboard and edit its subject and message for that audience.
3. Keep the required login and portal link tags intact.
4. Test with one member and one non-member contact and confirm each receives the intended subject and access instructions.

Expected result: Each type of contact receives the welcome message meant for their account type.

Test before going live: Do not change the other template until you have checked its audience and current wording.

How do I make a Member Portal badge visible to contacts without a membership?

When would I use this? Use this when contacts who do not hold a membership need to see a dashboard badge after they sign in to the Member Portal.

Before you begin: Confirm that non-member contacts are permitted to sign in under Configuration → Member Portal → Setup → Access - Non-Members. A badge cannot appear to a contact who has no Member Portal access.

1. Sign in to the Member Portal with badge-management access.
2. In the Badges section, click Manage Badges.
3. On Manage Dashboard Badges, click Create, or open an existing badge.
4. Add the badge name, content or links, and appearance settings.
5. Open the Access tab and leave all Membership Categories, Organization Categories, Contact Demographics, and individual contacts unselected.
6. Click Save.

Expected result: With no badge access rules selected, the badge is visible to everyone who can sign in to the Member Portal, including contacts without a membership.

Important: This does not restrict the badge to non-members. Members with portal access can also see it.

Test before going live: Sign in as one contact without a membership and one member to confirm the badge is visible to both.

Create and Configure a Portal Badge · Manage Member Portal Access for Non-Members

How do I change the event listing text color in the Member Portal?

When would I use this? Use this when event names or details on the Member Portal event listing are difficult to read against the page background.

Administrators can change the event listing text through the Member Portal customization settings.

1. From the Administrator Dashboard, open Modules → Member Portal → Settings → Member Portal Customization.
2. Scroll to the bottom of the customization page.
3. Update Event Text Color to a color that is readable against the event listing background.
4. Open the Member Portal event listing and confirm that the text is legible.

Expected result: The event listing uses the selected text color.

Troubleshooting: If the text is still difficult to read, choose a color with stronger contrast against the listing background and check the event listing again.

Customize the Member Portal for Organizational Branding

Why does renewing a membership archive the previous membership record?

When would I use this? Use this when a renewed membership shows the previous membership record as archived and you need to confirm whether the renewal completed correctly.

Direct answer: A renewal creates a new membership record for the new term. After that record becomes active, Member365 automatically archives the previous record so the contact keeps one current active membership while the earlier term remains available in their membership history. This is expected and does not mean the previous record was deleted.

Steps in Member365:

1. From the Administrator Dashboard, search for the contact and open their Contact Record.
2. Open the contact’s membership information and review the active membership record and membership history.
3. Confirm that a new active membership record exists for the renewed term.
4. Confirm that the earlier record is marked Archived because a new membership record was created upon renewal.

Expected result: The renewed term appears as the active membership record, and the previous term remains available as an archived historical record.

Troubleshooting: If there is no new active record, or the renewed term, access, or dues are incorrect, contact Member365 Support with the contact and renewal or invoice details.

Membership Status: Active, Lapsed and Archived · How to Renew a Membership Manually

How do I pause renewal reminders without pausing automatic renewals?

Direct answer: Disable the scheduled renewal reminders in each membership category. This pauses the reminder emails only; it does not pause automatic recurring-billing charges, change renewal dates, or stop membership status and lapse rules.

Before you begin: Check the reminder schedule for every affected category. If the next reminder is already after your maintenance window, you may not need to change it. Confirm separately whether any members use Automated Recurring Billing (ARB).

1. From the Administrator Dashboard, open Membership → Category Setup.
2. Select a membership category and open its Renewals tab.
3. In Renewal Reminder Schedule, turn off the Status toggle for every reminder that should not send.
4. Click Save Membership.
5. Repeat these steps for every applicable membership category.
6. When reminders should resume, return to each category, turn the required Status toggles back on, and click Save Membership again.

How do I pause renewal reminders for a specific contact?

1. Find the contact and add a tag called "review" this contact will no longer receive renewal reminders until the tag is removed

Expected result: Disabled renewal reminders do not send for the affected categories. Other renewal behavior continues according to each category’s settings.

Troubleshooting: If you also need to pause ARB charges, renewal dates, grace or lapse processing, or membership status changes, contact Member365 Support before changing those settings. Disabling reminder emails is not a substitute for pausing those processes.

Configure Membership Renewal Reminders · Manage Membership Renewal Settings · Auto-Renewal and Manual Renewal

Will the {FEE} tag populate in a membership renewal email if a test shows the literal tag?

Yes. {FEE} is the membership-fee tag, and it has been verified to populate in an actual membership renewal email sent for a contact with membership and renewal context. A generic test or preview that displays the literal {FEE} tag does not, by itself, prove that the live renewal email will fail.

Before you begin: Use a dedicated test contact with the applicable membership category, renewal details, and fee. Test each language version separately when the membership category uses both English and French templates.

1. From the Administrator Dashboard, open Membership → Category Setup and select the membership category.
2. Open the Renewals tab and scroll to Renewal Reminder Schedule.
3. Open the applicable reminder and confirm that the message contains {FEE}. Keep the required {URL} tag in the reminder, save the reminder, and click Save Membership.
4. Send the renewal email through the applicable membership renewal workflow for the dedicated test contact.
5. Confirm that the received email shows the membership fee instead of the literal tag. Repeat the test for each language template that members will receive.

Expected result: The received renewal email shows the contact’s membership fee where {FEE} appears in the template.

Troubleshooting: If an actual renewal email sent with membership context still shows the literal tag, stop before the production send and contact Member365 Support with the membership category and the exact test method.

Member365 Email and Certification Tags · Configuring Membership Renewal Reminders in Member365