Setting things up

As with other areas of CiviCRM, you will begin by configuring several system options related to membership. It is important to take some time to think through the mechanics of how your organization works in order to ensure that the system is configured properly.

There are two membership tools that must be configured through the interface and a cron job that you may want to set up, depending on how you are using the tools. Access these options through Administer | CiviMember.

Defining membership types

Membership types equate to the different categories of membership your organization maintains. Each type will have an amount and dues period associated with it. So, if your membership structure has sublevels or you allow alternate payment periods, you may need to define a type for each sublevel or payment arrangement.

For example, consider an "Affiliate Membership" category that is broken down into three sublevels—small, medium, and large, in which the volume of annual sales generated...