Membership Renewals

This guide explains how the AMS handles membership renewals and recurring payments.

1. Types of Renewal Methods

There are two main ways memberships can be renewed:

• Automatic Renewal: Recurring payments are processed automatically. No action is required from the member.
• Manual Renewal: Members need to log in and make a payment for each renewal period.

2. Automatic Renewals

How it works:

• The system automatically charges members when their renewal is due.
• This is convenient for both members and the organisation, as no extra steps are required.

Key Points:

• Discounts: Only recurring discounts applied when the membership starts will continue automatically. Members cannot apply new discounts at each renewal.
• Taxes: The tax rate used is based on the initial membership setup.
• Payment Method: The same payment method will be used for each renewal unless a payment fails.
• Notifications: If enabled, the system sends a “Renewal Confirmation” email to the member after each successful renewal.

Tip: Automatic renewals are enabled by default. You can disable them in the settings if you’d prefer members to manually renew.

3. Manual Renewals

How it works:

• When a membership is due for renewal, the system puts it “on hold” until the member logs in and makes a payment.
• This option gives members control to select a payment method and complete the payment through the checkout process.

Key Points:

• Member Action Required: Members must log in and complete the renewal process.
• Discounts: Members can apply any available discount or coupon at each renewal.
• Taxes: The tax rate is calculated at the time of payment, based on the current tax settings.
• Payment Method: Members can choose a different payment method for each renewal.
• Notifications: A “Renewal Reminder” email can be sent to prompt members to log in and make a payment.

Tip: Manual renewals are disabled by default. You can enable them in the settings if you’d prefer members to manually renew each period.

4. Early Renewal Option

What is Early Renewal?
Early renewal allows members to renew their membership before the scheduled renewal date.

How it works:

• Members can initiate an early renewal either through the checkout process or by paying via an early renewal option.
• Early renewals don’t change the original renewal type (manual or automatic). The next renewal date is adjusted based on the latest payment date.

Example: If a member pays an early renewal on March 1, the system will set the next renewal for one period after that (e.g., April 1 for monthly renewals).

5. Customising Renewal Settings

1. To Enable or Disable Automatic Renewals:
   • Go to the settings page, and find the option labelled “Automatic Payments”.
   • Tick or untick the box to enable or disable automatic renewals.
2. To Enable Manual Renewals:
   • Find the “Manual Payment” option in the settings.
   • Tick the box to allow members to renew manually.
3. To Send Renewal Reminders:
   • In the email settings, enable “Customer Renewal Invoice” to automatically send a reminder when a renewal payment is due.

6. Changing or Updating Member Information

For both automatic and manual renewals:

• Address Updates: Members can update their billing address in their account for future renewals.
• Payment Method Changes: Members can change the payment method for future payments, especially useful for manual renewals.

7. Important Notes

• Renewal Dates: The system calculates the next renewal date based on the last payment. If a member pays late, the next renewal date will be adjusted to ensure they receive the full period of access.
• Payment Gateways: Not all payment methods support automatic renewals. Check the settings to see which payment options are available for recurring payments.