Automation: Membership Start & Membership Renewal

These automations are date-based and run using each member’s individual membership dates.

• Membership Start sends a message before or after a membership begins.

• Membership Renewal sends a message before or after a membership expires.

Use them to automate onboarding, renewal reminders, and retention workflows tied to a membership lifecycle.

📌 At a Glance

Definition

Membership Start and Membership Renewal are date-based automations that send messages relative to each member’s membership start or expiration date.

Use them when

• welcoming new members
• sending renewal reminders
• notifying members of upcoming expiration
• recovering expired memberships

Inputs

• selected membership list
• membership start or expiration date
• timing configuration
• optional advanced filters

Outputs

• scheduled email or SMS messages
• personalized reminders based on each member’s dates
• automated onboarding and renewal communication

Key rules

• timing is calculated per member
• Membership Start uses the membership start date
• Membership Renewal uses the membership expiration date
• new members added to the list are automatically included

Related automations

Activity Start • Class Reminder • Form Response

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Covered in this guide

Use this section to quickly find the Membership Automation setting or workflow you need. 

1. When to Use Membership Start and Membership Renewal

2. How these Automations work

3. Step-by-Step setup

   • Step 1: Create the Automation

   • Step 2: Set Timing

   • Step 3: Define Your Recipients

   • Step 4: Configure Advanced Options

   • Step 5: Configure Your Message

   • Step 6: Save and review the Simulation

4. Key Configuration Notes

5. Common workflows

6. Workflow design tip

 

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1. When to Use Membership Start and Membership Renewal

Membership Start

• Send a welcome message when membership begins

• Provide onboarding instructions

• Share member benefits and policies

• Deliver access details or next steps

Membership Renewal

• Notify members before expiration

• Follow up after expiration

• Encourage proactive renewal

• Reduce lapses in membership
  
  

 

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🧭 2. How These Automations Work

Both automations are triggered by each member’s individual membership dates.

For each qualifying member, the system:

• Detects the relevant membership date

• Calculates timing based on your configuration

• Sends the message only to members in the selected membership list

You are defining a lifecycle rule, not scheduling a one-time message.
Timing is calculated per member.

⚙️ Membership Lifecycle Automation Model

Membership automations follow this sequence:

Trigger

The automation detects the relevant membership lifecycle date:

• Membership Start → membership start date

• Membership Renewal → membership expiration date

Timing

The system calculates the send date relative to that lifecycle event.

Filters

Optional advanced options may further restrict recipients.

Scheduling

If all conditions are met, the system schedules the message automatically.

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3. Step-by-Step Guide

The setup process is identical for both types.
Only the trigger selection differs.

Step 1: Create the Automation

1. Go to Communications > Automation > + Create

2. Enter a clear Name

3. (Optional) Add an internal description

4. Select either:

   • Membership Start

   • or Membership Renewal

5. Toggle Send automatically: Yes

Step 2: Set Timing

Define how many days before or after the relevant membership date the message should send.

- For Membership Start, timing is calculated from the membership start date.
- For Membership Renewal, timing is calculated from the membership expiration date.

Use 0 and define a send time to deliver the message on the same day as the start or expiration date.

Examples:

Membership Start

• Send on the start date

• Send 1 day before start

Membership Renewal

• Send 7 days before expiration

• Send on expiration date

• Send 7 days after expiration

Timing is calculated from each member’s individual start or expiration date.

Step 3: Define Your Recipients

Choose the Membership List or Lists that should be monitored by the Automation.

This Automation applies only to members in the selected Membership List.

If new members are added to the selected List later, they are automatically evaluated by the Automation.

Step 4: Configure Advanced Options (Optional)

Advanced Options further restrict who receives the message.

Ensure member does not have another active membership

Available for Membership Renewal only.

Enable this option when you want to avoid sending renewal reminders to members who already have another active membership.

This is especially useful for post-expiration follow-ups. For example, if a member’s old membership expired but they already purchased a new active membership, the reminder will not be sent.

Step 5: Configure Your Message

1. Click Configure message

2. Choose one:

   • Write a new message

   • Select a Template

   • Select a Quick Message

3. Add attachments if needed (e.g., renewal form)
   
   

Default Message Template

When you create a Membership Renewal automation, Activity Messenger automatically
generates a default email template.

The template includes the following placeholders:

• {First name}

• {Membership}

• {Membership expiration}

 

You can:

• Modify the default template

• Replace it with another existing Template

• Create a new message from scratch

We recommend customizing the message to include:

• A direct renewal link

• Clear payment instructions

• Contact details

• Renewal deadline (if applicable)

Using placeholders ensures each member receives accurate, personalized information automatically.

Membership Start

The default template for Membership Start is very simple.

We recommend writing your
own onboarding message to:

• Welcome the member

• Explain benefits and access

• Provide next steps

• Set expectations clearly

A well-written start message improves the member experience from day one.

Step 6: Save and review the Simulation

Click Save to activate the automation.

Once saved and set to Send automatically: Yes, the automation will begin sending messages according to your configured timing and filters.

Automation Simulation

At the bottom of the automation configuration page, you will see the Simulation panel.

The Simulation automatically displays scheduled messages based on your current settings.

It allows you to verify:

• Which members qualify

• Which start or expiration dates are detected

• When messages are scheduled to send

The Simulation does not send messages.
It reflects what the automation has already scheduled.

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4. 🧩 Key Configuration Notes

Membership Start

• Timing is calculated from each member’s individual start date

• Ideal for onboarding workflows

Membership Renewal

• Timing is calculated from each member’s individual expiration date

• Automatically includes new members added to the selected list

• Commonly used with the “Ensure member doesn’t have another active membership” filter

Both support placeholders such as:

• • Member name

  • Membership name

  • Start date

  • Expiration date
    
    

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5. Common workflows

Below are typical operational uses for the Membership Renewal automation.

1️⃣ Membership Onboarding

Goal: Welcome new members.

Setup:

• Membership Start

• Send on start date

• Include benefits and contact info

Outcome:
Members understand how to use their membership.

2️⃣ Pre-Expiration Reminder

Goal: Encourage renewal before lapse.

Setup:

• Membership Renewal

• Send 7 days before expiration

• Include renewal link and expiration date

Outcome:
Members renew before access expires.

3️⃣ Expiration Day Notice

Goal: Notify members their membership has expired.

Setup:

• Send on expiration date

• Include renewal instructions

Outcome:
Members are informed of their status.

4️⃣ Post-Expiration Recovery

Goal: Recover recently expired memberships.

Setup:

• Send 7 days after expiration

• Enable “Ensure member doesn’t have another active membership”

Outcome:
Only members who have not renewed receive reminders.

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6. 🧭 Workflow design tip

Use Membership Start and Membership Renewal when communication is tied to membership lifecycle dates.

If communication is tied to:

• A class schedule → Use Class Reminder

• A program’s first session → Use Activity Start

• A form submission → Use Form Response

Think in terms of what drives timing:

Membership start date → Membership Start
Membership expiration date → Membership Renewal

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Related guides

• Communications 105: Automating Email and SMS Messages

• Class Reminder Automation

• Activity Start and Activity End Automation

• Form Response Automation

• Communications 103: Creating and Sending Messages

• Communications 102: Building and Managing Lists

• Templates: Creating and Using Reusable Email Layouts

• Quick Messages: Creating and Using Text-First Operational Messages

• Personal Information and Electronic Message Laws in Canada and the USA