This article explains how to set up and manage membership models in Vega, including key configuration settings and how renewal behaviour is calculated.
For detailed definitions of each model variation (e.g. Fixed Annual, Fixed Anniversary), see Understanding Membership Models.
Membership Model Overview
Vega supports two core membership renewal types:
Annual
Memberships renew at a fixed month each year, regardless of when the member joined.
Anniversary
Memberships renew on the anniversary of the member’s payment date (or previous expiry date for renewing members).
The length of membership is determined by the Span Years field (typically 1 year).
Key Membership Settings
Membership behaviour is controlled using the following fields in the Membership database:
- Membership Model – Defines renewal logic (Annual, Anniversary, etc.)
- Display Name – Name shown in reports and UI
- Threshold – Membership fee amount
- Collation – Sort order in dropdown lists
- Span Years – Number of years per membership term
- Renewal Month – Used only for Annual models
- Grace Months – Controls renewal timing rules for Annual memberships
Grace Months (Annual Memberships Only)
Grace Months determines how close to the renewal month a payment can be made while still rolling into the next membership cycle.
Example behaviour (Fixed Annual scenario)
- Renewal month: December
- Span Years: 1
Grace Months = 3
- Payment in July → renews to 30 Dec 2026
- Payment in Oct–Dec → renews to 30 Dec 2027
Grace Months = 6
- Payment in July → renews to 30 Dec 2027
Grace Months only applies to Annual-type memberships. It is not used in Anniversary models.
New vs Renewing Members
Before applying renewal rules, Vega determines whether a member is:
Renewing member
A member is considered renewing if their previous membership expired within the defined renewal window (typically up to 15 months).
- Renewal is based on the previous expiry date
- The payment date is not used as the start point
New member
If the member is outside the renewal window:
- The payment date becomes the start date
Fixed vs Non-Fixed Behaviour
Some Annual variants (e.g. Fixed Annual / Strict Annual) adjust how dates are aligned:
-
Fixed / Strict models:
Membership is aligned to the 1st of the renewal month (or end-of-month equivalent depending on configuration) -
Non-fixed models:
The exact payment date is used for calculations
Enabling Memberships & Subscriptions
To activate and configure membership functionality:
- Go to the Admin section
(If not visible, you may need permission from your System Administrator) - Select Memberships & Subscriptions
- Select Yes to Do you require membership management?
- Select your organisation’s Membership Model
- Click Save changes
Adding a New Membership
- Click Add New Membership
- Complete the form:
- Membership Model (e.g. Annual, Anniversary)
- Membership Name (used in reporting)
- Threshold (membership fee)
- Collation (display order)
- Years Span (Number of years per membership term)
- Renewal Month
- Grace Months
- Tick Active
- Click Save
You will see a confirmation message: “Membership is saved
Note:
Membership Merge Tags used in documents are automatically populated using your organisation’s membership configuration settings and the related payment data. The values shown in these tags will vary depending on the membership model applied, as well as the renewal rules and transaction details at the time of processing.
Managing Memberships
Once created, memberships will appear in:
- Membership & Subscription Table
- Membership Widgets
- Vega Preset Queries, Custom Query Tool and Insights Report
Membership Merge Tags
Membership Merge Tags allow you to dynamically insert membership-related information into communications and documents. These values are automatically populated based on Membership Settings, ensuring the data displayed is always accurate and up to date.
| Category | Merge Tag | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Payments | #PaymentMembershipFrom# |
Membership Payment From | Name of the supporter who has made a membership payment on behalf of another supporter |
| Payments | #CurrentMembershipExpires# |
Membership Expiry Date | The date the membership expires |
| Contacts | #MembershipStartDate# |
Membership Start Date | The start date of the membership |
| Payments | #MembershipAmount# |
Membership Amount | The value of the membership payment |
| Payments | #MembershipType# |
Membership Type | Type of membership (e.g. Individual, Couple, Gold Membership) |
| Payments | #TotalAmount# |
Total Amount | The total transaction value, including membership payment plus any donation |
Related Articles:
Understanding Membership Models
“Some content in this article may have been developed with the assistance of AI tools and reviewed by staff.”
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