7.9.1 Setting up Online Membership Payments

This page describes the steps that are required to set up Online Membership Payments for your U3A.

Registering to use PayPal

To accept payment on-line for members joining or renewing their membership, your u3a will need to set up its own PayPal account with associated email address and register as a charity with PayPal.  You will be asked to provide the u3a bank account details and other information which they will verify before confirming your account details. Further Information about setting up a PayPal account for your u3a is described in 9.8 Setup On-line Transactions (PayPal)

Site Configuration
After you have set up an account with PayPal, your Beacon Site will need to be re-configured by the Beacon Support Team. This simple operation includes creation of a Beacon Finance Account called PayPal and a Beacon Finance Category called PayPal Commission.

Raise a ticket with the Ongoing Help team for this to be done.

Update your System Settings
Click System settings on the Home Page and add the required PayPal information for your u3a.

• Online enquiries: The email address for enquiries about online renewals and joining.
• PayPal account email: The email address of your PayPal account
• PayPal cancel return URL: The webpage to return to if a PayPal transaction is cancelled for any reason

If the Email membership cards box is ticked, a membership card will be attached to the confirmation email that is automatically sent to the member when they join or renew online.

You may also wish to review your Advance Renewals and Grace Lapse periods. Online renewals are only available from the start of the Advance Renewals period and are no longer available to a member after their membership has been lapsed.

Update your Membership Classes
Go to the Membership Classes page and make sure that Show to members joining online is ticked for each Membership Class that you want to be available for new members joining online.

Update the Public Links page
Go to the Public Links page and make sure that  Membership Renewals is ticked in the Configure Members Portal section.

In the Member Services section on the same page, there are links for New Membership Applications and the Members Portal that you can copy to an appropriate position on your u3a's website, and/or include in emails that you send out to your members.

Update your System Messages
Go to the System Messages page, where you will find the standard message templates for emails that are automatically sent out to members when they join or renew online. Check if you are happy with the wording and update as necessary.

Revision History

v2

2021-04-28

Graham Tigg

Moved from Knowledge Base. Removed B2 reference. Updated links. Added registering and site record steps.