intergration with google sheets?

RE: is there a “spreadsheet template” for CP that will show all fields (including the custom fields), with each entry on a single line? AND have it “editable”?

Sorry, no, there is not.

The closest I can recommend of why a few other users do to maintain their directories with spreadsheets.

They wipe/reset the Connections database and then bulk import using the CSV Import addon (the CSV file exported from the spreadsheet app).

• https://connections-pro.com/documentation/purge-database/

• https://connections-pro.com/add-on/csv-import/

If you name the spreadsheet headings appropriately, the fields in the CSV file will automap to Connections fields making step two of the import process a simple click of the button.

• https://connections-pro.com/documentation/csv-import/#Step_2

Regarding the custom fields, they can be registered and bulk imported too:

• https://connections-pro.com/quicktip-custom-field-adding-a-text-field/

I hope this answers your question; please let me know.

You really only answered the one question I already knew the answer to (the existence of a “spreadsheet” template). But more directly to the question: how hard would it be to make one?

The questions that I don’t think you addressed is more looking the description of how we are doing things now (3 different places for membership info) and our goals, I’m kind of looking for a recommendation on HOW to do things better / easier. Specifically:

• How can we integrate a new member joining the club with getting them subscribed to the email list (mailchimp and/or a google group list)?
• Is there a way for an AVERAGE PERSON, one who is not a website maintainer, to manage the membership list? Quite honestly, *I* can do it just fine. But I have been in IT professional for 40 years. But it is beyond the abilities of the “Average Club Secretary volunteer”.

RE: You really only answered the one question I already knew the answer to (the existence of a “spreadsheet” template).

Sorry, I answered the single question you boiled it down towards the end of your initial question.

The rest of my answer was more to how one could easily and quickly maintain the directory using your existing spreadsheet, which would consist of Save As… (in spreadsheet app), navigate to the Connections Import page, choose the file, click Map and then click Import.

I suggested this method because you have already invested the training time in the spreadsheet, and it process others follow with success.

And you should be able to use that same CSV file to import into your email list app (Mailchimp, etc.)

RE: more directly to the question: how hard would it be to make one?

Creating a template that would function like a spreadsheet, that would take a considerable amount of time and resources; months of total dedication if I had to guess.

RE; How can we integrate a new member joining the club with getting them subscribed to the email list (mailchimp and/or a google group list)?

Have you thought about using a membership plugin such as Restrict Content Pro (RCP) to manage your memberships?

It can handle onboarding new members, including initial payments and renewals (if applicable), and has a Mailchimp addon to integrate mailing lists features. Regarding Connections, I’ve done a few custom integrations adding custom fields to RCP and feeding that data into Connections to create directory entries that members can then manage themselves on the RCP member’s account page.

RE: Is there a way for an AVERAGE PERSON, one who is not a website maintainer, to manage the membership list?

I am assuming the Connections Directory when referring to the “membership list”; correct? What are the pain points of using the Add and Edit Entry pages for you?

Re: I suggested this method because you have already invested the training time in the spreadsheet, and it process others follow with success. And you should be able to use that same CSV file to import into your email list app (Mailchimp, etc.)

IF the spreadsheet could do the other things (such as automatically add people to MailChimp, google groups email list, etc), then the purge/import might be ok. But I was kind of hoping to get away from using the spreadsheet.
Even google groups & google contacts can’t be auto-populated from a google sheets – google doesn’t integrate amongst themselves. But that’s a rabbit-hole trail of its own that doesn’t involve Connections…

Re: Have you thought about using a membership plugin such as Restrict Content Pro (RCP) to manage your memberships?

Yes, but all of the plugins like that I’ve seen seem to be geared towards a monetized website. Which is not what we are trying to do. Plus, paying for a plugin ONCE is understandable. RCP charges a seemingly lot of money annually. For a non-profit, small town social club, it’s simply not feasible. Or is the free version of RCP all I need? Specifically, how would it handle the 30%-40% of our members who join (or renew) by handing the secretary/treasurer a check manually? And I don’t understand the 2% Stripe fee (but that’s a question for the RCP folks, isn’t it)?

Re: I am assuming the Connections Directory when referring to the “membership list”; correct? What are the pain points of using the Add and Edit Entry pages for you?

Mostly has to do with the fact that they do stuff through the WordPress dashboard. I showed my wife (who has been sec/treas in the past and married to an IT guy for 40 years) – she was totally lost. We would want the person who updates/maintains the membership list to ONLY have access to the membership list; not to the entire website itself. Heck, I wouldn’t want them to be able to change the structure or settings within Connections.

RE: IF the spreadsheet could do the other things (such as automatically add people to MailChimp, google groups email list, etc), then the purge/import might be ok. But I was kind of hoping to get away from using the spreadsheet.

Sorry, no, it would not.

RE: Yes, but all of the plugins like that [RCP] I’ve seen seem to be geared towards a monetized website. Which is not what we are trying to do.

I thought that might be an option since it sounded like you were already collecting payments using CF7 and the PayPal addon you mentioned in your original post. It sounded like even though you are not monetizing the site, you are still collecting membership fees, which a membership plugin can handle.

RE: RCP charges a seemingly lot of money annually. For a non-profit, small town social club, it’s simply not feasible. Or is the free version of RCP all I need?

I have no experience with the free version. Its base features and functionality changed dramatically after ownership changed hands. After reading the free version details, it sounds like that will be enough as it seems a decent set of previously “pro” features were added to the free version.

This would still require custom integration with Connections. And, if Mailchimp iteration is a must, then the upgrade to RCP Pro would be required.

RE: Specifically, how would it handle the 30%-40% of our members who join (or renew) by handing the secretary/treasurer a check manually?

The payment would be manually entered, and their membership created. If adding a new Connections entry is difficult, then doing this in RCP might be exceedly so.

RE: And I don’t understand the 2% Stripe fee (but that’s a question for the RCP folks, isn’t it)?

I think the Stripe processor fee is 2.9% + $.30 … Regardless, it means if your membership is $100, they take $3.20, and you would get $96.80. You would have to ask Stipe about the actual fee schedule.

RE: What are the pain points of using the Add and Edit Entry pages for you? … Mostly has to do with the fact that they do stuff through the WordPress dashboard. I showed my wife (who has been sec/treas in the past and married to an IT guy for 40 years) – she was totally lost. We would want the person who updates/maintains the membership list to ONLY have access to the membership list; not to the entire website itself.

Duplicate the core WordPress “Subscriber” role, navigate to the Connections Roles admin page, scroll to the new role, and give that role the View List, Add Entry, Edit Entry, and Delete Entry capabilities. Create a “direct admin” user account and assign it to the new role. When that person logins in, the only thing they will see and manage is the Connections Manage admin page.

You can simplify further.

Navigate to the Connections Settings admin page and click the Fieldset Config tab. Disable the repeating field options for all fieldsets and set a minimum number of sets to display—for example, the address field set. If you only ever collect a single address, disable the repeating option and set the minimum number to 1.

If you do this for all fieldsets, you reduce the input form complexity of having the “Add” button to add an address.

You can also disable the “preferred” and visibility options.

For publishing, you can disable the organization and family options so only individuals can be added and set the default visibility of the entry to “Public” (which is the default).

You can simplify even further by logging in as that “direct admin” user and navigating the Add Entry page, clicking the Screen Options tab, and turning the entire fieldset you do not need. Do this twice, once while editing an entry.

After making these changes, you can probably get the Connections admin form pretty close to the CF7 form you are presently using.

…

Getting back to automating the process of integrating Mailchimp, membership, etc. I can not think of any way to accomplish this without investing funds to make that happen.

This support topic is being marked as resolved due to inactivity. If you still need help with this, please do not hesitate to reopen this ticket to let me know.