Whether you are a Novi Novice or Novi Pro, it never hurts to brush up on the basics. Below is some of the terminology used throughout the Novi software.
Frontend
Also referred to as your forward-facing website. Usually used in the context of what your members use and see.
Backend/Admin
This is the core functioning area of the Novi software. The Backend is where you, as an association admin, will primarily work and includes (but is not limited to):
Member Database
Groups
Event Set-up and Attendee Lists
Transactional Accounting Data
News Article Set-up
Reporting
Parent
The term “Parent” is typically used to describe the company that an individual works for. However, when used in relation to a company, the "Parent" would be the main company that oversees another company, or group of companies.
Child
In reference to an individual, a "Child" is a staff person at the (Parent) company. In reference to a company, the child is a direct sub-company of the (Parent) company.
Dues Paying Member
For an association, a "Dues Paying Member" is the Company/Organization or Person listed in an association's bylaws as eligible for membership and who is ultimately responsible for paying dues.
For Trade Associations, this will always be a Company.
For Professional Societies, this will always be an Individual.
For Hybrid Associations, this may be either a Company or an Individual, depending on the member type assigned.
Beneficiary/Inheriting
This is the person(s) or company(ies) that inherit member benefits from the Dues Paying Member.
Dependent Member
Dependent members are a membership type that requires another type of membership in the dues paying member's family tree.
This is typically used within trade organizations when one company's membership is dependent on another company.
Member Fields
Fields that are automatically available for your members' records via Novi. Examples include Email, Phone, Address, etc.
Custom Fields
Fields that your organization creates that are specific to your member records or event attendees. Super powerful! Use them to create event registration forms, groups, custom reports, etc.
Groups
Novi's way of allowing you to categorize and segment your database. Groups can be created based on conditional logic and custom fields (active members as an example) or based on specific records such as your board members. Groups are super powerful and allow you to sync to MailChimp or Constant Contact, create custom website content and events, etc.
User Account
A User Account is created when an INDIVIDUAL sets up their account with, at minimum, their email, password and name. This gives them access to their Member Compass.
Member Compass
An individual’s guide to their activity within the association. It includes:
A dashboard recap
List of transactional accounting history
Events they’ve registered for (upcoming and in the past)
Products they’ve purchased
Their profile info and details (editable by them)
Their Company’s profile info and details (editable by the primary contact, billing contact, and those the primary contact designates to have “management access”)
Their company’s staff (editable by the primary contact, billing contact, and staff designated to have “management access”)
In short, it’s a 1-click access to a member's personal membership history.
Member Status
Shows the relative standing of records in your database. The following statuses apply in Novi:
Current – Member in good standing.
Pending – Record awaiting admin approval for membership.
Inheriting - Company/Individual inheriting their benefits from a dues-paying member. Also known as beneficiaries.
Prospect – A company/individual that an association should be actively trying to gain as a member. A prospect must be tied to a member type.
Grace Period – Used only when associations do not auto-renew, a record with the grace period status remain members in good standing until a pre-determined time decided by the association. Rarely used.
Expired – A record who was previously a member.
Non-member – Has no membership status listed above and no member type.