To tell each member apart in your list of saved contacts, the platform needs a reference point. That's why you need to set a unique identifier of your choice.
The unique identifier can also serve as a login identifier for members signing in to the site.
It also helps eliminate duplicates when updating information via an Excel import. The data copied from the Excel file must include the identifier column.
This article covers the following topics:
- Editing the unique identifier
- Choosing a unique identifier type
- Adding contacts with no email or a shared email
Editing the unique identifier
You can edit the identifier from your Settings center, accessible at the bottom of the left-hand menu in your administrator space (1).
Once in the Settings center, click on Community (2).
The relevant setting is located in the Security section:
Simply click the "Edit" button to see the available unique identifier options:
This page is also accessible from Community > Settings.
Choosing a unique identifier type
The contact ID
The contact ID is a series of numbers automatically generated by the platform for each member.
Each ID is unique, which is why this identifier is selected by default.
You can view the contact IDs assigned to members by going to Community > Contacts and selecting the Contact ID field under Information to display.
With this method, a person can only log in (access a member area or make purchases on their behalf) if they have provided an email address.
When updating member information via Excel import, the Contact ID column must be included in the data you copy and paste. This will prevent duplicate records from being created.
Email address
First and last names aren't a reliable way to tell members apart, since people can share the same name. Email addresses, on the other hand, are unique — which is why you have the option to use this field as your unique identifier.
If this option is selected, members will be able to log in using their email address.
If some of your members don't have an email address, or if multiple people share the same email address, this identifier cannot be selected.
A specific field
If your organization already uses a field to identify each member (such as a member number or license number), you can use it as your unique identifier.
You'll first need to create this field under Community > Settings.
You can then go back to your Settings center (Settings > Community) and select this field as your unique identifier:
If you choose this option, each member will be identified by this field. They will be able to log in using either this specific field or their email address.
Please note: if the specific field you choose is a text field, it will only accept the following characters: unaccented letters, numbers, hyphens, and asterisks. For example, "Member 12345" will not be accepted, but "member12345" will.
This specific field must be included in your member Excel imports.
A person can sign up temporarily without this specific field using their email address (for example, a player who doesn't yet have a license number).
Adding contacts with no email or a shared email
Your database may include people with no email address or who share one with others. This is common, for instance, when a parent's email address is used for their children.
A person without an email address will not receive any emails from the platform (receipts, invoices, or password setup). If added manually, they will not be notified of their account creation.
In this case, choose a unique identifier that doesn't rely on email, such as:
- Contact ID: all accounts associated with the same email address will be displayed at login. The user simply selects the right account and enters the password;
- A specific field: the user can log in using this identifier instead of their email address.
Learn more
We recommend the following related articles:
- Customizing and managing your community members' profiles
- Adding multiple people via Excel import
- Preparing your Excel import
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