Most gym software sends a notification when you manually trigger it. ManageMemberships Triggers work the other way around — you define the rules once, and the system handles everything automatically. No Zapier. No ActiveCampaign. No extra monthly fees stacked on top of your software bill.
What Are Triggers?
Triggers are ManageMemberships' built-in automation engine. Each trigger is a rule: when this condition is true, do this action. Conditions can watch for events (a door scan, a class check-in) or evaluate scheduled data (days since last visit, days until renewal). Actions can send an email, fire an SMS, or write to a custom field on the member's profile.
The condition builder supports date math, custom meta fields, class-specific filters, and boolean logic — so triggers can get as specific as your operation requires.
Event-Based Triggers
Event-based triggers fire the moment something happens. Common examples:
- Member successfully scans the door → staff gets an instant notification.
- Invalid scan (expired membership, wrong credential) → owner gets a real-time alert.
- Member checks into a specific class → send a class-specific tip, log the visit to a custom field, or extend their access date automatically.
- New member created → kick off an onboarding email sequence the moment they sign up.
Scheduled Triggers
Scheduled triggers run daily against your entire member list, checking conditions and acting on anyone who qualifies. Examples:
- Member hasn't checked in for 14+ days → re-engagement text goes out automatically.
- Renewal date is 7 days out → send a heads-up with a payment link.
- Custom field "CCW Permit Expiry" is 30 days away → remind the member to renew before their range access lapses.
- Trial period ends tomorrow → fire a conversion email with your membership offer.
Class-Specific and Check-In Triggers
Check-in triggers can be scoped to any class or apply globally. A martial arts school might run separate automations for beginner and advanced sessions — logging a belt-rank field on the member's profile when they complete a milestone class, or emailing the instructor when a student hits 50 check-ins. A gun range might trigger a staff alert when a member checks into a private lane rental.
Custom Meta Fields + Triggers
Custom meta fields let you track anything that matters to your operation — belt rank, permit expiry date, trial end date, preferred instructor, whatever. Triggers can read from and write to these fields:
- Write: Advance a renewal date when a member attends a specific class. Log "Last Advanced Class" on check-in.
- Read: Evaluate a permit expiry date daily and send a reminder when it's within 30 days.
- Chain: One trigger writes a field; a second trigger reads that field and fires a follow-up — building a full membership lifecycle without any external tools.
Example: A Full Automation Lifecycle
Here's how a shooting range might wire this together:
- New member signs up → trigger fires a welcome text + sets "Onboarding Complete" field to false.
- Member checks in for the first time → trigger sets "Onboarding Complete" to true, sends a range orientation email.
- 14 days pass with no check-in → re-engagement SMS fires automatically.
- 30 days before "CCW Permit Expiry" field date → reminder email sends with renewal instructions.
- Membership renewal date arrives → billing runs, confirmation sends, access date extends.
That entire workflow runs without anyone touching it. Other platforms would need a separate marketing automation tool — and a separate monthly bill — to do the same thing.
Actions You Can Automate
- Send a customized email to the member or to staff
- Send an SMS for immediate communication
- Write to any custom meta field on the member's profile
- Chain into additional triggers for multi-step sequences
Built-In Spam Protection
Every trigger includes a deduplication window and a cooldown period. If a member qualifies for the same trigger multiple times in a short window, they won't get bombarded. You control the frequency; the system enforces it.
Why This Matters Competitively
Most gym and range management platforms handle billing and scheduling. Automation — if it exists at all — requires plugging in ActiveCampaign, Zapier, or a dedicated marketing tool on top. That's extra cost, extra configuration, and more things that can break.
ManageMemberships Triggers are native. The condition builder, the date math, the custom field logic, the class-specific filters — it's all inside the platform you're already paying for.
Learn how to set up your first trigger →See Triggers in Action
Walk through a live demo or get a guided tour to see how Triggers, door access, billing, and member management work together inside ManageMemberships.
