EE & Member Management
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EngineSummit 2012 1 EE & Member Management EE & Member Management
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I talk about the main issues about member management in EE, how to overcome them, and other goodies!
Transcript of EE & Member Management
EngineSummit 2012
1EE & Member Management
EE & Member Management
EngineSummit 2012
2EE & Member Management
What can EE do currently?MEMBER REGISTRATION &
ASSIGNMENT TO MEMBER GROUPS
WITH CUSTOM PERMISSIONS
http://expressionengine.com/user_guide/modules/member/index.htmlhttp://expressionengine.com/user_guide/cp/members/index.html
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The ProsMULTIPLE MEMBER GROUPS WITH PERMISSIONS ALLOWS GRANULAR ACCESS AND CUSTOMIZATION DIFFERENT PEOPLE SEE WHAT THEY NEED TO SEE (NOTHING MORE OR LESS) IN: ) THE SITE ITSELF ) THE EE CONTROL PANEL
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4EE & Member Management
That's It?!THIS IS A BIG DEAL. CONTROLLING ACCESS & VIEWS = BETTER UX FOR ADMINS & CLIENTS / CONTROLLING LAYOUT IN THE SITE & CP
(NATIVELY & WITH ADD-ONS)/ CONTROLLING CONTENT IN THE SITE & CP
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Weaksauce.THE MORE COMPLICATED YOUR NEEDS, THE MORE CONS ARE REVEALED:
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The ConsNATIVE EE MEMBERSHIP OPTIONS ARE VERY BASIC:
➊ ABILITY TO ACCESS MEMBER TEMPLATES = SUX Doesn't use native template engine
PURPOSELY HIDDEN? WHO USES THIS?!
THE TEMPLATE LIST.
VERY "UN-EE LIKE"
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The ConsNATIVE EE MEMBERSHIP OPTIONS ARE VERY BASIC:
➊ ABILITY TO ACCESS MEMBER TEMPLATES = SUX Doesn't use native template engine
➋ NO ABILITY TO HAVE ONE MEMBER IN MULTIPLE GROUPS Or sub-categorize within a group
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The ConsNATIVE EE MEMBERSHIP OPTIONS ARE VERY BASIC:
➊ ABILITY TO ACCESS MEMBER TEMPLATES = SUX Doesn't use native template engine
➋ NO ABILITY TO HAVE ONE MEMBER IN MULTIPLE GROUPS Or sub-categorize within a group
➌ MEMBER CUSTOM FIELD OPTIONS: LIMITED Current custom fields (birthday, etc) can't be deleted Custom field types = text & dropdown. Only.
A WHOPPING 3 BASIC CUSTOM FIELD TYPES
BLAST FROM THE PAST!
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The ConsNATIVE EE MEMBERSHIP OPTIONS ARE VERY BASIC:
➊ ABILITY TO ACCESS MEMBER TEMPLATES = SUX Doesn't use native template engine
➋ NO ABILITY TO HAVE ONE MEMBER IN MULTIPLE GROUPS Or sub-categorize within a group
➌ MEMBER CUSTOM FIELD OPTIONS: LIMITED Current custom fields (birthday, etc) can't be deleted Custom field types = text & dropdown. Only.
➍ IMPORTING/EXPORTING MEMBER DATA Hard, complicated (former) or non-existent (latter)
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Boo Urns.SO WHY USE EE (NATIVELY) TO EVER MANAGE YOUR MEMBERS?
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14EE & Member Management
It Depends.LIMITING 3RD PARTY SOLUTIONS = EASIER UPGRADE WITH LESS HEADACHES
LOTS OF CLIENTS HAVE SIMPLE NEEDS
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15EE & Member Management
Ask yourself:) DOES THE SITE BUDGET ALLOW FOR FURTHER EXTENSION?
) DO NON-ADMINS (IE REGULAR MEMBERS) NEED FRONT-END EDITING CAPABILITIES (E.G. PROFILE EDITS)?
) IS THE TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE OF THE USERS AND STAFF LIMITED?
) DO YOU NEED ECOMMERCE CAPABILITIES?
) IS THIS MAINLY A CONTENT-BASED SITE WITH SUBSCRIPTIONS?
) DO YOU NEED REPORTS OR AUTOMATED E-MAILS?
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Choices!IF YOU ANSWERED "YES" TO ANY OF THE PREVIOUS SLIDE...
) ADD-ONS, ADD-ONS, ADD-ONS!) NATIVE CAPABILITIES + ADD-ONS
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CON ➊:
Member TemplatesTHE FIX: SOLSPACE USER ($99.95)
) JUST CONTROL OVER LOGINS, ERRORS, AND REGISTRATION PAGES? EXP:RESSO FREEMEMBER (FREE) & OBJECTIVEHTML AUTHENTICATE (FREE)) JUST REGISTRATION/SIGN UP FREEDOM? ADD-ON BAKERY SIMPLE REGISTRATION ($19.00)
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CON ➋:
Multiple Member GroupsTHE FIX: ADD ON BAKERY AB MEMBER CATEGORIES ($29) OR INTOEETIVE MEMBER CATEGORIES ($12.50)
) SOLSPACE USER CAN ALSO USE NATIVE EE CATEGORIES TO ASSIGN MEMBERS!
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CON ➌:
Custom Member FieldsTHE FIX: EE ZOO VISITOR ($59.99) OR MIGHTYBIGROBOT PROFILE:EDIT ($64.99)
) BECAUSE THEY USES CHANNEL THE CHANNEL MODULE, YOU CAN EASILY CREATE FRONT-END TEMPLATES WITH THEIR FIELDS
) NATIVELY: CREATE ALL FIELDS MANUALLY YOURSELF IN CHANNEL FIELDS (NO HOOKS TO MEMBER MODULE, THOUGH). http://www.train-ee.com/courseware/free-tutorials/comments/34-building-a-church-staff-directory-in-expressionengine/
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CON ➍A:
Member Data ExportTHE FIX: EE GARAGE NSM REPORTS ($49.95 AUD)
) YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND MYSQL QUERIES. FORTUNATELY, SOME ADVANCED MEMBER DATA EXPORTS IS ONE OF THE INCLUDED SAMPLE REPORTS!
) REPORTS GENERATED: IN BROWSER, CSV, TSV, HTML, XML ) REPORTS CAN BE EMAILED VIA THE INTERFACE
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CON ➍B:
Member Data ImportTHE FIX: ... IT'S COMPLICATED
) NO CURRENT ADD-ONS TO EASE THIS PROCESS. ALL MANUAL PROCESS.
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CON ➍B: MEMBER DATA IMPORT
To start:) "SCRUBBED" MEMBER DATA:
NO MISSING COLUMNS, CLEANED UP, ETC Clients will often hand you an Excel file to start off with
) DATA IN CSV FORMAT TO CONVERT TO XML You can convert an Excel table to CSV
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CON ➍B: MEMBER DATA IMPORT
Required data:) USERNAME, SCREEN_NAME, EMAIL, PASSWORD*) ANYTHING ELSE WILL IMPORT AS CUSTOM MEMBER FIELDS Fields have to exist first
* IF THIS DOESN'T EXIST IN THE FILE, EE WILL AUTO-GENERATE THEM FOR YOU, SO TECHNICALLY NOT REQUIRED BUT EVERY MEMBER WILL HAVE A PASSWORD AT THE END OF THE DAY
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CON ➍B: MEMBER DATA IMPORT
Convert CSV to XML:) USE THIS TOOL TO GUARANTEE IT WILL WORK W/ EE) CSV MUST BE UPLOADED TO SERVER) CHOSE SITE ROOT B/C IT WAS USED IN THE SAMPLE
http://expressionengine.com/user_guide/cp/tools/utilities/member_import/convert_to_xml.html
TOOLS > UTILITIES > IMPORT UTILITIES > MEMBER IMPORT UTILITY
IF IT ALL WENT RIGHT... YEP, JUST ASSOCIATE!
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CON ➍B: MEMBER DATA IMPORT
If it doesn't go right?) I'LL GET THERE... :P
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CON ➍B: MEMBER DATA IMPORT
Import from XML:) UPLOAD TO SERVER AS WELL) CHOSE SITE ROOT B/C IT WAS THE SAME PLACE AS CSV
TOOLS > UTILITIES > IMPORT UTILITIES > MEMBER IMPORT UTILITY
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CON ➍B: MEMBER DATA IMPORT
Success!... MAYBE?
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CON ➍B: MEMBER DATA IMPORT
But if it goes wrong...) YOU ARE S.O.L) EE HAS CRAPPY MEMBER IMPORT ERROR REPORTINGhttp://expressionengine.com/user_guide/cp/tools/utilities/member_import/convert_to_xml.html
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CON ➍B: MEMBER DATA IMPORT
Test locally!!!) IF YOU DON'T HAVE A LOCAL > DEV > LIVE OR GIT/VERSION CONTROL WORKFLOW, THIS IS WHERE YOU
REALLY NEED TO DO IT
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CON ➍B: MEMBER DATA IMPORT
Data issues:) DUPLICATIONS (USERNAME, EMAIL, ETC)) EMPTY CONTENT IN A REQUIRED FIELD) USERNAME IS < 6 CHARACTERS) IMPORT TOO LARGE: MEMORY ERROR
) WEIRDEST OF ALL: SECRET WINDOWS BREAK SPACE! CANNOT BE SEEN UNLESS USING: TERMINAL ON MAC (OTHER TEXT EDITORS WILL MAKE IT LOOK NORMAL) OR
NOTEPAD ON WINDOWS!
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CON ➍B: MEMBER DATA IMPORT
Secret break?) EXCEL = MICROSOFT WINDOWS PRODUCT) I USE = IMAC) SAVING EXCEL FILE TO CSV IN MAC EXCEL =
SECRET WINDOWS BREAK SPACE!) CSV BELIEVES BREAK SPACE = NEW DATA ROW) SECRET WINDOWS BREAK SPACE = NO NEW DATA ROW.
TREATED LIKE A REGULAR CHARACTER, ERGO, YOUR CSV IS BELIEVED TO BE ONE GIANT LINE.
) OMGWTFBBQ!!!
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CON ➍B: MEMBER DATA IMPORT
Break spaceTHE FIX:
) DO YOUR EXCEL-FU (E.G. GENERATE SCREEN_NAME BASED ON FIRST NAME & LAST NAME COLUMNS, ETC), SAVE AS EXCEL FILE
) OPEN EXCEL FILE IN NEOOFFICE, OPENOFFICE SUITE SPECIFIC TO MACS
) SAVE AS CSV THERE) VOILA: BREAKSPACES ARE RENDERED AS NORMAL!
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CON ➍B: MEMBER DATA IMPORT
Congrats!YOU JUST IMPORTED A BUNCH OF MEMBERS INTO EE!
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Not enough?ROBUST "ALL IN ONE" MEMBER OPTIONS:
) ELECTRIC FUNCTION MEMBRR ($145) COMBINES SUBSCRIPTIONS, PAYMENTS, EMAILS, ETC
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To consider:) EE ZOO FLEXIBLE ADMIN ($22) Customize control panel menu per member group!
) AIRWAYS MEMBER SEGMENTS ($5) like Low Seg2Cat, but for member segments
) VMG CHOSEN MEMBER (FREE) Associate one or more members inside an entry!
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It Depends.) WHAT ARE YOUR CLIENT NEEDS?) HOW MUCH CUSTOMIZATION?) CONSIDER WHAT ADD-ONS ARE OVERKILL...) ... AND WHAT ADD-ONS COMBINE EVERYTHING YOU WANT
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Questions?
