Custom Fields and Files: Flexible Member Management for Every Organization

Every choir is unique. While basic information like name, voice part, and contact details are the same for all ensembles, there are countless individual requirements beyond that. One organization needs to know who owns their own instrument. Another requires information about allergies for catering during concert tours. Others want to record t-shirt sizes for club clothing or document who has a key to the rehearsal room. Until now, such information had to be maintained in external lists, leading to data silos and extra work. With the new features for custom fields and member files, that is a thing of the past.

Custom Fields: Capture Data That Really Matters

The new custom fields feature allows you to capture any additional information about members. Various field types are available to cover different requirements. Text fields are suitable for free-form entries like special skills or notes. Number fields are ideal for numerical values like shoe sizes or membership numbers. Selection fields with predefined options ensure consistent data, such as for t-shirt sizes or dietary preferences. Yes/No fields answer simple questions like "Has a key" or "Owns a music stand." Date fields capture time-related information like the date of the last first aid training.

Setting up custom fields is done in the ensemble settings. There, administrators and editors can create new fields, name them, and select the appropriate field type. For selection fields, the available options are defined. Each field can be marked as required, so the information must be captured for every member. The order of fields can be adjusted via drag-and-drop to achieve a logical grouping.

Once created, custom fields automatically appear in member profiles. When adding new members or editing existing profiles, values can be entered. The data is stored centrally in Chorilo and is visible to all authorized users. This eliminates the need to maintain separate lists or manage information in different systems.

Practical Application Examples for Custom Fields

The possible uses are diverse and depend on the individual needs of the organization. A church choir might record which members are trained as lectors or communion helpers. A concert choir might document who has experience with certain musical styles or which foreign languages are spoken. A youth choir might capture the school and grade level of members for coordination with school events.

Custom fields are particularly valuable for organizational information. Who has a driver's license and can form carpools? Who is willing to help at the beverage stand during events? Which members have first aid training? Such information is invaluable when planning concert tours and events and no longer needs to be laboriously gathered.

Custom fields are also useful for association management in the narrower sense. The membership number, the date of joining the organization, honorary membership status, or membership in certain working groups can be documented this way. For organizations with reduced fees, it can be recorded who pays a reduced contribution and for what reason.

Member Files: Store Documents Centrally and Securely

In addition to structured data in custom fields, there are often documents that belong to individual members. These can be contracts, such as consent forms for the use of photos or privacy statements. For organizations that work with children and young people, extended background checks are required, which must be stored securely. Certificates of completed training, certifications, or other proof are also among the documents that should be assigned to a member.

With the new member files feature, such documents can be stored directly in the member profile. Upload is simple via drag-and-drop or through a file selection dialog. Common formats such as PDF, Word documents, and images are supported. Each file can be given a descriptive name that describes its content.

Stored files are only visible to authorized users. Regular members cannot see other members' files, nor their own, unless they have the appropriate permissions. Administrators and editors with member management permissions have access to all files and can view, download, or delete them. This access control ensures that sensitive documents remain protected.

Data Protection and Security

When storing personal data and documents, data protection comes first. All data is transmitted encrypted and stored on secure servers in Germany. Custom fields and member files are subject to the same strict data protection standards as all other data in Chorilo.

It is important that the responsibility for compliance with data protection regulations lies with the organization. Before personal data is collected, it should be checked whether there is a legal basis for processing. Special care is required for sensitive data such as health information or background checks. Members should be informed about data collection, and it is advisable to obtain consent.

Files are stored on Amazon S3, the same secure cloud storage used for sheet music and other files in Chorilo. Before upload, all files are automatically scanned for viruses to ensure system security. Storage is separated by ensemble, so no mixing of data from different organizations is possible.

Integration into the Workflow

The new features integrate seamlessly into existing member management. When creating or editing a member, custom fields appear as additional input options. Member files are accessible through a dedicated section in the member profile. The operation is intuitive and requires no training.

Custom fields are also considered when importing members. If a CSV file contains columns that match the names of custom fields, the values are automatically assigned. This allows existing data from other systems to be easily transferred without having to enter it manually.

Data from custom fields can also be exported. When exporting the member list, all custom fields are output as additional columns. This allows the data to be further processed in other programs or used for reports as needed.

Conclusion: More Flexibility for Individual Requirements

With custom fields and member files, Chorilo becomes even more flexible and adapts to the individual requirements of every organization. Instead of maintaining data in external lists or scattering documents in different folders, everything is centrally available in one place. This saves time, reduces errors, and ensures that important information is always at hand.

The features are now available for all Chorilo users. Setting up custom fields is done in the ensemble settings, and files can be uploaded directly in member profiles. We look forward to feedback and suggestions on how we can further improve these features.