Differences to Note
Keep in mind that GrowthZone is a completely different platform, not simply a new version of ChamberMaster/MemberZone. A common misconception is GrowthZone is "everything ChamberMaster/MemberZone is plus." That isn't necessarily the case, as it is somewhat comparing apples to oranges. You will experience a new look and feel. You will find that some features perform very similarly to what you are accustomed, some features are quite different, many new features exist, and a few features that are not widely used in ChamberMaster/MemberZone may not exist in GrowthZone.
Because of the breadth of ChamberMaster/MemberZone, it is challenging to note every difference, but we have identified many below in an effort to aid you in your evaluation. Also, check out the Features Unique to GrowthZone.
ChamberMaster/MemberZone does not have a true membership module. Rather, memberships are handled through a fee item. In GrowthZone, we have built a full membership module that offers robust capabilities for the structure of dues (e.g. the ability to have levels of membership under a membership type), application and more. With this new module, there are some fundamental shifts in thinking that must take place. For instance, Membership Types are not just an attribute of a member. Memberships have actual terms and expiration dates and the system can automate actions such as auto drops and prorate dues. They correlate back to an actual membership package. This video provides a basic overview of how this module is structured and relates to the overall flow of the database.
- The Engagement Report in ChamberMaster will pull information from the engagement tab and additional information that helps compare engagement across individuals or organizations. It also allows staff to assign a score to different fields on the report to create an easy to use ranking of member engagement. While there are engagement reports in GrowthZone, this scoring component is not yet available.
In ChamberMaster/MemberZone, contacts and memberships are structured around an organization with reps. GrowthZone expands this to provide the capability for reps/individuals to have their own contacts, have relationships with multiple organizations and own memberships. With this greatly expanded capability, the way that you think about contacts is different. Similarly, there are many differences in how you can manage and view contact information. This video is a basic overview.
There are numerous billing features that perform differently in GrowthZone. Some key items of note:
- Tax sets can not be assigned to an invoice (this is typically used to not charge a tax/GST on an invoice in ChamberMaster)
- In ChamberMaster, you have the ability to preview invoices before emailing which is typically used to preview how merge fields pulled in prior to sending. In GrowthZone, this is not available in bulk (only per invoice).
- Sage integration is not available
- There is not a comparable feature in GrowthZone to create a scheduled billing for a group or mass assign a scheduled billing to a specific list/category
- GrowthZone does not offer a direct QuickBooks integration. GrowthZone follows the best practice to reconcile the summary debits and credits for each account, rather than reconciling each individual transaction to the general accounting software. So, GrowthZone is designed to be the system of record for entering billing, payment, and balance details, adding only the summary journal entries to your accounting software. This best practice is designed to minimize errors, save time, ensure a cleaner General Ledger, simplify reporting, and provide easier reconciliation. GrowthZone does provide an .iif export file that can be used
- Class tracking is not available as a more granular expense categorization
- In GrowthZone, an invoice is created for any purchase. For some ChamberMaster users, the preference is to create a sales receipt rather than an invoice. This option is not currently available
- Ability to email everyone with open invoices but exclude the invoice PDF
- Mass adding/editing of non-dues billing items
- Integration with Quickbooks online is not available
- Ability to define payment sub-types
- There is no need for an account code to identify deferred revenue. In GrowthZone, this is done when setting up goods/services and general finance settings.
- Voluntary fee items do not have to be written off in GrowthZone if they are unpaid.
- There are no bundled fees. Bundling happens when setting up your membership type.
- Invoices can not simply be deleted. There is a setting the defines a time window in w
- Although managing banner ads on your website is available in GrowthZone, hits on those ads are not tracked
- Social media auto posting is not available. Some customers have moved away from automatic posting and instead opt for using social-media scheduling tools available online for free or they choose to post manually
- The way that merge fields function in GrowthZone is quite different than ChamberMaster. While there is tremendous flexibility, the available merge fields can be very extensive. We are actively working on changes that will simplify
- Ability to preview the full set of data that will be merged into a communication
- Smart Text is not available. Note that many customers have moved to utilizing push notifications via the MemberPlus app
- The concept of the "Address Book" is noticeably different in GrowthZone in terms of how lists are created and dynamically updated.
- In ChamberMaster, you can have a sponsor logo display and the logo be a link. The name would not display if there is a logo for the sponsor. In GrowthZone, there currently is a requirement for a name.
- In ChamberMaster/MemberZone web content can have an inactive or disabled status. This equivalent is not present in GrowthZone
- There are differences in the details page of directory listings within the Hub
- Businesses do not have logins to the InfoHub. All credentials are set at the individual level.
- There is no Community Activity Feed. Rather, a member Forum can be created.
- There is not a "Promote Your Business or Upgrade Your Listing" option.
- Reports function quite differently in GrowthZone. All reports are setup like the Custom Member and Custom Representative reports with the ability to choose fields you wish to display and add filtering criteria. This video will provide a snapshot. There are different options for creating and saving customized reports. While there are approximately 100 saved reports (that can be further tailored), these are not a one-to-one match with ChamberMaster. In considering GrowthZone, a key step we recommend is considering the key reports you use daily/weekly/monthly and reviewing the comparable reports in GrowthZone to ensure you can utilize or adjust your workflows to have the data work for your needs.
- There is no "Task List" in GrowthZone. Instead, every module includes powerful notification options that allow staff users to automatically receive notice of important tasks.
- In ChamberMaster, there is the ability to preview a Hot Deal or other Web Content before publishing. This preview option does not exist in GrowthZone.
There are several specialty modules in ChamberMaster/MemberZone used by a limited segment of customers. These modules are not available in GrowthZone:
- RFP Module - Requests for Purchase can be submitted using GrowthZone's Form Builder feature. However, the distribution of the requests is managed manually
- Info Request Module - Requests for Information can be submitted through GrowthZone's Form Builder module. However, the distribution of the information is managed manually
- Lodging Module - The individual detail pages of your contacts can easily display a list of amenities and links to their reservation system. Lodging availability database
- Trip Builder Module