Journeys

The Journeys module is a powerful tool for automating your marketing efforts through targeted email campaigns triggered by specific events or actions. Each journey can be configured as a personalized sequence of messages that delivers relevant content based on a user's interactions with your system. In addition to member-facing communications, Journeys can also generate internal action items to keep staff informed of key transactions and prompt timely follow-ups, helping ensure a more personal and responsive member experience.

Requires Support

This feature may duplicate existing automated emails already configured in the system. Contact your support analyst to review the current list of automated emails to ensure recipients will not receive duplicate emails.

Before Getting Started

Review this guide, the video above, and the webinar demo, to understand how Journeys can align with your team's strategy. Once you've reviewed the guide, contact your support analyst, who will provide a list of active automated emails for your review. Decide which emails you want to turn off and replace with Journeys, and work with your support analyst to determine the next steps.

How Journeys Work

Journeys are activated by actions on specific records within the system, such as:

• Event registrations, wait list changes, and cancellations

• New membership and subscription payments, renewals, and approaching due dates

• Product purchases

• Chapter and committee dues payments and renewals

Each action that can trigger a journey is referred to as a kickoff event. A journey may have one or more kickoff events associated with it, and the journey will be triggered when any of those events occur in the system. When the journey is triggered, one or more emails and action items will be created and scheduled based on the journey configuration. Below, you will find a full breakdown of the different kickoff events available as well as how to configure the messages and actions.

Setting up a Journey

Locating Journeys

To begin setting up a journey:

1. From the main menu, click "Processes" and select "Journeys".

   

2. This will bring you to a list of all existing journeys. The default view shows a list of all journeys using the "All" filter. You can switch to the "Active flag and Date" filter to view only the active journeys.

   

Adding a New Journey

1. To create a new journey, click on "Add Journey" in the activity panel on the right-hand side.

   

2. This will open the "Add Journey" window. Fill out the following fields:

   

   Note

   A journey can be triggered as long as the "Active?" checkbox is checked AND the current date falls in the active date range. When initially setting up a journey, it is a best practice to leave the "Active?" flag unchecked so that it cannot be triggered until the setup is complete.

   • Name: The name field is the only requirement for creating a journey. Ensure that you provide a clear and easily identifiable name that summarizes its goal.

   • Short Description: A short text summary that appears alongside the name in the journeys list and can offer expanded detail about the scope and intended outcome.

   • Delete unsent emails if triggering record is cancelled?: This will be checked by default. If the journey being created is a journey that will involve a cancelling kickoff, uncheck this box.

   • Description/Note: A longer free text input where you can store additional information related to the journey, if desired.

   • Active/Deactivate Dates The date period during which the journey will be active and can be triggered (assuming the "Active?" flag is also checked). Setting both a start and end date is helpful for journeys that you may only wish to be active during a certain period. If a journey is open-ended and has no end date, set just the start date and the journey will be considered to be within the active date range for any date after the start date.

   • Active?: In order for the journey to be triggered, the active flag needs to be checked (assuming the current date is also within the active date range).It can also be unchecked, at any time, to temporarily disable a journey. It is a best practice to leave this unchecked during initial configuration and then check it when setup is complete.

3. Click "Add Journey" to proceed.

Selecting a Kickoff Event

After saving your journey, you will be able to select one or more kickoff events to associate with the journey. The kickoff events specify which system action will trigger the journey.

Note

Specific kickoff events (i.e. those that are related to a single event, membership, etc. ) only need to be created once. If you create a new kickoff for one journey, you can reuse the same kickoff event for other journeys.

1. Use the "Add" button to assign a kickoff event to the journey. This button will open a dialog box that includes a list of all kickoff events that exist in the system and are not currently attached to the active journey. Select a kickoff event from the list to add it to the active journey, and repeat the process as needed to add additional kickoff events. A journey can have multiple kickoff events, depending on the journeys' needs.

   

2. If you are creating a new kickoff event, select "Create New Kickoff Event". This will bring you to the "Kickoff Event" window.

   

3. Find and select the type of kickoff event you want to create using the radio buttons. See the Types of Journey Kick Offs section for a list of kickoff events you can create.

   

4. Click "Create". Depending on the kickoff event you are creating, there might be more information required for you to confirm about the kickoff event such as selecting a specific event or product that it pertains to.

   

Types of Journey Kickoffs

Event Triggers

Journeys can be triggered by event registration actions. You can configure a journey to send emails or create action items based on the following actions:

• When a registration for a specific event is created: Fires when a registration is first created, regardless of whether it is paid. This can provide a general confirmation, with supplemental follow-ups.

• When a registration for a specific event is paid: Fires when the paid flag for a registration record changes to Y (for non-cancelled registrations with a non-zero price).

• When a registration for a specific event is cancelled: Fires when the cancelled flag for a registration record changes to Y and can be used to send an email notifying the user of the cancellation and possible next steps.

• When a registration for a specific event is marked as attended: Fires when the attended flag for a registration record changes to Y and can be used to send a thank-you email and post-event survey or follow-up information.

• When a registration for a specific event is added to the wait list: Fires when the wait list flag for a registration record changes to Y and can be used to inform members of their waitlist status and possible next steps, or create a staff reminder to review and manage the wait list.

• When a registration for a specific event is removed from the waitlist: Fires when the wait list flag for a registration record changes from Y to N indicating that a member has been removed from the waitlist and offered a spot. Can generate an automated email can notify them and provide details about the event and registration.

• When a registration for a specific event is approaching the payment due date: Fires for all unpaid active registrants when the payment deadline for an event is approaching within the specified number of days to provide a payment reminder. Excludes zero-dollar and cancelled registrations.

• When a registration for a specific event start date is approaching: Fires for all active registrants (excluding wait-list and cancelled registrations) when the start date for the event is approaching within the specified number of days. A series of reminder emails can be scheduled to assist with event preparations and provide last-minute details.

• When registrations for any event are approaching the payment due date: Similar to the event-specific case above, this can be used to configure a system-wide reminder email which will be sent for any event when the payment due date is near. Please note that using this in conjunction with an event-specific reminder will result in members receiving multiple notifications for that event.

• When registrations for any event start date is approaching: Similar to the event-specific case above, this can be used to configure a system-wide reminder email which will be sent to registrants for any event as the event start date approaches. Please note that using this in conjunction with an event-specific reminder will result in members receiving multiple notifications for that event.

Product Triggers

Journeys can be triggered by product purchases, either notifying the payee or the recipient:

• When a product is purchased (notify payee): Fires when an invoice is paid and the specified product is on the invoice. An email confirming the purchase and providing delivery or activation details can be sent to the payee.

• When a product is purchased (notify recipient): Fires when an invoice is paid and the specified product is on the invoice. If the product is a gift or a purchase on behalf of someone else, the recipient (indicated on the "Ship To" field of the invoice record) can be notified with an email containing their product details.

Dues Triggers

Journeys can be triggered by dues actions and dates, including renewals and upcoming due dates:

• When a dues payment due date is approaching: Targets the dues payee and fires when an unpaid, uncancelled record with non-zero price will be due in the specified number of days. This can be used to send a payment reminder email.

• When a dues renewal date is approaching: Targets the dues recipient and fires when an unpaid, uncancelled record with non-zero price will be due in the specified number of days. This can be used to send an email reminder, prompting them to renew.

• When a recurring dues renewal date is approaching: Targets the dues payee and fires when a paid, uncancelled recurring record with non-zero price will expire in the specified number of days. This can be used to send an email reminder to members to make them aware of the upcoming renewal date.

• When a recurring dues payment method is expiring: Targets the dues payee and fires when a paid, uncancelled recurring record with non-zero price has a payment method that will expire in the specified number of days. This can be used to send a reminder email to members, encouraging them to update their payment information.

Subscription Triggers

Like dues, journeys can also be triggered by subscription-based actions and dates, including renewals and upcoming due dates:

• When a subscription payment due date is approaching: Targets the subscription payee and fires when an unpaid, uncancelled record with non-zero price will be due in the specified number of days. This can be used to send a payment reminder email.

• When a subscription renewal date is approaching: Targets the subscription recipient and fires when an unpaid, uncancelled record with non-zero price will be due in the specified number of days. This can be used to send an email reminder, prompting them to renew.

• When a recurring subscription renewal date is approaching: Targets the subscription payee and fires when a paid, uncancelled recurring record with non-zero price will expire in the specified number of days. This can be used to send an email reminder to members to make them aware of the upcoming renewal date.

• When a recurring subscription payment method is expiring: Targets the subscription payee and fires when a paid, uncancelled recurring record with non-zero price has a payment method that will expire in the specified number of days. This can be used to send a reminder email to members, encouraging them to update their payment information.

Chapter Triggers

Journeys can be triggered by chapter payments or renewals:

• When a new chapter dues for a specific chapter is paid: Fires when chapter dues are paid for a member without a current active dues record for the chapter. This can be used to send a confirmation email or welcome message to the member.

• When a new chapter dues renewal for a specific chapter is paid: Fires when chapter dues are renewed for a member (that is, the member creates new chapter dues and has an existing active dues record with a future expiration date).

Committee Triggers

Journeys can be triggered by committee payments or renewals:

• When a new committee dues for a specific committee is paid: Fires when committee dues are paid for a member without a current active dues record for the committee. This can be used to send a confirmation email or welcome message to the member.

• When a new committee dues renewal for a specific committee is paid: Fires when committee dues are renewed for a member (that is, the member creates new committee dues and has an existing active dues record with a future expiration date).

Configuring the Moments

The "Moments" tab is where you can define how the journey will begin and what steps it will take as it progresses. Each moment represents a communication and/or an action item sent after the journey begins with the triggering event.

To set up a moment:

1. Select the "Moments" tab and click "Add New Moment" to open the "New Moment" window. By default, the moment will occur one day after the triggering event or the previous moment, but this timing can be adjusted based on your communication plan.

   

   • Moment Name: Enter a descriptive name so it is easily identifiable.

   • Delay: Choose when the message should be sent (or when the action item should be scheduled for) after the previous moment occurs. For the first moment, this delay will be an interval of time after the triggering event, but for subsequent moments it will be a delay after the previous moment. Enter a delay interval and select the time unit (for example: 2 hours, 2 days, etc.).

2. Click "Save Moment".

3. Continue to use "Add Moment" to add and configure additional moments as needed to create the desired ongoing communications for your journey. Remember to save each moment before continuing to add additional moments or adding communication options.

Adding Triggered Communications and Action Items to Moments

Once your journey has one or more moments, you are ready to configure the emails and action items that should be created when that moment transpires.

Adding Automated Emails

Note

The automated emails are created using the email editor tool in CV. For more information on how to use the email editor tool, go to the Email Editor User Guide.

To send an automated email:

1. Open the moment you would like to attach the automated email to and click "Add New Email".

   

2. Fill out the email details.

   

   • Subject: Enter the subject line for your email. This will be the subject line used when actually sending the email to the recipient.

   • Email Template: Choose an email template from the list of templates created in the email editor tool. The email templates need to be published to the email blast interface in order to show up in the dropdown.

   • Sender Information: Select the "From Sender Name", "From Email Address", and "Reply-to Email Address".

   • Additional Recipients: You can also choose to CC the recipient's alternate email addresses, or auto-copy email address to ensure the correct individuals receive the message.

3. Select "Save Email".

Adding Automated Action Items

To create an automated action item:

1. Open the moment you would like to attach the automated action time to and click the dropdown next to the "Add New Email" button.

   

2. Click "Add New Action" and select "Add New Action" again. Fill out the action details:

   

   • Action List: General category to describe the Action Item. This is a required field. The available options in the Action List field can be created and modified by a System Administrator.

   • Request Summary: Provide a brief summary of the action that will appear on the action item.

   • Action Type: The task to be completed (Call, Email, Review, etc.). This is a required field. The available options in the Action field can be created and modified in the Action Type Reference Table by a System Administrator.

   • Action Subject: A second level category to describe the Action Item. The available options in the Action Subject field can be created and modified in the Lookups Reference Table by a System Administrator.

   • Priority: Set the priority level for this action.

   • Status: Status of the Action Item. This will default to Out-Standing. You can change the status, but this is a required field. Only outstanding Action Items will appear on the CV Dashboard of the person to whom the Action Item is assigned.

   • Assigned To: The CV User to whom the Action Item will be assigned. This is a required field.

3. Click "Save Action".

Saving and Activating the Journey

Once you have configured and saved all the moments and communications for your journey, the journey setup is complete. At this point, revisit the journey "Profile" tab and ensure that your active flag and date range is set as desired so taht your journey will begin to trigger when the associated kickoff event occurs.

Locating the Triggered Kickoffs

Viewing a list of individuals

Individuals who the journey has been triggered for will show up under the "Kickoffs" tab in the Journey notebook along with a timestamp indicating when the journey was triggered. From this list, you can click into the email hyperlink to review emails that have been delivered and delete any scheduled email if needed. You can also click into the action item hyperlink to view any generated action items.

Viewing kickoff emails from an Individual Notebook

Journey emails, both past and upcoming, can also be reviewed in the individual notebook.

1. Locate the individual notebook you wish to see the journey emails for.

2. Click the "Emails" tab to view all the Journey emails. Messages that have already been sent may be downloaded or viewed in CV Online, and upcoming messages can be deleted if necessary. For more information, see the "View Sent Emails" section in the Marketing guide.

   

Journey Dashboard

Add the Journey Dashboard

Several Journey dashboard gadgets are available to help with overall tracking. Additional gadgets will be introduced in future releases based on user feedback and the continued development of the Journeys feature.

1. To add a dashboard to the Journey notebook open the "Notebook Editor". Click "Edit Layout" under the "Activity Panel".

2. Under the "Available Tabs" section, check the "Journey Dashboard 1" checkbox to add "Journey Dashboard" as an available tab in the Journey notebook.

   

3. Click "Save" at the bottom of the "Notebook Editor" window to save changes. Once you've saved the changes, close out of the notebook editor.

4. Click the plus icon at the top right-hand corner to add the Journey gadgets.

   

5. The dashboard gadgets that will work in the Journey notebook will have a green bar that says "Filterable for this notebook".

   

6. To add the gadget, click the gadget you want to add and select "Add to Grid".

Journey Gadgets Available

Journey Notebook	Type of Gadget	Description
Kickoffs Per Week - snapshot view	GRAPHLINE	Count of members starting the journey by week (total kickoffs by week)
Emails Per Week (Journeys) - snapshot view	GRAPHVBAR	Total emails sent or scheduled by week, rolling 12-week window.
Journey Progress by Member - tableview	TABLEVIEW	List of members in the journey and completion progress

Event Gadgets Available

If you set up an event registration journey, you can add an "Event Dashboard" to an event notebook. To set up the event dashboard and gadgets, follow the instructions from the Add the Journey Dashboard section. Start from an event notebook instead of a journey notebook.

Event Notebook	Type of Gadget	Description
Emails Per Week (Event) - snapshot view	GRAPHVBAR	For specified event, total emails sent or scheduled by week, rolling 12-week window
Journeys List for Event - table view	TABLEVIEW	For specified event, list of all journeys.