Subscribers

Each time a Subscription is purchased, the Customer becomes a Subscriber in NetForum and a Subscriber Profile is created. You are able to track all Subscription details such as Start and End Date of the Subscription, when Issues are fulfilled, and if a claim needs to be made because the Issue is damaged or missing. If your organization supports BPA tracking, this too is detailed for Subscribers.

Adding a Subscriber

Subscribers in NetForum are not added manually. When a customer purchases a Subscription in Centralized Order Entry (COE) or through eWeb, their Subscriber Profile is automatically created.

Finding a Subscriber

Finding a Subscriber that has been entered into the NetForum database by purchasing a Subscription is easily accomplished.

Finding records within the Subscribers Group Item follows the same format and function. You may search by the following:

• Subscription
• Subscriber (Name) - Remember that names in NetForum are searched in order by last name, first name.
• Start Date
• End Date
• Issues Remaining (If the Subscription is Tracked By Issue as opposed to Calendar or Anniversary Date)
• Number Fulfilled
• Canceled? (Selected if the Subscription has been canceled)
• Lifetime Subscriber (Selected if the Subscriber has been designated a lifetime Subscriber)

The Advanced View checkbox allows you to conduct boolean searches to broaden and narrow your search as needed. If you are uncertain with what you are looking for, use the NetForum wildcard character, the percent sign (%) to help you with your search.

Navigating to the Subscriber Profile

The Subscriber Profile is created automatically once a new Subscription is purchased.

To navigate to and view a specific profile page, use one of the following paths:

• Click on the Subscribers module from the Module Menu drop-down.

• On the Group Item menu, click Subscribers. You can then choose to List Subscriber or to Find Subscriber items.

Depending upon which Subscriber you choose, its Subscriber Profile will display. You may also navigate to a specific profile from the Individual Profile under the Subscriptions Tab by clicking on the green Goto arrow.

The Subscriber Profile

The Subscriber Profile provides the individual's Subscription information, including the Subscription Name, the Subscriber's Name and Primary E-mail Address (if provided), the Primary Phone and Fax Numbers, and the Ship To Name if different from the Subscriber name. Also addressed are if the Canceled and Do Not Renew flags have been selected indicating that the Subscription and Subscriber are not currently active and that this particular Subscriber should be excluded from mass renewals if so.

The subscription information section of the Subscriber Profile (pictured above) details Subscription specifics such as the sale price, the start and end dates (if the Sub is calendar or anniversary based) or, conversely, the start issue, # issues,and remaining fields (if the Sub is track by issue).

Note: if a 'track by issue' subscription is renewed, the renewal subscription will not have the start issue field populated until all previous issues are fulfilled.

Occasionally, a Subscriber or Subscription will need to be placed On-Hold for various reasons such as non-payment or perhaps a Subscriber is traveling and so forth which is what the hold start issue and hold end issue fields are for dictating which issues should be placed on-hold. These are set with the Edit button and are discussed later.

When a Subscription is set-up so that Business Publication Audit (BPA) Tracking data is required, that data is collected upon purchase. As a result, the Subscriber Profile also provides the data that was collected, seen above. Each category collected for BPA within NetForum is displayed. This data is also editable on the Subscriber Profile and discussed later.

The Subscriber Profile also includes three tabs used for invoice claims, detailing Issues fulfilled, and change logs; the Claims tab, the Issues tab, and the Log tab, all of which are discussed in more detail below.

Claims Tab

The Claims Tab details information about all invoice claims and fulfilled for a Subscriber and contains two child forms to do so; the invoice detail term claims child form and the claims fulfilled child form discussed below.

Invoice Detail Term Claims Child Form

Adding a Subscription Claim

The invoice detail term claims child form gives you the ability to submit a claim for damaged or lost issues. To add a new claim, click the Add Record button. The Add Subscription Claim window appears.

The Add Subscription Claim window enables you to submit Subscription claims for those customers who submit claims for lost or damages Issues. First, select the Issue that you are making a claim for. (All Issues that have been fulfilled will be listed). You must also enter a Claim Quantity number.

Use the Claim Status drop-down to select Approved, Denied, or Pending and the Claim Reason drop-down to select damaged or not received if desired. You may also enter any notes if needed. Finally, click Save to save the Subscription Claim.

Claims Fulfilled Child Form

Once a claim has been submitted for an Issue, you then must fulfill it once again. The claims fulfilled child form keeps track of these fulfillments so that you can make sure this is accomplished. Once you run the Subscription Fulfillment process once again, the Subscription Claim fulfillment will be noted on the claims fulfilled child form as seen above.

Issues Tab

The Issues Tab and issues fulfilled child form enable you track all Issues that have been fulfilled for a Subscriber. It includes the Issue Name, Start/End Dates, Fulfillment Date and Fulfillment Address. If a claim has been made on a particular Issue such as in the case if the Issue has been damaged or never received, a Claim Code will also be present.

Log Tab

The Log Tab and change log child form track all major changes that occur to the Subscription such as if it is placed On-Hold or Canceled. In any of those events, the Field Name and Dates will be tracked as well as the values that were modified. This helps you keep track of all changes made.

Renewing a Subscription

You can renew a Subscription from the Subscriber Profile by clicking the Renew button.

The COE - Subscription Renewal window appears.

Note: If the Subscription is renewable, the renew button will be visible. If the renew button is not visible, the Subscription may already have been renewed, or the Do not renew check box on the Edit Subscriber Profile may be flagged. The renew button will also not display if the subscription has been linked to a membership such as in linked memberships and subscriptions In either case, the renew Button will not display.

To Renew a Subscription, use the following steps:

1. Choose the Subscription to renew in the Subscription drop-down (required)
2. Make sure the start and end dates are correct.
3. Complete the Invoice & Payment section.
4. Click the Renew Now button to renew the Subscription or click the Cancel button to cancel.

Note: If a customer is renewing a Subscription on behalf of someone else, change the Paid By field to reflect who is paying for the Subscription.

Editing a Subscription

Editing a Subscription gives you the ability to:

• Edit a Subscription rate, start date, end date, and quantity sold
• View number of issues fulfilled
• Control whether the subscription can be renewed
• View invoice number and batch information
• Cancel the subscription.

All are discussed in more detail below and in subsequent sections.

You edit Subscription details from the Subscriber Profile by clicking the Edit button.

The Edit Subscriber window appears.

As mentioned, you can use the Edit Subscriber window to modify the Subscription Rate, change the Start and End Dates of the Subscription, and view Issue Details. You can also check the Exclude from Mass Renewal check box specifying that this Subscriber should not be renewed. Placing a Subscriber On-Hold and Cancelling a Subscription are discussed below.

Placing a Subscription On-Hold

You can also place a Subscription On-Hold from the Subscriber Profile by clicking the Edit button, if needed. Sometimes, for example, a Subscription needs to be placed On-Hold if the Subscriber does not pay or if going on extended travel.

The Edit Subscriber window appears when you click the Edit button.

Use the On Hold Information section to specify the On-Hold period. The On-Hold period will begin with the Start Issue you identify and it will end with the On-Hold End Issue.

Canceling a Subscription

You can cancel a Subscription from the Subscriber Profile by clicking the Edit button, using the Edit Subscriber window.

To Cancel a Subscription:

1. Go to the Cancel Subscription section of the Edit Subscriber window.
2. Select the cancellation batch.
3. Select the refund payment action check box:
   • To create a refund, select the refund payment check box.
   • To create a credit, do not select the refund payment check box.
4. Click the cancel subscription button.