Getting Started With Sodalo: Frequently Asked Questions

Last updated: April 2026

This guide answers the most common questions about using Sodalo to manage your civic organization, fraternal lodge, veterans group, or volunteer association. Think of this as your quick-reference FAQ — we have more detailed guides for specific topics.

Getting Started
- What is Sodalo and who is it for?
- How do I create an account and set up my organization?
- How do I upload my member list?
- How do I invite other officers to use Sodalo?
- What does each role (Admin, Secretary, Treasurer, Viewer, Member) have access to?
- How do I add custom fields?

Managing Members
- How do I add a member manually?
- How do I add a prospect?
- How do I change a member's status?
- How do I edit or delete a member?
- How do I use custom fields?
- How do I export or print the member directory?

Events & Volunteering
- How do I create an event?
- How do I set up recurring events?
- How do I enable RSVP for an event?
- How do I set up volunteer shifts?
- How do I track event attendance?
- How do I add an event to Google Calendar or Apple Calendar?

Email
- How do I send an email to my members?
- How do I filter who receives an email?
- How do I create or customize an email template?
- Why is my email going to spam?
- How do I remove Sodalo branding from emails?

Dues & Payments
- How do I connect Stripe to collect dues?
- How do I set up a dues billing cycle?
- How do I see who has and hasn't paid?
- How do I export dues data for my treasurer?
- What happens if a member's payment fails?

Organization Settings
- How do I set permissions for staff?
- Who is a staff member and what can they do?
- How do I update the organization's details?
- How do I make the organization's directory visible to membership or the public?

Account & Billing
- What's included in the free plan?
- How do I upgrade my plan?
- How do I export all my organization's data?
- How do I delete my organization?
- How do I contact support?

Getting Started

What is Sodalo and who is it for?

Sodalo is membership management software built for the organizations that bring communities together — non-profits, civic clubs, community groups, and volunteer associations.

It's built for:
- Non-profit organizations
- Civic clubs (Lions, Rotary, Kiwanis, Optimist)
- Community associations and PTAs
- Veterans groups (VFW, American Legion, DAV)
- Volunteer fire departments and rescue squads
- Fraternal organizations (Elks, Moose, Eagles, Knights of Columbus, Masons, etc.)

You can use Sodalo to:
- Maintain your member roster and prospect pipeline
- Track membership statuses (active, inactive, honorary, prospect, applicant, etc.)
- Send professional email blasts to your members
- Manage events with RSVP and volunteer signups
- Track and invoice membership dues
- Give members a portal to view their own information
- Export reports for board meetings or accounting

Sodalo is designed to be simple enough for volunteer officers who may not be tech-savvy, while powerful enough to handle everything from a 20-member American Legion post to a 500-member Elks lodge.

How do I create an account and set up my organization?

To create your organization:

Go to sodalo.com and click "Create organization" in the top right corner
Enter your email address and create a password
Check your email for a verification link and click it
You'll be guided through a setup wizard:
Upload your logo (optional but recommended for email branding)
Import your member list from a spreadsheet (CSV file)
Set up custom fields if you track additional information beyond standard fields
Click "Complete Setup" when finished

After setup, you'll land on your Staff Dashboard where you can:
- View member counts and upcoming events
- Add new members or prospects
- Send emails
- Create events

Your organization URL will be something like sodalo.com/dashboard/your-org-name/ — bookmark this page for quick access.

How do I upload my member list?

The fastest way to get started is to import your existing member list from a spreadsheet.

Step 1: Prepare your spreadsheet

Open your current member list (Excel, Google Sheets, etc.) and make sure you have these columns (you can have more):
- First Name (required)
- Last Name (required)
- Email (required for each member)
- Phone (optional)
- Address, City, State, Zip (optional)
- Status (active, inactive, honorary, prospect, etc.)
- Joined Date (optional)

Save the file as a CSV (comma-separated values) file:
- In Excel: File → Save As → Choose "CSV (Comma delimited)"
- In Google Sheets: File → Download → Comma Separated Values (.csv)

Step 2: Upload the CSV

During initial setup, you'll see an "Upload CSV" step
Click "Choose File" and select your CSV
Sodalo will automatically try to match your column headers to standard fields
Review the preview to make sure data looks correct
Click "Import Members"

Tips:
- Maximum 2,000 members per upload
- If a member email already exists in your organization, that row will be skipped
- Sodalo recognizes common column names like "First," "Email," "Cell Phone," etc.
- You can re-upload CSVs anytime to add new members (just go to Members → Import)

How do I invite other officers to use Sodalo?

To give other officers access to the Staff Dashboard:

Make sure they're already in your member roster (add them manually or via CSV if needed)
Go to Settings (gear icon in top navigation)
Click the "Staff" tab
Under "Assign Roles," start typing the officer's name
Select their name from the dropdown
Choose their role:
Owner – Full access including billing
Admin – Full access to manage organization (except billing)
Secretary – Can manage members, send emails, edit events
Treasurer – Can view members and manage dues/payments
Viewer – Read-only access to member list
Click "Assign Role"

They'll receive an email with a link to access the Staff Dashboard. They'll use the same email address they registered with to log in.

Note: You can assign multiple roles to the same person (e.g., someone can be both Secretary and Treasurer).

What does each role (Admin, Secretary, Treasurer, Viewer, Member) have access to?

Here's what each role can do:

What they can do	Owner	Admin	Secretary	Treasurer	Viewer	Member
Manage billing & subscription	✓	—	—	—	—	—
Change organization settings	✓	✓	—	—	—	—
Assign staff roles	✓	✓	—	—	—	—
Add/edit/delete members	✓	✓	✓	—	—	—
View member list	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	Own profile only
Add private notes to members	✓	✓	✓	✓	—	—
Send email blasts	✓	✓	✓	—	—	—
Create/edit events	✓	✓	✓	—	—	—
Manage dues & invoices	✓	✓	—	✓	—	Pay own dues
Export financial reports	✓	✓	—	✓	—	—
Export member roster	✓	✓	✓	—	—	—

Common role combinations:
- President: Owner or Admin
- Secretary: Secretary role
- Treasurer: Treasurer role (or both Treasurer + Admin if they also manage the roster)
- Board member observer: Viewer role

Member portal access: Only members with "active" or "honorary" status can log into the member portal to view events, directory, and their own profile.

How do I add custom fields?

Custom fields let you track information beyond the standard name/email/phone fields — things like badge number, military branch, sponsor name, shirt size, or dietary restrictions.

To create a custom field:

Go to Settings → Custom Fields tab
Click "Add Custom Field"
Fill in:
Field Name (e.g., "Badge Number," "Military Branch")
Field Type:
- Text – For short answers
- Number – For numeric values
- Date – For dates (e.g., initiation date)
- Checkbox – For yes/no questions
- Dropdown – For selecting one option from a list
- Multi-select – For selecting multiple options
Options (if dropdown/multi-select): Enter each option on a new line
Choose visibility settings:
Required – Must be filled out for every member
Staff-only – Only officers can see/edit this field
Member can edit – Member can update this in their portal
Show on directory – Display in member directory
Click "Save"

Where custom fields appear:
- On member detail pages
- In member directory (if enabled)
- When editing a member's profile
- When filtering email recipients

Example use cases:
- Badge number (text, staff-only)
- Shirt size (dropdown: S, M, L, XL, 2XL)
- Dietary restrictions (multi-select: Vegetarian, Gluten-free, Dairy-free, None)
- Military branch (dropdown: Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard)
- Sponsor (text field for the member who referred them)

Managing Members

How do I add a member manually?

To add a single member:

Go to Members in the top navigation
Click "+ Add Member" button (top right)
Fill in the form:
First and Last Name (required)
Email (required – this is how they log in)
Phone, Address (optional)
Membership Status (select from dropdown)
Joined Date (when they became a member)
Custom fields (if you've set any up)
Click "Save Member"

The member will now appear in your roster. If their status is "active" or "honorary," they can log into the member portal using their email address.

How do I add a prospect?

A prospect is someone who's interested in joining but hasn't applied yet. You can track prospects separately from full members.

To add a prospect:

Go to Members → "+ Add Member"
Fill in their name and email
Set Membership Status to "Prospect"
Optionally fill in:
Referred by (the member who referred them)
Investigation notes (for lodges that investigate applicants)
Custom fields (e.g., "How did they hear about us?")
Click "Save Member"

Pipeline stages (if you enable Full Pipeline Mode in Settings):
- Prospect – Initial interest
- Applicant – Submitted formal application
- Investigating – Under review by investigation committee
- Balloted – Voted on by membership
- Pending – Awaiting initiation or activation
- Active – Full member

You can move prospects through these stages by editing their status.

How do I change a member's status?

To update a member's status (e.g., from "prospect" to "active," or "active" to "inactive"):

Go to Members and click on the member's name
Click "Edit" (top right of member detail page)
Change the Membership Status dropdown to the new status
Optionally update the Joined Date if they're moving to active
Click "Save"

Common status changes:
- Prospect → Active: When someone joins
- Active → Inactive: When someone stops participating
- Active → NPD (No-Paid-Dues): When someone hasn't paid dues but you want to keep them on record
- Active → Suspended: Temporary suspension
- Active → Resigned: Member voluntarily leaves
- Active → Deceased: For memorial records

Note: Only "active" and "honorary" members can access the member portal. Changing someone to any other status will remove their portal access.

How do I edit or delete a member?

To edit a member's information:

Go to Members and click on the member's name
Click "Edit" button
Make your changes to any field (name, email, phone, address, status, custom fields, etc.)
Click "Save"

To delete a member:

Sodalo doesn't have a "delete" button because deleting members can cause issues with historical email records, event RSVPs, and dues payments.

Instead, change their status to:
- Resigned – If they left the organization
- Deceased – For memorial records
- Expelled – If removed by the organization

This keeps historical records intact while removing them from active member lists and email blasts.

How do I use custom fields?

Once you've created custom fields (see "How do I add custom fields?" above), here's how to use them:

Viewing custom fields:
- Go to a member's detail page to see their custom field values
- If "Show on directory" is enabled, the field appears in the member directory

Editing custom fields:
- Click Edit on a member's page
- Scroll down to the custom fields section
- Fill in or update the values
- Click Save

Filtering emails by custom fields:
- When composing an email blast, click "Filter Recipients"
- You'll see your custom fields listed
- Select values to narrow down who receives the email
- Example: Send an email only to members with "Dietary Restrictions: Vegetarian"

Exporting custom fields:
- When you export your roster to CSV, custom fields are included as columns
- Great for creating filtered reports or mailing labels

How do I export or print the member directory?

To export your roster to a spreadsheet:

Go to Members
Click "Reports" in the top right (or Settings → Exports)
Choose "Export Roster (CSV)"
The file downloads immediately as a .csv file
Open in Excel or Google Sheets

The CSV includes:
- All standard fields (name, email, phone, address, status, joined date)
- All custom fields
- Membership status and email status

To print a formatted roster:

Go to Members → "Reports"
Choose "Export Roster (PDF)"
A PDF file downloads with a clean, printable layout
Print directly or save for your records

Filtering before export:
- Use the status filters at the top of the Members page to narrow results
- Only visible members will be included in the export

Events & Volunteering

How do I create an event?

To add an event (meeting, fundraiser, social, ceremony, etc.):

Go to Events in the top navigation
Click "+ Create Event"
Fill in the event details:
Title (e.g., "Monthly Meeting," "Poker Night," "Installation Ceremony")
Date and Time
Location (name of venue)
Maps URL (optional – link to Google Maps)
Description (details about the event)
Choose visibility:
Members only – Only logged-in members can see
Public – Anyone can see on your public page
Enable RSVP if you want members to respond (see "How do I enable RSVP?" below)
Enable Volunteer Shifts if you need volunteers (see "How do I set up volunteer shifts?" below)
Click "Create Event"

The event now appears on your organization's calendar and member portal.

How do I set up recurring events?

For events that repeat (weekly meetings, monthly dinners, annual ceremonies):

When creating or editing an event, scroll to "Recurrence"
Click "Make this a recurring event"
Choose the pattern:
Daily (every X days)
Weekly (every Monday, Tuesday, etc.)
Monthly (on the 15th of each month, or "first Tuesday," etc.)
Yearly (same date every year)
Set "Repeat until" (the end date for recurrence)
Click "Save"

Examples:
- Monthly meeting: "Monthly on the second Tuesday" until December 31, 2027
- Weekly poker night: "Every Thursday" until June 1, 2026
- Annual installation: "Yearly on April 20" (no end date needed)

Sodalo will automatically create individual event instances. You can edit or cancel a single occurrence without affecting the rest of the series.

How do I enable RSVP for an event?

RSVP tracking lets members respond "attending," "not attending," or "maybe."

To enable RSVP:

Create or edit an event
Toggle "Enable RSVP" to ON
Set (optional):
Max attendees (capacity limit, e.g., 50 people)
RSVP deadline (e.g., 2 days before the event)
Allow guests (members can bring a +1, +2, etc.)
Click "Save Event"

How members RSVP:
- Members log into the portal and view the event
- They click "Attending," "Not Attending," or "Maybe"
- If allowed, they can specify number of guests (e.g., "Bringing 2 guests")

Tracking RSVPs:
- On the event detail page, you'll see:
- Total attending count
- List of members who RSVP'd
- Guest count
- Capacity remaining (if you set a max)

How do I set up volunteer shifts?

For events that need volunteers (fundraisers, dinners, festivals):

Create or edit an event
Scroll to "Volunteer Shifts"
Click "Add Shift"
Fill in:
Shift name (e.g., "Registration Desk," "Grill Master," "Cleanup Crew")
Start and end time
Skill needed (optional – e.g., "Bartending experience required")
Minimum volunteers (e.g., need at least 2 people)
Maximum volunteers (capacity, e.g., max 5 people)
Click "Save Shift"
Repeat for additional shifts

How members sign up:
- Members view the event and see available volunteer shifts
- They click "Sign Up" on a shift
- If a shift is full, they can join a waitlist

Managing signups:
- On the event detail page, click the "Volunteers" tab
- See who signed up for each shift
- See if shifts are understaffed (below minimum) or full
- Manually add/remove volunteers if needed

How do I track event attendance?

To record who actually attended an event (useful for participation reports):

Go to the event detail page
Toggle "Track Attendance" to ON
After the event, click "Check-In" mode
Mark members as attended by:
Checking the box next to their name, or
Clicking "Mark as Attended" on individual members
Attendance is saved with a timestamp

Viewing attendance:
- On the event detail page, see the "Attendance" tab
- Export event reports with attendance data for board meetings

How do I add an event to Google Calendar or Apple Calendar?

Sodalo provides a calendar feed you can subscribe to in any calendar app.

To get your calendar link:

Go to Events
Click the calendar icon or "Subscribe to Calendar" link
Copy the link shown (it looks like: sodalo.com/calendar/your-org/abc123.ics)

To add to Google Calendar:
1. Open Google Calendar
2. Click the "+" next to "Other calendars"
3. Choose "From URL"
4. Paste the Sodalo calendar link
5. Click "Add Calendar"

To add to Apple Calendar (iPhone/Mac):
1. Go to Settings → Calendar → Accounts → Add Account
2. Choose "Other" → "Add Subscribed Calendar"
3. Paste the Sodalo calendar link
4. Tap "Next" and "Save"

Your events will now appear in your personal calendar and update automatically when you add or change events in Sodalo.

Email

How do I send an email to my members?

To send a professional email blast to your members:

Go to Email in the top navigation
Click "+ New Email"
Fill in:
Subject line
Email body (type your message – you can use bold, links, bullet points, etc.)
Hero image (optional – a banner image at the top)
Click "Filter Recipients" if you want to send to specific groups (see below)
Preview the email by clicking "Preview"
Choose:
Send Now – Sends immediately
Schedule for Later – Pick a date and time to send
Save as Draft – Save without sending
Click "Send" or "Schedule"

After sending:
- View delivery status (sent, delivered, opened, clicked, bounced)
- See who opened the email and when
- Track link clicks

Note: Emails are sent from your organization's domain (via AWS email service), not from personal Gmail/Yahoo accounts, so they look professional and don't get caught in spam filters.

How do I filter who receives an email?

By default, emails go to all "active" members. You can narrow this down:

To filter recipients:

When composing an email, click "Filter Recipients"
Choose filters:
Member Status: Active, Inactive, Honorary, Prospect, etc.
- Example: Send only to "Active" and "Honorary" members
Custom Fields: Filter by any custom field you've created
- Example: Send only to members with "Committee: Finance"
- Example: Send only to members with "Dietary Restrictions: Vegetarian"
Click "Apply Filters"
The recipient count updates to show how many people will receive the email

Common filter examples:
- Board-only email: Filter by custom field "Board Member: Yes"
- New member welcome: Filter by "Joined Date" in the last 30 days (using status "Pending" or "Active")
- Prospects only: Filter by status "Prospect"
- Event reminder to specific committee: Filter by custom field "Committee: Events"

Who never receives emails:
- Members with email status "unsubscribed"
- Members with email status "bounced" (hard bounce)
- Members with status "deceased," "resigned," or "expelled"

How do I create or customize an email template?

Email templates let you save reusable formats for common emails (monthly newsletter, meeting reminder, event invitation).

To create a template:

Go to Email → "Templates" tab
Click "+ Create Template"
Fill in:
Template Name (e.g., "Monthly Newsletter," "Meeting Reminder")
Template Type (General, Meeting, Event, Welcome, Newsletter, Volunteer)
Subject line (you can include merge fields like %%First-Name%%)
Email body (your standard content with merge fields)
Header image (optional – appears at top of email)
Click "Save Template"

To use a template:
1. When composing a new email, click "Use Template"
2. Select your saved template
3. The subject and body fill in automatically
4. Edit as needed before sending

Merge fields (personalizes each email):
- %%First-Name%% – Member's first name
- %%Last-Name%% – Member's last name
- %%Full-Name%% – Full name
- %%Email%% – Member's email address
- %%Org-Name%% – Your organization name
- %%Membership-Status%% – Their current status

Example:

Subject: Welcome to %%Org-Name%%, %%First-Name%%!
Body: Dear %%First-Name%%,\n\nWelcome to our lodge! We're excited to have you as a member...

Why is my email going to spam?

If members report your emails landing in spam, here are the most common causes and fixes:

1. You're not following CAN-SPAM rules
- Required: Every email must include your organization's physical address
- Required: Every email must have an unsubscribe link
- Sodalo automatically includes these in the footer of every email you send

2. Members marked your email as spam
- If even a few members click "Report Spam," future emails to others may get flagged
- Fix: Make sure your subject line clearly identifies your organization
- ❌ Bad: "Meeting tonight!"
- ✅ Good: "Elks Lodge #123 Meeting Tonight – 7 PM"

3. Your email has spammy words or formatting
- Avoid ALL CAPS in subject lines
- Avoid excessive exclamation marks!!!
- Avoid phrases like "Free," "Act Now," "Click Here," "Limited Time"
- Don't use red or bright-colored text throughout the email
- Don't use all images with no text

4. You're sending too many emails too fast
- Best practice: No more than 1-2 emails per week
- Spread out important announcements
- Use the website/portal for non-urgent updates

5. Your members' email providers are blocking you
- Gmail, Yahoo, and Outlook are increasingly strict
- Fix: Ask members to add your organization's email to their contacts or "safe senders" list

6. Technical setup issues (Sodalo handles this, but good to know):
- Sodalo uses AWS email service with proper SPF, DKIM, and DMARC authentication
- This ensures emails come from legitimate servers, not spoofed addresses

Best practices to stay out of spam:
- Send emails during business hours (not late at night)
- Use clear, honest subject lines
- Include relevant content members actually want
- Don't send just images – include text too
- Test emails by sending to yourself first

How do I remove Sodalo branding from emails?

Emails sent on the Community (Free) plan include a small "Powered by Sodalo" footer link.

To remove branding:
1. Upgrade to any paid plan (Growth, Scale, or Pro)
2. Go to Settings → Billing
3. Click "Upgrade Plan"
4. Choose your plan and complete payment

Once upgraded, all future emails will send without the Sodalo footer link. Your organization logo and name will be the only branding visible.

What's included in the email footer (all plans):
- Your organization name
- Your organization's reply-to email
- Physical address (required by CAN-SPAM law)
- Unsubscribe link (required by law)

Dues & Payments

How do I connect Stripe to collect dues?

Sodalo uses Stripe to process member payments for dues, event tickets, or donations.

Stripe Connect integration is coming soon. In the meantime, you can:
1. Track dues invoices manually in Sodalo
2. Record payments when received (check, cash, bank transfer)
3. Generate payment links to share with members

When Stripe integration is available (planned for 2026), you'll be able to:
- Connect your Stripe account in Settings → Billing
- Automatically generate payment links for dues invoices
- Accept credit/debit cards directly through member portal
- Sync payment status automatically

For now, use Sodalo to track who owes what, then collect payments offline.

How do I set up a dues billing cycle?

Step 1: Enable dues tracking
1. Go to Settings → Dues tab
2. Toggle "Enable Dues" to ON
3. Set:
- Billing day of month (e.g., the 1st of each month)
- Fiscal year start (e.g., January 1 or July 1)
- Grace period (how many days before dues are "overdue")
4. Click "Save"

Step 2: Create dues rates
1. Still in Settings → Dues, scroll to "Dues Rates"
2. Click "Add Rate"
3. Fill in:
- Rate Name (e.g., "Monthly Dues," "Annual Dues," "Initiation Fee")
- Rate Type:
- Initiation Fee (one-time charge for new members)
- Monthly Dues (recurring each month)
- Annual Dues (Calendar Year)
- Annual Dues (Fiscal Year)
- Lifetime Membership (one-time payment, never billed again)
- Amount (e.g., $25.00)
4. Click "Save Rate"

Step 3: Assign rates to members
1. Go to a member's detail page
2. Click the "Dues" tab
3. Click "Assign Dues Rate"
4. Choose the rate (e.g., "Monthly Dues - $25")
5. Set Next Billing Date (when their next invoice should generate)
6. Click "Assign"

Repeat for all members who pay dues.

Step 4: Generate invoices
1. On the 1st of the month (or your billing day), go to Dues → "Generate Invoices"
2. Sodalo creates invoices for all members assigned to a dues rate
3. Members can view invoices in their portal
4. You can send a payment reminder email

How do I see who has and hasn't paid?

To view dues status:

Go to Members
Look at the "Dues Status" column:
Current – All dues paid, no outstanding balance
Billed – Invoice sent but not yet due
Arrears – Overdue (past due date + grace period)

To see detailed dues information:
1. Click on a member's name
2. Click the "Dues" tab
3. You'll see:
- Current dues rate assignment
- All invoices (paid, unpaid, overdue)
- Payment history
- Balance due

To filter and export:
1. On the Members page, filter by "Dues Status: Arrears"
2. Click "Reports" → "Export Roster"
3. You now have a list of members who owe money

Financial dashboard (Treasurer+ only):
- Go to Dashboard → Treasurer tab
- See total revenue collected
- See members in arrears count
- See upcoming invoices

How do I export dues data for my treasurer?

To export a QuickBooks-compatible CSV:

Go to Settings → Exports tab (or Members → Reports)
Click "Export QuickBooks CSV"
The file downloads with columns formatted for accounting software:
Invoice number
Member name
Amount billed
Amount paid
Payment method
Payment date
Balance due

To export a full dues report:
1. Go to Members → Reports
2. Click "Export Roster (CSV)"
3. The spreadsheet includes:
- Member name and contact info
- Dues rate assigned
- Dues status (current, billed, arrears)
- Next billing date
- Total amount owed

For a quick view:
1. Go to Dues in the main navigation
2. Click "Invoices" to see all invoices
3. Filter by status (paid, unpaid, overdue)
4. Print or export this view for monthly reports

What happens if a member's payment fails?

Currently (manual payment tracking):
- If a member doesn't pay by the due date + grace period, their dues status changes to "Arrears"
- You'll need to follow up manually (send a reminder email, call them, etc.)
- You can record the payment when received using the "Record Payment" button on their invoice

When Stripe integration launches:
- Failed payments will be automatically retried
- Members will receive automated payment failure notifications
- You'll be alerted when a payment fails
- Members can update their payment method in the portal

Best practices for unpaid dues:
1. Send a friendly reminder email 7 days before due date
2. Send a second reminder on the due date
3. After grace period, send a "past due" notice
4. Consider changing member status to "NPD" (No-Paid-Dues) if unpaid for extended period
5. Board can decide policy for long-term non-payers (suspension, resignation, etc.)

Organization Settings

How do I set permissions for staff?

To assign or update staff roles:

Go to Settings (gear icon) → Staff tab
You'll see a Permission Matrix showing what each role can do
Below that, see the Staff Members list (current role assignments)

To assign a new role:
1. Under "Assign Roles," start typing a member's name
2. Select them from the dropdown
3. Choose their role (Owner, Admin, Secretary, Treasurer, Viewer)
4. Click "Assign Role"

To update someone's roles:
1. Find them in the Staff Members list
2. Click "Update Roles"
3. Check or uncheck roles (someone can have multiple roles)
4. Click "Save"

To remove a role:
1. Find them in the Staff Members list
2. Click "Update Roles"
3. Uncheck the role you want to remove
4. Click "Save"

Note: Only Owners and Admins can assign/change staff roles.

Who is a staff member and what can they do?

A staff member is anyone with access to the Staff Dashboard (not just the member portal).

Staff roles and what they can do:

Owner (typically the president or charter holder)
- Full access to everything
- Can manage billing and subscription
- Can delete the organization
- Can assign/remove all roles

Admin (typically the president or vice president)
- Full management access
- Can edit organization settings
- Can assign staff roles
- Cannot manage billing or delete org

Secretary
- Manages members (add/edit/delete)
- Sends email blasts
- Creates/edits events
- Exports roster
- Cannot see dues or financial data

Treasurer
- Views member roster (read-only)
- Manages dues, invoices, payments
- Exports financial reports
- Cannot edit members or send emails

Viewer
- Views member roster (read-only)
- Views events (read-only)
- Cannot edit anything
- Good for board members who need visibility but not control

Member (not a staff role)
- Portal access only
- Can view their own profile
- Can RSVP to events
- Can view directory (if enabled)
- Can pay their own dues

How do I update the organization's details?

To change your organization name, logo, contact info, or other settings:

Go to Settings (gear icon in top navigation)
Click the "General" tab
You can update:
Organization Name
Logo (upload a new image)
Contact Email (public-facing contact)
Reply-To Email (where member replies go)
Phone Number
Physical Address (shown in email footers per CAN-SPAM law)
Primary and Secondary Colors (for branding)
Website URL
Timezone (for event times and email scheduling)
Scroll down and click "Save Settings"

To update social media links:
- Still in Settings → General
- Scroll to "Social Media"
- Enter your Facebook page URL, website URL, etc.
- Click "Save"

Note: Only Admins and Owners can change organization settings.

How do I make the organization's directory visible to membership or the public?

The member directory can be private (staff only), member-only, or public.

To configure directory visibility:

Go to Settings → Directory tab
Toggle "Enable Directory" to ON
Choose visibility:
Members Only – Directory visible to logged-in members in their portal
Public – Directory visible on your public organization page
Choose what information to show:
☑ Show Email Addresses
☑ Show Phone Numbers
☑ Show Addresses
☑ Show Membership Length (how long they've been a member)
Click "Save Settings"

Individual member privacy:
- Members can opt out of the directory entirely
- Members can override what's shown (hide their email but show phone, etc.)
- To set this, go to a member's detail page → "Directory Preferences"

Use cases:
- Public directory: Good for business networking groups (Rotary, Chamber of Commerce)
- Member-only directory: Good for fraternal lodges, veterans groups
- Disabled: Good for organizations that only use Sodalo internally

Account & Billing

What's included in the free plan?

The Community Plan is free forever and includes:

Member Management:
- Up to 50 active members (roster limit)
- Up to 5 prospects (pipeline limit)
- Unlimited custom fields
- Member portal access
- Member directory

Events:
- Unlimited events
- RSVP tracking
- Volunteer shift signups
- Attendance tracking
- Recurring events
- Calendar export (.ics feed)

Email:
- Unlimited email blasts
- Email templates
- Recipient filtering
- Open/click tracking
- Merge fields (personalization)
- Includes "Powered by Sodalo" branding in footer

Dues Tracking:
- Manual dues tracking only (no Stripe collection)
- Invoice generation
- Payment recording (check/cash)

Limits on Free Plan:
- 50 member roster limit
- 5 prospect pipeline limit
- Cannot collect dues via Stripe
- Includes Sodalo branding in emails

How do I upgrade my plan?

To increase your roster limit, remove branding, or enable Stripe dues collection:

Go to Settings → Billing tab
Click "Upgrade Plan"
Choose your plan:
Growth ($29/month): 300 roster, 10 pipeline, no branding, Stripe dues
Scale ($59/month): 750 roster, 25 pipeline, no branding, Stripe dues
Pro ($69+/month): Unlimited roster, 100 pipeline, no branding, Stripe dues
Enter payment information (credit/debit card)
Click "Subscribe"

Your plan upgrades immediately. You'll be charged monthly on the same day each month.

To change or cancel your plan:
- Go to Settings → Billing → "Manage Subscription"
- You can upgrade, downgrade, or cancel anytime
- If you cancel, you keep access until the end of your billing period

Need a discount?
- We offer free Pro plans for qualifying 501(c)(3) nonprofits and veteran organizations
- Contact us at [email protected] with your tax ID to apply

How do I export all my organization's data?

To download a complete backup of your organization data:

Go to Settings → Exports tab
Click "Export All Data (ZIP)"
A ZIP file downloads containing:
members.csv – Full member roster with all fields
events.csv – All events and RSVPs
emails.csv – Email blast history
dues.csv – Invoices and payments
documents/ – All uploaded documents and meeting minutes
Save this file for your records

What's included:
- All member data (names, emails, addresses, custom fields, statuses)
- All events (past and future)
- Email history and delivery stats
- Dues invoices and payment records
- Documents and meeting minutes

When to export:
- Before making major changes
- Monthly backups for your records
- If you're considering switching platforms
- For annual reports to your board

Note: Only Admins and Owners can export all data.

How do I delete my organization?

To permanently delete your organization:

Go to Settings → Danger Zone tab (scroll to bottom)
Click "Delete Organization"
Read the warning carefully
Type your organization name to confirm
Click "Permanently Delete"

What happens:
- Your organization is soft-deleted (hidden from view)
- You have 30 days to change your mind and restore it
- After 30 days, all data is permanently deleted (hard purge)

During the 30-day grace period:
- You can contact [email protected] to restore your organization
- No data is actually deleted yet

After 30 days:
- All data is permanently deleted:
- Member records
- Events
- Email history
- Documents
- Dues records
- This cannot be undone

Before deleting:
- Export all your data (see "How do I export all my organization's data?" above)
- Cancel your subscription if on a paid plan
- Notify your members they'll lose portal access

How do I contact support?

For help with Sodalo:

Email: [email protected]
Response time: We respond within 48 hours (24 hours for paid subscribers, usually faster)
Live chat: Click the chat icon in the bottom right (if available)

When contacting support, include:
- Your organization name
- A description of the issue or question
- Screenshots (if applicable)
- What you were trying to do when the issue occurred

Other resources:
- Help Articles: sodalo.com/help (this page!)
- Guides: sodalo.com/guides (in-depth how-to guides)
- Privacy Policy: sodalo.com/privacy

For billing issues:
- Email [email protected] with "Billing" in the subject
- Include your organization name and subscription details

For feature requests:
- We love hearing your ideas! Email [email protected] with "Feature Request" in the subject
- Tell us what you'd like to see and why it would help your organization

Still have questions?

If you didn't find the answer here, email us at [email protected] — we're happy to help!

You can also browse our in-depth guides at sodalo.com/guides for more detailed tutorials on specific topics.

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