360Alumni onboarding overview & prelaunch checklist

Onboarding usually takes a couple of weeks, but you can set a timeline that fits your team and launch plans. Your Client Success Manager (CSM) will guide you through each step, from alumni database management and profile setup to stakeholder training and launch.

Complete payment and banking forms

After your contract and payment are received, 360Alumni will set up your community and hand it over by the date agreed during implementation planning.

If you are based in the United States, complete these steps so your organization can receive proceeds from Events, Campaigns, and Memberships.

1. Download 360Alumni’s IRS Form W-9 and provide it to your accounting department.
2. Complete the IRS Form W-9 for your organization and send a copy to 360Alumni. This allows us to send proceeds from your community.
3. Download, complete, and return the ACH Transfer Authorization Form. ACH details allow us to promptly send proceeds from event registrations, fundraising, and membership sales.

Meet your Client Success Manager

Your CSM will schedule a kickoff meeting once your community is ready. Share any fixed deadlines—such as an alumni event, campaign, membership launch, or reunion date—at the start of onboarding so your plan can be built around them.

Plan your data and profile setup

Your first onboarding meeting focuses on your alumni CRM data and profile configuration. Before the meeting, decide how you want alumni information stored and used in your alumni directory.

1. Identify the custom profile fields and custom objects you need.
2. Decide which information is visible to community members and which is limited to Full Access users.
3. Choose which fields or objects should be searchable.
4. Set default privacy choices for profile information.
5. Share sample rows from your current CRM or spreadsheet if you would like guidance on your profile structure.

As you prepare to import data, 360Alumni can also help with services such as data normalization, mobile phone validation, and email deliverability checks.

Train your team and stakeholders

Your second onboarding meeting is training for the people who will manage or support your community. Invite the stakeholders who will work with features such as Email Marketing, Events, Groups, Memberships, Campaigns, Opportunities, Showcases, and Asks & Offers.

1. Collect questions from attendees before the session.
2. Send them to your CSM in advance.
3. Ask your CSM to focus the training on the workflows your team will use first.

Review content and plan your launch

Your third onboarding meeting focuses on launch planning. You and your CSM will review the first content created in your community and identify any final updates before you invite members.

1. Review your home page, welcome messages, and initial content.
2. Confirm the features you plan to make available at launch.
3. Review recommendations and community-management best practices from your CSM.
4. Use the sample community content and email template to prepare your launch announcement.
5. Confirm your launch date and the team members responsible for monitoring questions and activity.

After launch

Once you launch, your CSM will check in periodically and may share recommendations based on activity in your community. You can also contact your CSM directly, email questions to support@360Alumni.com, or contact our CEO & Founder with ideas for additional features.

Related articles

• Planning your community
• ACH Transfer Form
• Importing alumni data into your 360Alumni community
• Customizing user profiles
• Email template introducing 360Alumni