“We need a better membership system.”
It sounds simple. But many clubs stop there. Because the transition seems complicated. What happens to all the member data? Do we lose people’s phone numbers? Will it be chaos?
That is why many clubs are stuck with old, slow systems — the year goes by and nothing happens.
Switching systems does not turn into chaos if you plan it.
Here is the path from “we want to switch” to “the system works”.
When is the right time to switch
Do not switch systems just because you are tired of the one you have. Switch when you have a good reason to.
You should switch if:
- The system is worn out: You spend 3 hours a week on manual tasks the system should have done automatically
- Integrations are missing: You need to integrate with accounting, and the old system cannot do that
- You need new features: Members should be able to sign up for activities via an app, and the old system does not have that
- It is insecure: The system is not being updated, or it does not encrypt data
- The cost is high: You pay more than the system is worth to the club
You should NOT switch if:
- The system works fine, but it is “new”: New does not mean better
- You are tired of it, but have no alternative ready: Plan first, then switch
- You would have to switch at short notice: If you have 2 weeks until the annual general meeting, do not start switching now
- You do not have time to configure a new system: Switching systems requires someone to set aside time for it
Conclusion: Switch when you have a specific need and the time to do it properly.
Phase 1: Planning (1 week)
Before you buy anything, you need to know what you need.
Write a requirements specification:
1. What should the membership system do?
- Register members (name, phone, address, gender)
- Overview of paid/unpaid membership fees
- Grouping of members (junior, senior, coach)
- SMS/email to members
- Exporting lists for the annual general meeting
- Integration with accounting
- App for members
2. How many members do you have?
- 50 members? 500? 5,000?
- (More people = higher cost)
3. Who will use it?
- Only the treasurer? Or leaders and coaches too?
- Should members register themselves?
4. Budget:
- How much can the club spend per year?
- A one-off fee for migration?
Write down the answers. You will need them when you compare systems.
Talk to your federation or other clubs:
- What do you use?
- What do you like, and what do you not like?
This phase takes 2–3 hours, but saves you many hours later.
Phase 2: Evaluation and selection (1 week)
Now you compare systems.
Find 2–3 relevant solutions:
- Rubic (membership system + accounting + volunteer management)
- Manual solution (Excel + Slack) for very small clubs
Each solution should offer:
- A free trial period or demo
- Readable documentation
- Support that responds within a reasonable time
Test the alternatives:
- Create a test organisation
- Create 10 test members
- Try doing what you need (SMS, export, grouping)
In Rubic, for example, you can:
- Register members
- Send an SMS to the whole group
- Export lists to Excel
- See the accounts in the same system if the club uses Rubic Regnskap
Choose one system. Do not hesitate.
Phase 3: Exporting data from the old system (2 hours)
Before you leave the old system, you need to get all the data out.
What to export:
- Member list (name, phone, address, membership number, payment status)
- History (when they registered, when they paid the membership fee, whether they are active)
- Groups/teams (if members are divided into groups)
- Email lists (if the system has them)
How to export:
Most systems have an “Export” button that creates an Excel file. If not, contact the supplier — they should be able to do it.
What you do NEXT:
- Open the Excel file in Excel (or Google Sheets)
- Check that all the fields are correct: name, phone, address, membership number
- Delete rows that should not be included (old members from 2010 who were never active)
- Store the file in a secure place (do not send it by email)
Note: Some old systems make it difficult to get data out. Tell the supplier you are switching — they will help. If the supplier refuses to help you get your data out, that is a red flag for poor practice.
Phase 4: Importing data into the new system (3–6 hours)
Now you put the data into the new system.
Parts of the process:
- Format the data: The new system may expect names as “first name, last name” and not “Ola Nordmann”. Format the Excel list to suit the new system.
- Import: Most modern systems have an import function. You upload the Excel file, and it creates the members automatically.
- Validate: Check that all members came across. Does the system count 347 members? Did the old system have 347?
- Test logging in: Let a couple of members try to log in and view their own profile. Is everything correct?
- Configure access: Who should be able to see the list of all members? Who should be able to edit? Set it up now.
In Rubic, an adviser moves members, teams, payments and relevant history for you, and quality-checks everything before you go live.
What if something goes wrong?
- Some members were not imported → Add them manually (5 minutes per person)
- Phone numbers are in the wrong format → Configure the format in the system (10 minutes)
- The email address is missing → Not critical, you can fix it as you go
It is rare for everything to be perfect the first time. That is just how it is.
Phase 5: User training (1–2 hours live, then as needed)
Now the people in the club need to learn the system.
Who needs to learn what:
- Treasurer: The whole system (members, payments, reports)
- Chair: Member overview, sending messages, starting meetings
- Coaches: Member list for their team, perhaps registrations for training
- Members: How to log in, change their profile, pay the membership fee
Training format:
- For the treasurer: 60 minutes of live video or a meeting with the supplier’s support team
- For the chair: 30 minutes (the treasurer demonstrates, or video)
- For coaches: 15 minutes or a written guide
- For members: Your choice — send an email or SMS with an instruction video
Rubic offers training in Norwegian, tailored to the roles in the club.
How to switch to Rubic without losing data — see how the migration works, step by step.
Phase 6: Phasing out the old system (done gradually)
You do not need to “switch off” the old system the next day. Do it gradually.
Week 1 of the new system:
- The new system is “live” — members are using it
- The old system is “read-only” — you can view the history, but you do not add anything new
Weeks 2–4:
- Run a check: do all the figures match between the old and the new?
- If so, remove access to the old system
After a year:
- The old system can be deleted or archived
- Keep only the history the club needs, and delete personal data that is no longer needed
What if you need to go back?
During the first few weeks, if problems arise, you can still use the old system as a backup. After a month, you will have enough confidence to shut down the old system.
Typical timeline
Week 1:
- Tuesday: Board meeting, decision: “we are switching”
- Wednesday–Friday: Evaluating systems
Week 2:
- Monday: New system purchased
- Tuesday: Data exported from the old system
- Wednesday–Thursday: Data imported and tested
- Friday: Training for the treasurer and chair
Week 3:
- Monday: Members get access
- All week: Questions and adjustments
Week 4:
- Old system shut down
- New system in normal operation
Time investment:
- Chair of the board: 4 hours
- Treasurer: 8 hours
- Support (from the supplier): 3 hours
- Total: 15 hours
That is not insignificant. But for a club that will use the system for 5 years, it works out at 3 hours per year — or 15 minutes per month. It is worth it.
Checklist for switching systems
- Needs mapped (what should the new system do?)
- 2–3 alternatives evaluated
- One system chosen and purchased
- Data from the old system exported
- Data validated (all members present, no duplicates)
- Data imported into the new system
- Treasurer and chair trained
- Members given access
- Questions from users answered
- Old system shut down