Automatic renewals simplify membership management by processing payments on behalf of members as their renewal date approaches. Similar to widely used subscription services, this feature ensures that memberships continue without interruption, eliminating the need for members to log in or complete manual steps.
Organization Staff View
How to Set Up Recurring Payments
You can enable the auto-renewal feature by going to Settings > Membership > General Information.
- To set it up for a new membership type, go to Settings > Membership Types and click + Add Membership Type.
- To enable it for an existing membership type, click the three-dot menu next to the type you want to edit.
In either case, scroll down under General Information at the bottom of the page. You will see the Activate Recurring Payment checkbox.
Once you check this box, two additional optional settings will appear:
- Authorize only recurring payments and deactivate other payment methods – requires members to submit their card details and accept automatic payment.
- Skip approval/confirmation steps in auto-renewal – allows members to pay automatically without going through the usual confirmation and approval steps.
If automatic renewals are not enabled under General Information, you cannot activate them for a membership type. A warning will be displayed in this case.
Repeat these steps for all membership types where you want recurring payments enabled, either as an additional option or the only available payment method.
Selecting “Skip Approval” will cause the renewal to proceed automatically, bypassing the usual confirmation steps, and this will be reflected in the renewal workflow.
How to Manage Recurring Payments from the Organization Dashboard
Display under Member Profile
Once a renewal is triggered, a banner on the member’s profile will indicate that the recurring payment will be applied using the saved card.
On the Finance Details tab of the member profile, the payment method for recurring renewals is displayed. Admin users (And the Primary Member) can interrupt auto-renewal if the member prefers to switch back to manual renewals. Full bank details are not visible to protect the member’s security.
Browsing and Filtering Members with Auto-Renewal Enabled
- In member or membership lists, a dedicated column indicates whether auto-renewal is enabled.
- This column can also be used to filter members and create smart lists for targeted campaigns if needed.
Member Experience
How Members Can Set Up Auto-Renewal
Auto-renewal is available during both the membership application and renewal processes.
- First-Time Users: During application, after validating their email via a six-digit OTP (One-Time Password, valid for 5 minutes), the auto-renewal option becomes immediately available. No separate login or extra steps are required.
- Returning Members: Auto-renewal can be selected during renewal.
Auto-renewal is only available for online payment methods. Members can add or update card details via My Glue > Organization > My Payment Methods.
Managing Auto-Renewal
Members can manage auto-renewal at any time from their profile:
- Stop Auto-Renewal – switch to manual payments using other methods.
- Change Credit Card – update to a new card.
An Auto-Renewal tag appears on profiles when enabled. The option to stop renewal is also available under My Profile.
Auto-Renewal Email Notifications
Members receive emails for:
- Upcoming Renewal Notification – reminder of the upcoming payment.
- Payment Method Update Confirmation – confirms card changes.
- Auto-Renewal Confirmation – sent when a payment is processed automatically.
This ensures a seamless, secure, and convenient auto-renewal experience from the first interaction.
FAQs
Do we support credit cards as well as debit cards?
A: Yes. Both are supported.
Will My Glue display the Wallet if a member hasn’t joined any organization?
A: No.
When is card information saved to the Wallet?
A: Only after a transaction is completed.
When adding a payment from the admin site for an open invoice, will saved payment methods appear?
A: No. Saved payment methods are not retrieved in this case.
When is the “Automatic Recurring Payments” option hidden?
A:
If online payments are not activated in Membership Settings.
If it’s a free membership type.
If a recurring payment fails, will there be another attempt?
A: Yes. The number of retries depends on the payment system. If all attempts fail, the recurring payment will be canceled.
Who can stop recurring payments?
A: The primary member and admin contact.
Is there a “Try Again” option if an automatic payment fails temporarily?
A: Yes. Both admins and members see a notice with an option to retry.
What activities appear in CRM and Membership timelines?
Membership recurring payment received
Auto-renewal canceled
Auto-renewal settings updated
Auto-renewal activated
Auto-renewal enabled/disabled
Order paid
Payment status changed
At what time are renewals charged?
A: At 18:00 (6:00 PM) on the due date, based on the organization’s timezone.
If auto-renewal is stopped, can it be re-enabled?
A: Not immediately. Members can re-enable it only at the next payment cycle.
Can members change the card for renewal?
A: Yes. Members can select another card during renewal. This will stop the current recurring payment and start a new one.
Does Glue Up support 3D Secure authentication cards for auto-renewal?
A: No. Cards requiring 3D Secure authentication are not supported for automatic renewals.
What happens if staff switch a member’s membership type?
A: Auto-renewal is stopped immediately when the membership type is changed.