Chorus Connection has officially launched Custom Fields! Cue the fireworks.
If your chorus is using Chorus Connection, your admins can now can create Custom Fields to keep track of the member information that is most important for your chorus. You'll have the ability to create your own checkbox, date, email, number, phone, drop-down, and text fields with varying permissions for editing and viewing. And, best of all, you'll have the option to export all of this information - hooray!
If you're feeling overwhelmed by possibility, I'm here to help. Here are a few creative ways you can use your new custom fields:
Member Anniversary or Renewal Date
Some choruses, such as barbershop choruses, need to renew their members with either their regional or national organizations. A member renewal date field can help you remember when it's time to renew each chorister's membership. You can also create a field to keep track of a member's anniversary date so you can track how long a singer has been involved with the choir.
Gender Pronouns
If your member directory needs a place to show gender pronouns such as they/them/theirs, she/her/hers, etc. you can now create a custom text: single-line field to display this information.
Board or Volunteer Role
Looking for a better way to showcase your board members, staff, or volunteers in the directory? Now you can add a text: single-line field or text: multi-line field to display their volunteer role(s). You could even create another field or an additional text line to indicate which committees to which a person belongs.
Emergency Contact Information
Use Custom Fields to store emergency contact information for your choristers. Try the creating a text: multi-line field to store the emergency contact's name, email, phone, and address all in one place.
Music/Costume Number
Inventory managers rejoice! If your chorus has music folder numbers or costume numbers, you can now create a number field to display this information.
Costume Size
Keep track of costume or T-shirt sizes so you can order new inventory. Try the drop-down field to keep track of this information. Don't worry - you can hide these fields from view! :)
Second Phone Number or Email Address
Sometimes you just need a place to store multiple emails or phone numbers. Now you can! Select email field or phone field to create.
Employer
Chorus Connection already has an optional field to capture the occupation of every member. But knowing the employer can be useful too, especially when looking for matching grant opportunities. Create a text: single-line field for members to keep track of their employer information. When members donate, the chorus staff can then search a matching employer gifts database, such as Double the Donation, to see if an employer match may be possible!
What are you waiting for? Go forth and create some Custom Fields.
Tori Cook is the former Director of Sales & Marketing at Chorus Connection, an active board member of the Greater Boston Choral Consortium, and a soprano with the Tanglewood Festival Chorus. In a past life, she was the Music Director of the Harborlight Show Chorus and President of Chorus pro-Musica. When not making music, she daydreams about adopting a golden retriever puppy and scuba diving to exotic locations around the world.