Change a member's level (upgrade or downgrade)

Who can do this: Owner, Administrator, Finance, Fundraiser, Programs and Front desk. A Viewer can see the Member List but doesn't see "Renew or change level" in the row menu.

Quick steps: Membership › "Member List" › ⋯ on the member's row › "Renew or change level" › choose "Move up now" or "Change level at renewal" › pick the "Level" › "Record upgrade" or "Save"

Before you start

• You need one of the roles above.
• The new level must already exist and be offered. See "Set up membership levels: add, edit, duplicate, stop offering and delete".
• Have to hand: the member's name, the level they want, and, if they paid for the change, the amount and the check number.
• A level is one kind of membership you sell, for example "Individual" or "Family".
• A term is the period a membership is paid for, for example Dec 1, 2026 to Dec 1, 2027.

Choose the right option

The "Renew or change level" box offers up to three choices:

• "Move up now": the member moves to a higher level today. They pay the difference in price. Their expiry date stays the same.
• "Change level at renewal": nothing changes today and nothing is paid now. When they next renew, they renew at the new level. Use this for a downgrade, or for an upgrade that should wait.
• "Renew": renews the membership for a new term. You can pick a different level while renewing. See Record a renewal paid by check or cash.

"Move up now" only appears if your organization lets members move up partway through a term. That is set on Membership Settings, "Rules" tab, under "Moving up a level partway through a term". See "Set membership term rules: fixed year or rolling, renewing early, grace period".

Move a member up a level now

Page: /dashboard/membership/members

1. In the left-hand menu, click "Membership". The group opens.
2. Click "Member List". The page is headed "Membership List".
3. Find the member. Type their name or email in "Search by name or email..." above the list, then click "Apply Filters".
4. On the member's row, at the far right under "Actions", click the three dots (⋯). If you can't see them, scroll the table sideways.
5. Click "Renew or change level".
6. A box opens called "Renew or change level". At the top it shows the member's name, level and "paid through" date.
7. Click "Move up now".
8. In "Level", choose the new level. Only levels priced higher than their current one are listed.
9. Read the gray box below. It shows the new level, the dates and "The difference is" with the amount.
10. Leave "Payment received" selected.
11. In "Paid by", choose how they paid, for example "Check" or "Cash".
12. "Amount" fills in with the difference. Change it only if they paid a different amount.
13. If they paid by check, type the number in "Check number or reference (optional)".
14. "Email the member a receipt" is checked. Uncheck it if you don't want a receipt sent.

Important: the next click records the payment and changes the level today. With "Email the member a receipt" checked, it also emails the member a receipt.

15. Click the button at the bottom right. It reads "Record upgrade ·" and the amount, for example "Record upgrade · $25.00".
16. You'll see a message like "Recorded. Family runs Dec 1, 2026 – Dec 1, 2027." That means it worked.

If you choose "Card" in "Paid by", the button reads "Charge card ·" and the amount, and a card form opens. See "Cards and auto-renew: take a card by phone, set how next year is paid, charge now".

Change the level from their next renewal

Page: /dashboard/membership/members

1. Follow steps 1 to 6 of "Move a member up a level now".
2. Click "Change level at renewal".
3. In "Level", choose the level they should renew at. It starts on the first level in the list, not on their current one, so always pick it. Higher and lower levels are both listed.
4. Read the shaded box under it. It says, for example, "They stay Individual through Dec 1, 2026, then renew as Family at $75.00."
5. Click "Save" at the bottom right. Nothing is charged.
6. You'll see a message like "Jordan Lee will renew as Family." That means it worked. In the list, a small "Then Family" label shows beside their level.

Special cases

• No higher level to choose: under "Move up now" you may see "There is no higher level to move up to." Use "Change level at renewal" or "Renew" instead.
• The member pays monthly: the option is called "Change level now" instead of "Move up now". Lower levels are listed too. Nothing is paid now; the rest of this year's monthly payments change to the new level's price. The button reads "Record level change · Nothing to pay now".
• The member's card renews automatically: with "Change level at renewal", a yellow note says "Their card renews automatically. Turn off auto-renew first, then choose the level they renew at." "Save" stays grayed out. Turn off auto-renew first. See "Cards and auto-renew: take a card by phone, set how next year is paid, charge now".
• With "Move up now" on an auto-renewing member: a yellow note asks you to check "Turn off auto-renew" so they aren't charged twice. The record button stays grayed out until you check it.
• No charge: choose "No charge" instead of "Payment received", then pick a reason in "Why it's free". The button reads "Record upgrade · No charge".
• "Move up now" is grayed out: the membership isn't active, for example it has expired. Use "Renew" and pick the new level.
• "Renew or change level" is grayed out in the menu: the member's last online payment is still going through. Try again later.
• Dues members: a member of a dues level has "Open dues member" in the menu instead. This guide doesn't apply to them.
• Red message in the box instead of the gray summary: Clerestory couldn't work out the change, for example "Couldn't work out this change". Close the box and try again. If it repeats, contact Clerestory support.

If you make a mistake

• Picked the wrong level with "Change level at renewal": open the box again, choose "Change level at renewal", pick the right level and click "Save". Their current level isn't offered here, so you can't clear the change this way. When you record their renewal, the box shows "This replaces the pending change to" and the level, and the level you pick then is the one they get.
• Recorded an upgrade with the wrong level or amount: this can't be undone in the screens. Contact Clerestory support with the member's name and the date you recorded it.
• Wrong dates: see "See paid periods and fix start or expiry dates".