This article explains how fee adjustments work, the four types available, and how to pick the right type for your use case.
Contents
- Quick guide
- Effective period: what it does and what it does not
- The four types compared
- Rate level vs. member level
- Adjustment amount: Absolute, Percentage, New basic amount
- Bulk processing
- Example: 50% discount until end of year
- Visibility in the sales tool
Quick guide
You can set up a fee adjustment in two places:
- For all future members on a rate: Settings / Membership management / Rates / Select the rate / 3-dot menu of the price line / Edit Membership fee adjustment rules.
- For an individual member: Member file / Active memberships / 3-dot menu of the membership / Fee adjustments / Add membership fee adjustments.
Effective period: what it does and what it does not
Every fee adjustment has an effective period. The important thing to understand:
The effective period controls which fees the adjustment is applied to. It does not mean the adjustment is automatically reverted afterwards.
Whether the adjustment is reverted at the end of the period is decided by the type you choose (see the next section).
The four types compared
| Type | Behaviour during effective period | Behaviour after the period ends | Typical use case |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reference date | Adjustment runs once or on a recurring basis on a fixed date (for example, every January 1st). | Adjustment remains in place until you end it manually. | Annual price increase on January 1st. |
| Membership extension | Adjustment only applies when the contract is extended inside the effective period. | Adjustment stays in place for the extended contract. | New price from the first renewal after the minimum term. |
| Period | Adjustment is applied after X days, weeks, months or years from the contract start, within the effective period. | Adjustment remains in place. The fee is not reset to the base price when the effective period ends. | Permanent price change with a delayed start. |
| Time limited | Adjustment is applied immediately to every fee whose service period falls inside the effective period. | Adjustment is automatically reverted. Fees with a service period starting after the effective period return to the base price. | Fixed term discount, for example "50% off until December 31st". |
Rule of thumb: If the fee should return to the base price at the end, use Time limited. With Period, the adjustment stays in place permanently.
Rate level vs. member level
Not every type is available everywhere:
| Type | On the rate | On an individual member |
|---|---|---|
| Reference date | Yes | Yes |
| Membership extension | Yes | Yes |
| Period | Yes | Yes |
| Time limited | No | Yes |
Time limited discounts or surcharges are therefore only possible per member, not as a rate level rule for all future members.
Adjustment amount: Absolute, Percentage, New basic amount
In addition to the type, you choose how the fee is adjusted:
- Absolute adjustment: A fixed Euro amount, for example +€5.00.
- Percentage adjustment: A percentage of the current fee, for example -50%.
- New basic amount: The new fee is set directly. Only available for one-time adjustments.
For each adjustment you can also choose whether it is one-time or recurring. For example, every 12 months +3% (recurring), or once after 6 months +€10 (one-time).
Bulk processing
To adjust the fees of several members at once, use the bulk operation Membership fee adjustments. A step by step guide is available in the article Contribution adjustment via bulk editing.
The summary at the end of the operation lists:
- selected members
- description of the adjustment
- affected rates
- adjustment amount
- adjustment interval (if not one-time)
Example: 50% discount until end of year
You want to give a member a 50% discount until December 31st, 2026. Base price: €30.00 per month.
With type Time limited (effective period until 31/12/2026):
| Due date | Service period | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| 01/12/2026 | 01/12/2026–31/12/2026 | €15.00 (discount active) |
| 01/01/2027 | 01/01/2027–31/01/2027 | €30.00 (discount reverted) |
With type Period (same effective period):
| Due date | Service period | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| 01/12/2026 | 01/12/2026–31/12/2026 | €15.00 |
| 01/01/2027 | 01/01/2027–31/01/2027 | €15.00 (adjustment continues) |
Bottom line: For a discount with a clear end date, Time limited is the correct type. Period only defines when a permanent adjustment starts to apply.
Visibility in the sales tool
When a contract with a fee adjustment is signed, the price change is shown in the summary view and on the final preview before signature. The adjustment is also included in the contract preview document and in the fee overview.