Overview

We built UnitiBase by working with union staff in union offices. We looked at existing systems and worked to make UnitiBase better.

Today UnitiBase is tested and operating. We still work with unions, but now to extend and enhance the system to make it the most efficient and powerful membership and management system it can be.

It probably has everything you want in a membership system. But if it doesn't, we can work with you and your team to build it.

Gavin Wills and Mark Kuiphuis
Developers of UnitiBase

Conventional information is recorded for members and may be maintained by authorised union staff and by members themselves via private online accounts.

• In-built data validation prevents many common data entry errors.
• Members may be contacted by SMS or e-mail from within UnitiBase, with a communication history automatically created. Documents may be created and sent by e-mail or conventional means. See Integrated communication.
• Member rate-category is regulated by the system based on your union's rates and rules, and the member's membership information. 
• Membership history is retained and not overwritten. Over time this enables changes and trends to be analysed. For more information see Analysis and reporting.

The UnitiBase Companies structure offers much greater power and flexibility than normally found in a membership system. It supports multiple branches and multiple addresses per branch, multiple contacts and roles. In this respect it is more like a CRM system for unions than a standard membership system.

• Stores employer information required by Fair Work Commission for EBAs and awards.
  
• Supports other company types such as builders, project managers and service providers such as counselling groups and debt-collectors.
  
• If required UnitiBase would support direct,controlled access by employers to, for example, engage in EBA reporting or manage payroll deduction payments and acquittals.

Projects are jobs that occurs at one or more sites. In the construction sector it is usually a construction or refurbishment project that occurs on a single site. UnitiBase supports the assignment of both members and companies to projects.

• Key project attributes are recorded. Examples from construction include project value and height, used for the determination of certain allowances, and whether a project levy is payable.
  
• Members on the project may be designated and managed as delegates/stewards, automatically including them in certain reports and management communication.
  
• Projects may be assigned to organisers.

Charging and payments are the most complex part of any membership system. This is the area where UnitiBase provides the most control and support to users to avoid errors and maximise efficiency.

Most of the client-specific automation occurs here. One UnitiBase installation, for example, is set up to automatically terminate a member's direct debit arrangement after successive defaults, reset their balance, move them to invoice, generate an invoice for the remainder of the term, and notify their responsible organiser.

UnitiBase supports different approaches to charging – in advance or arrears, periodic payments, etc. It supports discounts for particular payment channels.

Members can pay using conventional methods and channels such as physical media, BPay, direct debit from bank and credit card accounts, payroll deductions and on-line payments.

• The amount that members pay is regulated by the system based on your union's rates and rules, and the member's membership information. It is not possible for operators to incorrectly over- or under-charge members if membership information is correct.
• Payment period durations – weekly, fortnightly, monthly and full-term, for example – may be set up as required.
• UnitiBase supports the creation of repayment plans via direct debit and dealings with employers on the payment of payroll deduction instalments.
  

Like most systems UnitiBase provides standard (set) reports and the ability to retrieve lists of members based on flexible search criteria.

• Standard reports for management committees.
• A suite of financial reports to support cash reconciliation and accounting functions
• Exception reports to detect errors and omissions in data entry.