KC s2M+MC – Bidirectional transparent integration/synchronization/bridge of s2Member® with MailChimp®

A happy customer creates a video presentation for this plugin. Thanks, Cassel!

The plugin cares only about the lists associated with your site. You can have more lists in your MailChimp® account, but they are not touched.

When you get a new member in the list (or you create/import new member manually), the plugin creates a new account in your site for that person.^1,2

When your member in MailChimp® list changes an email, plugin changes the email in site's account. Same thing for changes to the first and last name of the member.

If a member unsubscribes from a list (but not delete), no emails will be send to that member, also account stay in your site. So if member changes his info in MailChimp® site, his account still will be updated too.

If a member is deleted from the MailChimp® site, his account will be deleted in your site too, if it is not in other list(s) in MailChimp®, thus allowing better lists handling. Also saves your money: in MailChimp® duplicate entries count as separate members, and if one list has 500 names and another list has 200 duplicates of those, MC will count as if you have 700 names and will charge you for 700 (but, depend of your scenarion, you may need them this way). The Pro version also have a radiobutton to set behavior in deleting a member from MailChimp® list: you can choose to delete the member (default), or to keep it.

If the mail box of the member, saved in the list, disappears, or is out of service or so, MailChimp® "cleans" that member automatically. The corresponding account in your site will be deleted too. Or not, depending of if the member stay in other lists, or (with Pro version) did you choose that.

You also can re-set MailChimp® site or check synchronization manually, read more in section "Usage".

Even when you change your lists (add more lists, remove lists etc), the plugin will "know" and will do what is needed, all automatically.

Administrators of your site are "taboo" for the plugin. They newer will be updated, deleted, etc. (that's a good thing, right?)

WARNING: because of how powerful this plugin is, you have to also be careful: if you choose to move a user from one MailChimp® list to another, means that one user will be deleted and that can also delete the s2Member® account. This means that if you really need to move the user, you will have to recreate the MailChimp® account and the plugin will recreate it in s2M.

¹ When members are added from the MailChimp® list to your site, they are always added with the "default role" which you set in "Settings->General" page, so it is best to set it as "subscribers" (or "s2Member_Level_0"), or there could be security issues. Note that synchronization of lists for other roles creates new mis-synchronization with the lists for "subscribers", so be careful.

² Will not add a member from MailChimp® lists twice, even if the member is listed in two lists.

See the comparison table, please.

Please read the manual. The video guide may be easer, but gets old with any next version, new version have new needs.

Possible "start up" list. Be carefull, this works for one of my customers (there was "groups::sub-groups" structure that needs to be implemented by ccaps), but most likely will not works for you, will need to set it to your needs.

1. Create new merge fields in MC list (audience): one for "role" and
one for each ccap that you use.
2. In admin page of my plugin: map the "role" merge tag to "role",
and each ccap merge tag to corresponding ccap.
3. In MC: set automailers to use new merge tags instead groups.
4. In s2M options: remove groups in all the levels
5. In WP "users" options: you can use "bulk edit" in WP, to set need ccaps. It's edited
on groups of 20 users together - not very fast, but secure (you
should test it on fake accounts anyway). My faster way is manually too,
but directly in DB - avoids limitations of WP, will need few commands
only.
6. In admin page of my plugin: use "Synch existing members from site to audience" button to set initial values of the new merge tags.
7. Be happy!

Nothing to do, it already works for you. That's because it is "transparent"...

With Pro version: you can look at settings, there is lot of possibilities, see bellow in screenshots.

Note, that when the plugin creates a new member, that new member needs a username and a password. The member's email is used as username (or you can choose a merge tag). The password is set to the a random string, but it can not be shown (as for now). The member will not know how to log in to your site. In this case it is strongly recommended that you include the instructions in the 'Signup "Thank You" Page' (editable in "Create Forms" page for the list in your MailChimp® account) like this:

When you reach back our site, your username will be "*|EMAIL|*". There is no password we can give you, so once you will reach the log in screen for the first time on the [your site], click "Lost your password?" and you will be prompted to choose one that you can remember.

From time to time you can re-check the synchronization and settings at MailChimp® site, but it is not really necessary. Well, must be some buttons in the admin page... :-)

Other features:

You can set what to do plugin when a member is deleted/cleaned from MailChimp® list: can delete or keep user in the site.

You can lock some (or all :-/ ) synchronization events. This makes it VERY flexible.

You can set a "map" for each list, so each list can have his own set of "roads". Can create "roads" from "merge tags" in MailChimp® list to "WP account info" (standard profile fields), "s2Member® Profile Fields" (include ccaps^*!) and even to "s2Member® Custom Profile Fields". Note, that map works with both directions, so if you change some mapped field of a member in your site, it will be changed in MailChimp® list too.

Note, that trying to synchronize your lists once the plugin is already doing it automatically would have some drawbacks:

• Manual synchronization ("Synch it" and "Synch ALL" buttons) does a full synchronization - adds members to MC if there is missed, or from MC to WP, if there is extra. This is lot of work, so the page can load slowly, be patient.
• Also it is hard by different mean: for example, it is impossible for plugin to know if a member belongs to two different lists with two different emails, so it will save it to the site twice. There are many cases where problems can be hidden, so think before doing any manual synchronization, and check the result after. There is no way to get this done automatically.
• The plugin can not deal with situations like this: a member wants different emails with each your lists. In this case there can be several scenarios, like the member's email in the site will be the last set in MailChimp® site one, or there will be several members with different emails. Fortunately these are very rare cases.

In the admin area page you will find a link to list with possible new features. You can add more features in this "wish list" and can vote for which one to be done first, while donating some bucks for faster development.

^* Note, that with Basic version ccaps are not "really synchronized". Means, change/add/remove of a ccap (by some purchase, for example) did not change it in MC, unless synchronization is forced by other change. This is because ccaps are s2Member feature only, and they are independent from anything, include by other ccaps. There is no good way to track ccaps I know, yet... But several "limited ways" exists, and can be added to the plugin (and some are already added in Pro version), so if you need that, let me know. We can find some solution.

FAQs was moved to his own page.

Admin area if s2Member® is not installed or MailChimp® API key is not set:

Admin area with two lists not synchronized:

Admin area in Free version:

Admin area in Basic version:

Admin area in Pro version:

The Pro version have several more features:

When s2Member® changes the user's level, like when demotes the member account at EOT, Mailchimp® is updated too. Means, if you choose to synchronize "user role", it will be synchronized just after the change, and you will have the real role in MC's merge tag.

Additionally, the "Role" field now can be synchronized both by "system name" like "s2member_level1", or by your name you set in s2M's options like "Professional Member".

Now in "Users" page you will have a new column "Lists", where will be shown each list where the user is subscribed. Well, if you not need it, just hide it by "Screen options" there.

Can not sort users by this new column. But can filter them! There is two new links for each list, just under the system filters links: "in ListX" and "NOT in ListX". Means "all members in ListX" (where "ListX" is the list ID) and "all members NOT in ListX". It was an epic battle with WP and s2M to build them, hope they will do your life easier.

Moreover, you can check if a member is in some list by s2M conditionals like:

[s2If kcs2mmc_subscribed_to(ListX)]
content available for the user who is subscribed to the ListX
[/s2If]

[s2If !kcs2mmc_subscribed_to(ListX)]
content available for the user who is NOT subscribed to the ListX
[/s2If]

But biggest update is that now plugin allows you to synchronize each ccap separately with a merge tag. And it's bi-directional! Means, this allows you to create a field in MC form and the plugin will set a ccap to member for you, automatically! Sure, you will get the merge updated if you delete the ccap from Admin area too. Or if member buy some ccap too. And so on, open your mind, there waits lot of useful possibilities!

Note that such massive changes have some "bad sides"... You have to click "Check synchronization" button often. For example, sometimes people can be shown as "subscribed" in "Users" page, while they are not. So before you do some change of a member, related to lists, check synchronization first.

Plugin fixes this bug in s2Members (already successfully fixed by s2M team). I urge you to update my plugin, to avoid unsubscribing/deleting of MC members. What is the problem: If you choose to set "agree" checkbox, to ensure that members know that they will be added to the list, that checkbox stay in member's profile too. And when member updates his info in WP, checkbox are left unchecked, which unsubscribes the member from the list... Also if member changes his email, s2M treats him as a new member for the MC list, and sends "new member" request, instead "change email", so member gets "confirm address" email from MC (where you set double opt-in) for the new email, and is deleted with his old address. Well, I was able to fix these problems in my plugin, except "confirm" email.

EOT time can be mapped with 4 formats: "Unix timestamp", "pseudointeger YYYYMMDD", "plain English text" and "MailChimp safe MM/DD/YYY". Means, you can set a merge tag in the list and map the EOT to it, and use this info to "slice" the list for specific campaign.

EOT days/weeks/months before/after expiration. Means, if you set "Days before/after EOT", and in a merge you have "12", this will means that after 12 days this member will be turned to free one. Can use this for (automated) reminders. Or, after the membership expires, member will have "-5", which means that his membership expires 5 days ago. Can use for (automated) followups.

Can send standard WP welcome email with password when import new member from MC. Or not... Old versions had no way to send such email, and was no way to new members to know his password. Now is possible to set it to send "Welcome email" of WP (or edited in s2M) with the username and password, to the new members, created from MC members.

When "Username" is "Email Address", can change "Username" when "Email Address" is changed. Means, now we ensure, that when we set username to be the user's email, it always will be, even the user (or you) change the email. Good for users - not need to remember that username is his old email.

Now  is possible to synchronize "registration date" in "human readable" and "MC date" format. But be carefull - you must choose right one when you synchronize it with a merge tag. Whe you create the tag as "date" in MC, it is "MC format". Don't miss that, or will be unexpected behaviour...

Shows the lists with missing members. Under the "Check for missing members" button you see messages, when some members don't exists in site or in MC list. Now the numbers there are links, which open a pop-up window with emails of missing members. This way you are able to search for them in your DB and in MC list, and can find why they are missing. So you can care better for your lists and site, as result.

Allows to synchronize existing member's info. There is new buttons for each list and for all the lists together. Means, now the "Synch it" buttons care for "missing/new members" only. But if a member stay in both WP database and in the list, "Synch it" buttons will not touch it. Instead, these new buttons will update it, means will copy the user's info from/to WP database to/from MC list, when you need that. With old versions the only way was to save the user's profile, which can not be done at bulk. members.

Well, all this means that lot of manual job can be saved, while allowing better list's and user's handling.

Newest features:

• Synchronization with setting at "s2Member Admin -> API / List Servers -> Registration / Double Opt-In Box?". Now the plugin reads what you set in s2Member's settings about double opt-in.
• Updating user info in MC after password reset - to be sure that info is synchronized
• Fixed "multiple confirmation emails" problem

And plugin can be even better. At "New features" page you can select (or suggest) another feature, the list is long. This way you can choose new features you would like to see included in the future Pro versions.

Did you have some suggestions? What else you would like to have as features? You can see what others wants, can add your feature, and can vote which one to be done first at this page.

"Your plugin is great.... I am cleaning out my MC list from members who have not opened an email in 6 months... And I know it will be updated in s2M! And I am so glad for that plugin myself. I got dozens of new members using the MC sign in form! It would have been so much work to do it manually, or require the users to register a second time, possibly with different information in s2M and MC.... And prevents errors or omissions. Your plugin does much more than those other paid plugins!"

Cassel
http://scrapbookcampus.com