Beacon is a Membership Management System for u3as which allows any u3a to manage their data and communication with their members easily and efficiently. It also it ensures that all u3as comply with all legal requirements relating to the General Data Protection Regulation 2016 (GDPR), a regulation in law on data protection and privacy throughout both the European Union and the European Economic Area.
Beacon provides individual u3as with a secure, efficient and effective means of managing their day-to-day business functions in respect of:
Membership
All aspects of membership.
Beacon provides a comprehensive set of tools for handling membership: new members, renewals, subscriptions, address changes, membership cards and communications.
Individual Sutton Coldfield u3a Members can access the Beacon Members' Portal from here.
Groups
Membership, venues and calendar.
Interest Groups are the heart of a u3a, and Beacon provides Group Organisers with membership management, calendars, group ledgers, and easy communication with group members.
Every group has its own details page containing full details of the group and its members.
Beacon allows restricted access to only to the parts users need to administer their own group(s). This helps Group Organisers comply with the GDPR requirements.
Sutton Coldfield u3a Group Organisers can access the Beacon Administration Portal from here.
Finances
A secure transaction-based approach.
Financial management is based on a secure, simple transaction approach. Every transaction can be assigned to individuals, groups and categories, and the system provides tools for reconciliation with bank accounts and regular reporting.
Organisers. Please note that it's important to quote the group number when entering details relating to payments.
The Beacon Membership Management System is currently being used by over 400 u3as and feedback has been exceptional by those u3as that are using it.
But nothing stands still, so the ongoing Beacon Upgrade project will provide all u3as with a safer, better-looking and more modern Beacon, supporting them for decades to come.
Further Information About Beacon
If you need any further information or help regarding Beacon, there's a website which is dedicated to it to be found here - u3a Beacon. Here you can find information on all aspects of the software and its operation, including a User Forum where you can find answers to many common issues, or ask questions to try to find answers to your own problems.