Mailchimp List Subscribe Form vs Participants Database

Use the Mailchimp List Subscribe plugin to quickly add a Mailchimp signup form block, widget, or shortcode to your WordPress site. After installation, if you already have a Mailchimp account, you’ll log in with that account and then proceed to configure settings. If you don’t have an account, you can create one directly in the plugin. After entering in all your personal details, you’ll need to activate your account via an email that will be sent to you. Once done, you’ll proceed to configure settings. On the settings screen, you’ll select your Mailchimp list, choose merge fields and groups, and configure other options. Once done, you can now add the block, widget, or shortcode ([mailchimpsf_form]) to your site. Typically, installation and setup will take about 5-10 minutes, and absolutely everything can be done via the WordPress Setting GUI, with no file editing at all. WordPress.com compatibility is limited to Business tier users only. How to add a signup form if you have a WordPress.com site. Access Token Encryption Starting in version 1.6.0, authentication has changed to use OAuth. As part of this process, we retrieve an access token that can be used to make API requests. To provide a high-level of security, this access token is encrypted before being stored in the WordPress database. In order to ensure this access token can be decrypted when used, the plugin relies on certain security constants that should remain unchanged. With no additional configuration, we use the standard LOGGED_IN_KEY and LOGGED_IN_SALT constants that are normally set in your site’s wp-config.php file. Some sites make use of security plugins that rotate these constants on a periodic basis. When this happens, we won’t be able to decrypt the access token and you’ll need to reconnect your Mailchimp account to generate a new access token. To prevent such issues, it is recommended to define two additional constants in your site’s wp-config.php file: MAILCHIMP_SF_ENCRYPTION_KEY and MAILCHIMP_SF_ENCRYPTION_SALT. These constants should consist of a combination of characters, preferably at least 32 characters long. Once set, these values should not be changed. For strong values, you can copy some of the values from here and use them. You’ll end up with additional code like the following in your wp-config.php file: define( 'MAILCHIMP_SF_ENCRYPTION_KEY', 'put your unique phrase here' ); define( 'MAILCHIMP_SF_ENCRYPTION_SALT', 'put your unique phrase here' ); If these constants are added after you’ve already authenticated with Mailchimp, you will need to reconnect your account. To avoid this, you can copy the values from LOGGED_IN_KEY and LOGGED_IN_SALT (if they exist) to MAILCHIMP_SF_ENCRYPTION_KEY and MAILCHIMP_SF_ENCRYPTION_SALT respectively. Upgrading If you are upgrading to version 1.2.1 and you used the widget in your sidebar previously, all you need to do is drag the Mailchimp Widget back into the sidebar, visit the Mailchimp settings page (which will have maintained your prior settings), click the “Update List” button, and you’re done!

This plugin offers all the functionality needed to build and maintain a database of people or anything you want. The database is fully configurable, allowing you to define all the fields of information you want to store for each record. The records can be entered individually in the WordPress admin section, imported with a CSV file, or let the individuals themselves create their own record. Display lists of records can be sorted and filtered by any field, and the result exported as a CSV file. This plugin was developed for an organization with the mission of educating and empowering voters. This organization needed to quickly build a database of concerned voters, supporters, and volunteers, giving them an ability to collect input and feedback, organize volunteers, and mobilize its voter constituency with actions such as petition drives and voter education campaigns. This database could be of use to any organization that needs to build and maintain lists of constituents, supporters, members, volunteers, etc. for any purpose. It is designed to be easy to use and serve multiple purposes, with several very powerful features to customize its functionality to the needs of your organization, club, sports team, or any other large group of people. The plugin can be easily adapted to work as a database for other applications such as indexes, directories, catalogs, or anything, really. The plugin uses a system of customizable templates for all its displays, and an API for the customization and extension of its capabilities. The plugin is fully internationalized with a growing set of translations. GDPR Compliance Information for users of Participants Database Some of the features of the Participants Database Plugin: fully configurable database for holding any kind of information about people (or anything, really!) customizable forms for collecting and maintaining records plugin enhancements and add-ons are available from a growing list of free and premium downloads on xnau.com shortcode for inserting a configurable sign-up short form into WordPress pages, posts, etc. completing the sign-up form can direct visitors to another page for a thank you message or reward shortcode for inserting a full-length form for people to fill out and maintain their own records shortcode for displaying the list on the site, including the ability to select and order columns to display, sorting and filtering rules to determine which records are shown and in what order shortcode for showing a search form that takes the user to the search results page email notification and confirmation with secure individual access link email notification when a user edits a record searchable, sortable record listings in the WordPress admin many form elements to choose from including dropdowns, checkboxes, radio buttons, image upload, rich text, etc. export CSV files for interacting with other databases, mass email, print records import CSV files to add large numbers of records from spreadsheets such as Open Office or Google Docs forms can be organized into groups of fields, making long forms easier to navigate and fill out comes with a comprehensive API for deep customization of the plugin functionality Database The heart of this plugin is the participants database, which is completely configurable. It comes pre-filled with standard fields such as name, address, phone, etc., but you can define any fields you want, including the type of field, validation, help text and a print title for each field. Fields are also organized into groups so large amounts of information can be better managed, and long forms broken up into logical sections. Fields can be defined as text-lines, text-areas, rich text (with a rich-text editor), single and multiple-select dropdowns, checkboxes, radio buttons or image uploads. Each field has its own validation which can be required, not required, or validated with a regular expression. Sign Up Form The plugin provides a shortcode for a sign-up form that presents a customizable subset of the fields for a quick signup. For example, your signup form could ask only for a name and email address, creating an easy point-of-entry for new members, supporters or volunteers. The signup can generate two emails: one to an administrator to notify them of the signup, and also to the person signing up. Their email can contain a link to their full record, which they can return and fill out at their leisure. This full form (which is placed on the website with another shortcode) can include any information you want to collect from your signups. Signup forms are produced by a template, making it easy to add extra functionality and match the presentation of the form to your theme. Frontend Record Edit Form This is where people who have signed up can fill in any additional information about themselves you wish to collect. It can be additional demographic info, survey questions, what they would be willing to offer in support. This form is accessible to the signups via an individual link containing an ID number, which is emailed to them when they sign up. They don’t need to register as a user or enter a password, they just need the link. Backend Record Editing For your backend users, the ability to edit and enter new records is provided. This backend form can also contain administrative fields that won’t be visible to the front-end (not logged-in) user, so organization staff can keep internal records of volunteer activities, availability, contributions, personal notes, etc. The backend form is set up for rapid manual entry of multiple records, such as after a signup drive, doorbelling, or public event. For textarea fields, a rich-text editor will be used if enabled in the settings. List Display Display the list on your website with the [pdb_list] shortcode. You can determine which fields get shown, and for long lists, the list can be broken up into pages. You can specify which records get displayed and in what order. Optionally, search and sorting controls can be displayed. Each record listing can be linked to the full record showing all the details of the record. Record Display Each individual record can be displayed using a shortcode and accessed by the ID if the record. A template file formats the output of the shortcode. A plugin setting determines how a link to the individual record may be placed on the list of records. Import/Export Records All records can be exported as a CSV-formatted text file that can be read by spreadsheet applications and used for mass email campaigns, hard-copy lists, and other applications. The records exported can be filtered by column values: for instance, only people who have consented to receive a newsletter will be included. Records may also be sorted by any column. Which fields are included in the export/import is determined by the “CSV” column of the field definition. Records can also be mass-imported with a CSV file, allowing you to use existing lists from spreadsheets, or for offline compilation of records using a spreadsheet such as Libre Office or Google Docs. A blank spreadsheet can be exported from the plugin to get people started in entering records offline. Internationalization and Translations This plugin is fully compliant with WordPress Internationalization standards and includes several translations, some of which are incomplete at the moment. All of the front-end text is user-customizable, so even if a translation isn’t available for your language, your users will be able to use the plugin in their language. Translation Credits Belarusian: Natasha Dyatko UStarCash Danish: LarsHdg Dutch: At Voogt www.wederzijdsgenoegen.nl Estonian: Laura Vunk Farsi: Mohsen Azarteymoor CodHa Finnish: Visa Jokela French: Pierre Fischer German: Martin Sauter German Formal: Hanno Bolte Hanno Bolte IT Consulting Greek: Toni Bishop Jrop Hebrew: Gila Baam Indonesian: Jordan Silaen ChameleonJohn.com Italian: Michele Balderi Norwegian: Anders Kleppe Polish: Łukasz Markusik Brazilian Portuguese: Eric Sornoso Mealfan.com Romanian: Cornelia Năescu Russian: Konstantin Bashevoy Полиатлон России Serbian: Cherry, NBG, www.trade.in.rs Slovak: Branco Radenovich WebHostingGeeks.com Spanish: Chema Bescos IBIDEM GROUP Ukranian: Michael Yunat, getvoip.com If you are multi-lingual and feel like contributing a translation, please contact me at: [email protected]. Please note that several of these translations are out of date. If your language is in this list and you’d like to help me provide the latest translation, please contact me. The latest POT file is always available here. Key Image Credit By Tukulti65 (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], via Wikimedia Commons Plugin Support Plugin manual and documentation is published on the developer’s website, xnau.com Plugin technical support is available on the WordPress Plugin Plugin Support Forum, and on xnau.com in the comments section. A growing list of plugin add-ons and functionality enhancements are also available on xnau.com.