Do I need badges?
| Your situation | Badges? |
|---|---|
| You run training or courses and want to show completion | Yes |
| You want to recognize volunteer milestones (hours, years) | Yes |
| You have a progression system (ranks, levels, belts) | Yes |
| Event attendance matters and you want to track it visually | Yes |
| You just need basic member management | Not necessary |
How badges work
Badges are organized into types (categories) and individual badges within each type. You create the badge system, then award badges to members — manually or automatically.Badge types (categories)
| Type | What it groups |
|---|---|
| Progress | Milestones and level progression |
| Merit | Special achievements and contributions |
| Training | Completed courses and certifications |
| Service | Volunteer hours and community service |
| Events | Event participation and attendance |
Creating badges
Settings → Features → Badges → Create Badge| Setting | What it does |
|---|---|
| Name | Badge display name — “First Aid Certified”, “100 Service Hours” |
| Description | What the badge represents and how to earn it |
| Image | Badge icon or graphic (use consistent design across badges) |
| Type | Which category this badge belongs to |
Awarding badges
Manually
- Go to a member’s Profile → Badges tab
- Click Add Badge
- Select the badge
- Add notes if needed (e.g., “Completed CPR training on March 15”)
- Save
Automatically
Badges can trigger automatically when:- A course is completed (linked to the Courses module)
- A certain number of events are attended
- A volunteer hours milestone is reached
- A membership anniversary passes
Where badges appear
| Location | Visibility |
|---|---|
| Member’s profile | Always visible (to those who can see the profile) |
| Public profile | If public profile badges are enabled |
| Membership card | If configured to show |
Building a badge system
Example: Scouting organization
| Badge | Type | How to earn |
|---|---|---|
| Tenderfoot | Progress | Complete introductory requirements |
| Second Class | Progress | Pass outdoor skills assessment |
| First Class | Progress | Complete all core requirements |
| First Aid | Training | Complete first aid course |
| Camping Expert | Merit | 20+ camping nights logged |
| Eagle Scout | Merit | Complete Eagle project |
Example: Professional association
| Badge | Type | How to earn |
|---|---|---|
| Conference Attendee 2025 | Events | Attend annual conference |
| Certified Professional | Training | Pass certification exam |
| 5-Year Member | Service | 5 years of continuous membership |
| Mentor | Merit | Complete mentorship program |
| Published Author | Merit | Publish in association journal |
Common scenarios
Members don't seem to care about badges
Members don't seem to care about badges
Make badges meaningful — tied to real achievements, not participation trophies. Announce badge awards in newsletters or discussions. If badges represent genuine accomplishments, members value them.
How many badges should we create?
How many badges should we create?
Start with 5-10 covering your most important achievements. You can always add more. Too many dilutes the value — if everyone has 30 badges, none of them mean anything.
Can members request badges?
Can members request badges?
Not directly. Badges are awarded by admins or triggered automatically. Members can’t self-assign. This maintains the integrity of the recognition.
I want different badge images but I'm not a designer
I want different badge images but I'm not a designer
Use a consistent style — simple icons with your org colors. Free icon sets (like Heroicons or Phosphor) work well. The key is consistency, not complexity.
Can I revoke a badge?
Can I revoke a badge?
Yes — go to the member’s profile, find the badge, and remove it. The member is not notified automatically, so communicate the reason if appropriate.