The difference in terminology between selections on the Details page and the download choices is confusing. The "No Show" would seem to be a Classmate who is hidden or has restricted access, usually for their own requested security or privacy. Guest status suggests they're an outsider, not a part of the class.

We give a person who left early or failed to graduate but is still "one of us" the regular Classmate status, for full participation. When we "No Show" a classmate, we consider them a "Hidden" classmate, not a guest. It may be punitive, probationary or at their request for security or privacy reasons.

Can these categories be standardized so they're more obvious and self-explanatory? And so they show up differently in the Member Type column, like "Classm..." "Hidden..." "Guest..." rather than "Classm..." "Guest..." "Guest..." ?

Hi Mary,

Classmates should almost always display. - the rare instance where you want them to not display you can add admin notes to explain to other admins why they are not displaying (Classmate: non-displaying : reason)

Non-displaying is for someone who is not part of the class like a reunion planner, a co-admin from another class who is helping a related class launch their site yet they are not really a classmate for that year and they aren't really a guest - they are just there to help the admins out.

Displaying guests are anyone who is not part of the class specifically yet they are related enough to the class to be added and display.

Jessica
Class Creator Support

We are a multi-class site and want to list all alumni of our school, whenever possible. Sometimes they want or need to be hidden for privacy or security reasons but still want to receive notices and view other classmates' & friends' activities on the website. Having a profile is not important. They are not outside guests.

I'm just wishing you could be more consistent and transparent in the terminology, for two reason:
- these people ARE classmates, not guests
- both of your Guest Member types show in the Member Type column as "Guest Member..." which means having to enlarge the column width to distinguish them. (Not to mention, it's bad coding to have two separate categories so similarly named, and with so much extra character space.)

Perhaps we could have a 4th category for actual classmates, since your "Guest Member, No Profile" does not fit these classmates and is ambiguous, incorrect and confusing.

We had this discussion internally before my last response.

We feel the current system works in most cases and the admin notes give room for this clarification. The non displaying guest/classmates is only seen by admins.

How about "Hidden Guest, No Profile" since you probably won't accept "Hidden Classmate, No Profile." It will still sort last. At least it will be distinctly separate and there won't be two "Guest..." codes.

The decision was not to add a 4th option or rename existing options already in place.

You can added anything to the beginning of admin notes and sort on two fields within excel if needed.