Case Study: Pension Investment Association of Canada (PIAC)

Website Design

Biz-Zone redesigned the PIAC website in Winter 2010, replacing the Biz-Zone design from Summer 2006

Website Content Management - WebPortalOne

This website is entirely managed by staff using WebPortalOne, our Content Management Platform, it allows them to:

  • Easily add/edit/delete pages - when new pages are added or edited the navigation of the website is automatically updated.
  • Move and re-organize pages
  • Manage users, providing different levels of access and authorization to publish direct to the site.
  • "Restore previous version" feature allows them to revert to any previously saved version of a page.
  • Regenerate the entire site with a single click
  • Connected to DNA so that forms generated in the database can be published, automatically sending data back to DNA.
  • Site wide variables - updated in one place and appear throughout the sites (e.g. the copyright notice in page footer)
  • Add modules with additional functionality

Management Membership - Association DNA

With Association DNA and WebPortalOne, PIAC has 360 degrees of data integration, and functionality too deep and powerful to list here with any justice, however here are a few highlights:

  • Membership Management PLUS - Grouped under one contact record, staff can see and manage the person's contact information, transactions, groups, chapters, roles, web access, membership dates and more.
  • Billing and E-commerce - the accounting module exports to standard accounting software, and allows staff to set and modify rates and items, (e.g. membership application or renewals); create taxes and set the tax percentages; it also allows the creation and emailing of invoices, reciepts and reports.
  • Reports - standard and custom - the reporting module of DNA is truly unique in Association Management Systems, not only allowing staff to view and select from a default selection of reports, but also to create their own reports, pulling from any data in DNA, including data collected through brand new forms or surveys created minutes before. Reports can be used to create and merge custom emails.
  • Email broadcasting - the communications module is the perfect tool for PIAC staff to send out email to members, prospective members, and other contacts from DNA. Staff can personalize the email with the mail merge feature, inserting names and other details extracted through the reporting module; and avoid over-communicating with members through the broadcast-scheduler dashboard, which shows all queued email blasts.
  • Committee Management - the groups module is used to keep track of chapters, committees, boards and other groups (like presenters) that your members and contacts belong to.

Members only area

The members only area on the PIAC website is integrated with the membership database, so that only current members can access this area using a valid, personal username and password. In this area, members can find:

  • Resources, such as industry reports, surveys and research
  • Board and Committee information
  • A Membership Directory
  • Document Archives
  • A Virtual Board Room
  • Access to their own contact information, with the ability to update it themselves 
  • Information on events and conferences for members only.

Visit: www.piacweb.org