1. Introduction WebLink provides the world s leading online Chamber and Association Management Software: WebLink Connect. While WebLink does provide custom website design and hosting services, WebLink is also very happy to work closely with other website development and hosting firms to integrate our components into their sites. (WebLink does NOT host or support third party websites or components.) This guide is designed to help third parties understand the built-in web capabilities of WebLink Connect and how to properly leverage and integrate them into their own website and applications. 1.1 Table of Contents 1. Introduction 1.1. Table of Contents 1.2. Technical Overview 2. What does WebLink provide? 2.1. Built-In Website Components 2.2. Membership Directory (WebLink Local) 2.3. Calendar of Events 2.4. Members Only 2.5. enews 2.6. Job Bank 2.7. ecommerce 2.8. Online Membership Applications 2.9. Banner Advertisements / Content Management 2.10. Domain Setup 2.11. Temporary Test URL 3. What Does WebLink Require? 3.1. Requirements for Integration 3.2. Templates 3.3. Code Testing 3.4. Additional Items 4. Are There Any Advanced Options? 4.1. WebLink API 4.2. WebLink API Partner Overview 5. Fees 6. How to Get Started 1.2 Technical Overview Rev. 1252011 Page 1 of 9
WebLink websites and components run on Microsoft Server 2008 R2 servers using the.net 4.0 Framework and IIS 7.5. Any APIs provided are generated through SOAP XML Web Services or XML based RSS Feeds. All data is stored in Microsoft SQL Server 2008 databases and secured in top-tier datacenter environments. 2. What Does WebLink Provide? 2.1 Built-In Website Components The following is a brief description of the website components that are available with WebLink Connect (WebLink clients may purchase these individually, so verify which components are active). All components will be skinned by WebLink staff to match the look and feel of the primary site design. There is a one-time $500 setup charge for this skinning service. Subsequent design changes are billed at $150/hour. 2.2 Membership Directory (WebLink Local) This web component creates a live membership directory for members. It provides: Member Search by Keyword and Category Advanced Member Search Request Services Access Coupon Access Mapping and Directions to member businesses Member contact information, description, photos, and email forms Additional ad space The look of individual member listings, including options for enhancing members listings with value-added listing levels and priority listing placement, can easily be managed via WebLink Connect. Detailed tracking data is also written back to the database and maintained by WebLink. 2.3 Calendar of Events This web component creates a live calendar of events. All events can be designated as member events, internal events and/or community events and can also be given event types for greater specification. Some included features are: Event listings and calendar Event details (including time, date, location, description, reminders, contacts, and maps) Secure events registration and credit card processing (additional services are required for credit card processing) Members only event listings Rev. 1252011 Page 2 of 9
Available RSS feed Available event scroller for homepage or interior pages The list of events appears on the events page as well as the Members Only home page and its features can be customized to fit the desires of the client. 2.4 Members Only This web component provides a secure area for members to login and update their information. Features include: The ability to change username and password The ability to update contact information The ability to add photos, logos, and video to enhanced directory listings for those members that have purchased the upgrade The ability to access affiliation information The ability to pay member invoices online A survey module for taking surveys Access to referral reports Business request access The ability to add coupons An event submission module The ability to review CEU units and course completions (if applicable) This is a secure, password protected area that requires a login. There is also an available feature that will email a password if a password if forgotten. 2.5 enews This web component displays news articles and provides for a simple search of those articles. 2.6 Job Bank This web component provides the ability for visitors to search for open job positions and for employers to post open positions. Options are available for posting of positions to be paid postings. 2.7 Ecommerce This web component provides a shopping cart for visitors to the site to purchase items securely online. 2.8 Online Member Applications If a Basic or Secure Membership Application is included in the agreement, WebLink will implement the form. Basic Applications capture information only. Secure Applications Rev. 1252011 Page 3 of 9
will allow for a client to receive payment online with the submitted request for application. If we are provided a copy of the client s existing application and/or a link to the current online application WebLink can use the existing application as a guideline in building the new application. 2.9 Banner Advertisement / Content Management WebLink Connect provides a Content Management System (CMS) and advertisement manager in the software for our clients. To manage ads, the client can do one the following: 1. The client may use WebLink Connect to manage ads for the WebLink hosted pages while also maintaining the same banners on their existing system (note: the client must manage ads/content on the existing pages & the subdomain pages separately.) 2. The client may use WebLink Connect to manage ads for the WebLink hosted pages, and iframe code will be provided that can be used in place of the banner ads on the client s existing pages. 3. If the client does not wish to use WebLink banner ad management and instead wants to continue using their own, we will implement iframes provided by the client. However, WebLink will not be responsible for content or referrals when using this method. 2.10 Subdomain Setup WebLink will help setup a subdomain to increase SEO value of both sites by using the same domain as the main client site. This is accomplished by the DNS host creating an A Record or CName Record pointing to the WebLink server the client s components are hosted on. Then, WebLink will create a setup in IIS to enable this subdomain to access the client s website components. An example of this setup would be: http://members.sfchamber.com/search 2.11 Temporary Test URL To ensure HTML templates function properly on the WebLink server, WebLink will provide temporary client ftp access to a test URL where the html template can be built and tested. This URL will map to the WebLink server on which the client s components will reside. 3. What Does WebLink Require? 3.1 Requirements for Integration In order to skin our components WebLink needs the following items outlined below in sections 3.2 Templates, 3.3 Code Testing and 3.4 Additional Items. 3.2 Templates Rev. 1252011 Page 4 of 9
An HTML template from your designer (clean, well-documented code). Images, CSS, and JavaScript files should be hosted on the client s server and will be referenced on our pages (to provide flexibility for you to update images later.) Please see Figure 3-1 below for an example of this template. Figure 3-1: Sample skinned Events Page Secure template this template will be used on all SSL secured pages for event registration, ecommerce and other areas where a user has engaged a secure process. WebLink can provide either a blank template or implement a standard template that would have a basic layout and be customized to match the colors of the rest of the site. The template will also contain basic information, such as address and contact information, and a logo can also be added if provided by the client. An example of this template can be seen below in figure 3-2. Rev. 1252011 Page 5 of 9
Figure 3-2: Sample Secure Page (may exactly match design, depending on complexity) A third template will be provided by WebLink that will have a wider than normal content area. This template will look the same as the main template, but it will be adjusted to be a wider layout that will easily contain WebLink Local. If any sidebars (for navigation, etc.) are present in the original layout, they will be lost for the wide layout. This is demonstrated her in Figure 3-3. Figure 3-3: Sample skinned WebLink Local (directory) Page Rev. 1252011 Page 6 of 9
3.3 Code Testing WebLink will provide the client s developer with ftp access to a temporary test URL that will be housed on the same server as their WebLink Components. The developer will be required to upload the desired template and test to ensure proper functionality. This template can have a.html or.aspx extension, and will only be accepted after testing is successful and approved by the client and WebLink. 3.4 Additional Items If an events or news scroller is desired to be added on homepages or elsewhere, a clean, easily-styled widget can be provided by WebLink for a fee. Dynamic navigation, such as dropdowns, must be provided by the client if desired. WebLink will not be responsible for coding to make navigation work, and iframes will not work for this. In the case of the design being built on a CMS platform other than one provided by WebLink, such as Drupal or Joomla, or with blogging software, such as Wordpress, the functions of all modules or plugins not related to WebLink are not guaranteed. All code should be tested and approved by the third party designer on a standalone platform and using the WebLink-provided test site BEFORE handing the project over to WebLink. In the case of a template being pulled from a browser, any inconsistencies in style or form are not the responsibility of WebLink and will only be remedied for a fee. IMPORTANT NOTE: Most common JavaScript code runs fine on the WebLink templates which are in a.net IIS environment. There are a few rare exceptions, which may require the scripts to be removed from the WebLink templates. Scripts should be kept to a minimum to avoid these issues. However, any PHP code found in templates from services such as Joomla or Drupal will not work on a WebLink server. 4. Are There Any Advanced Options? 4.1 WebLink API Should you wish to develop your own components and access the WebLink Connect data directly a single WebLink API license is required per client. This license is $1,500/year and provides for API access to the SQL database through a web service. This includes up to 5 hours of technical assistance for API setup. Rev. 1252011 Page 7 of 9
If you are working with multiple WebLink Connect clients, review the WebLink API Partner Program below. 4.2 WebLink API Partner Overview WebLink s commitment is to provide our clients with the best CRM/ASM and the highest performing websites. We work closely with our clients to help guide them in selecting compatible Third Party vendors to benefit their organizations. WebLink API Partner products provide our clients with a level of trust and convenience knowing these products have been tested and approved by WebLink. Companies with software applications that use membership data can add more value to their products, and be compatible with over 500 chambers and associations, by providing a direct integration into WebLink Connect. Becoming a WebLink API Partner requires a one-time $3,500 initiation fee, which includes 2 client authentications; an evaluation and technical assistance in setting up your application to integrate with WebLink Connect. The $3,500 is fully refundable should the application not pass evaluation. Once an application has been approved, it can be used with WebLink Connect customers as long as they provide WebLink with authorization. 5. Fees For each WebLink client that uses the application there is a $150 setup fee and $500 annual API fee. WebLink API Partners will be given a unique authentication method for each WebLink Connect client they work with. Permission must be granted from each client for access and authentication. Table 5-1 (seen on the following page) lists both the setup and annual fees associated with the WebLink services for skinning WebLink components, API Licensing, API Partnerships, and additional support for WebLink integrations. Rev. 1252011 Page 8 of 9
Description Setup Annual Skinning of WebLink Web Components One time setup of components to match supplied website design. $ 500 API License One API License. Includes up to 5 hours of technical setup and support. Initial Setup fee also covers first year license. API Partner Includes TWO API Licenses and up to 10 hours annually of support. Initial Setup also covers first year license. Additional API Licenses per Client Total of $600 due year 1 $150 setup + $500 annual license; $500 for each additional year. Additional Integration Technical Support Additional support charged at $150/hr. Table 5-1: WebLink Integration Fees $ 1,500 $ 1,500 $ 3,500 $ 3,500 $ 150 $ 500 $ 150/hr 6. How to Get Started Vendors interested should email us about their product and what data they want to extract/write, how often, desired interface method, as well as some information about the company, years in business, number of customers, etc. Also tell us what WebLink client(s) will be using the resulting application. Send this information to the Organization s Relationship Manager to discuss the product in more detail. Relationship Managers can be reached at 888-865-8555 between 8:00 AM and 7:00 PM, Monday through Friday. Rev. 1252011 Page 9 of 9