Signup pages, also referred to as registration pages, are public-facing registration forms that allow users and organizations to self-register in your SmartSimple system. Each signup page creates records in a defined location in the organizational hierarchy and can be configured for different user types, organizational categories, and verification requirements. Administrators control which fields appear, what roles or categories are assigned to new records, how duplicate registration attempts are handled, and whether users receive login access after registration. SmartSimple supports five signup page configurations, and multiple signup pages can exist within a single system, each tailored to a different user type, organization type, or registration scenario.
Who: Global administrators
When to Use Signup Pages
Use signup pages when:
- External users need to self-register to access the system, for example grant applicants or reviewers.
- Multiple types of users or organizations are served that require different registration configurations.
- Administrative workload can be reduced by enabling self-registration rather than manually creating user records.
- Researchers or staff at established institutions need to register under an existing organization.
- Organization verification through a third-party database is required, for example IRS 501(c)(3) status, before registration is complete.
Types of Signup Pages
SmartSimple supports five signup page configurations. Common implementations use more than one type in combination.
User Signup Page
A user signup page adds individual user records to the system. Users created through this page can be granted login access and assigned roles, such as Applicant or Reviewer.
Organization Signup Page
An organization signup page creates organization records in the system. New organizations are assigned one or more categories and are placed in the organizational hierarchy under a designated parent organization.
Combined User and Organization Signup Page
A combined signup page creates an organization and one or more users in a single registration. This is the most common configuration for grant-focused systems, where an applicant registers their organization and a primary contact simultaneously.
The organization signup page drives the combined configuration. A linked user signup page provides the user registration section, which appears within the organization signup page as a separate section. When multiple user types need to register alongside one organization, for example a lead applicant and co-applicants, the Multiple Users option allows separate user signup page sections, each with configurable minimum and maximum user counts.
Organization Lookup Signup Page
An organization lookup signup page allows new users to register under an existing organization in the system rather than creating a new one. The user begins typing the name of their organization and selects it from a filtered list. This reduces duplicate organization records and is common in research grant programs where researchers register under an established institution such as a university.
The lookup list can be filtered by organization category and status to control which organizations are searchable.
Signup Page with External Verification
A signup page with external verification requires registrants to search for and select their organization from a third-party database before completing registration. Fields such as organization name, city, and state are automatically populated from the database record. This is useful for confirming charity or nonprofit status before allowing registration.
Available external verification services:
- ABN — Australian Business Number lookup (Australian Business Register, real-time).
- CRA — Canada Revenue Agency registered charities (T3010 Registered Charities, monthly).
- CC — Charity Commission for England and Wales (monthly).
- CH — United Kingdom Companies House (monthly).
- CRO — Companies Registration Office Ireland (real-time).
- IRS — Internal Revenue Service 501(c)(3) and other charitable organizations (monthly).
- NCES — National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. public elementary and secondary schools (annually).
Prerequisites for Signup Pages
The following configuration must be in place before creating a signup page.
Organization Hierarchy Placement
Each signup page is associated with a parent organization. When a new user or organization registers through the page, the system places the new record under that parent. The parent organization is typically a dedicated external organization such as Web Registrants. Set this up in the organizational hierarchy before creating the signup page.
User Roles
Roles group similar users together and control what users can view and do in the system. When a user signup page is created, one or more roles are assigned to each new user automatically. Common roles include Applicant and Reviewer. Confirm that the roles to be assigned exist before creating the signup page.
Organization Categories
Categories group similar organizations together and control visibility and functionality. When an organization signup page is created, one or more categories are assigned to new organizations automatically. Common categories include Grant Seeking Organization and External Reviewers. Confirm that the required categories exist before creating the signup page.
User and Organization Statuses
Statuses indicate where a record is in its lifecycle. A newly registered user might receive a Newly Registered status, transition to Active after vetting, and move to Inactive when no longer engaged. Confirm that the required statuses exist before creating the signup page.
Security and Compliance Considerations
CAPTCHA
CAPTCHA (Completely Automated Public Turing Test to tell Computers and Humans Apart) reduces spam registrations submitted by bots. SmartSimple uses Google reCAPTCHA by default. An alternate CAPTCHA service is available for users in countries that cannot connect to Google servers.
Privacy Policies
A privacy policy outlines how an organization collects and uses personal information. In some jurisdictions, publishing a privacy policy is legally required. When a privacy policy is attached to a signup page, users must accept it before completing registration. Policies can also be attached to the login page, where they are enforced on first login.
Personal Identifiable Information (PII) and Data Deletion
Signup pages collect personal information. User and organization standard and custom fields include a Classify as Personal Data setting that flags fields containing PII and allows the reason for collection to be documented. Some organizations implement automated data retention policies to remove PII after a specified period. A contact should be identified for users who want to request deletion or purging of their personal data.
OFAC Compliance
Some organizations conduct Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) checks on organizations they fund. OFAC publishes a list of Specially Designated Nationals (SDNs), individuals, companies, and entities whose assets are blocked and with whom U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging. SmartSimple supports workflows that can trigger OFAC checks as part of the vetting process.
Eligibility Questionnaires
Some organizations use a pre-registration eligibility questionnaire to screen applicants before directing them to a signup page. This is typically configured as a UTA/module. The questionnaire presents screening questions. Eligible applicants receive a link to the signup page, while ineligible applicants are informed they do not qualify. This approach reduces the number of ineligible records created in the system.
Resources
For more information about signup pages, see: