Selecting a new association management system is one of the most significant decisions your organization will make. Done well, the process protects you from expensive mistakes and gives your board a decision it can stand behind. Done without a clear framework, it tends to produce a choice made under pressure rather than one grounded in what your organization actually needs.
Most AMS selection processes fail not because associations make bad decisions, but because the process wasn't structured well enough to surface the right information at the right time.
This checklist gives you that framework. It covers building the board case, assessing internal readiness, documenting requirements, and scoring vendors — everything from the moment you decide to evaluate through to making a final call. It's part of a three-part guide: Part 1 covers how to assess whether a switch is genuinely warranted, and Part 2 walks through how to run the selection process itself. Both are free to read using the links below if you are interested.
What's inside the checklist:
- A board briefing checklist so your executive director walks into that conversation prepared, not improvising.
- A staff readiness assessment to make sure the right people are involved before a single vendor is contacted.
- A requirements gathering framework across membership, events, finance, communications, website, reporting, and credentialing.
- And a weighted vendor scorecard for the demo and proposal stage, so your shortlist comparison is based on evidence rather than gut feel.
It's free, it takes two minutes to access, and associations tell us it's exactly what they wish they'd had it at the start.
Want to read more from the AMS buying guide?
