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Alumnly’s Business Directory module, where you can set up, manage, and approve business listings posted by alumni and other community members. The Business Directory is a great way to foster networking, visibility, and support for alumni and local businesses while strengthening your school’s community connections.

Step 1:   Understanding the Business Directory

Alumnly’s Business Directory is designed to support not just alumni, but also:

  • Current & past parents
  • Families & staff members
  • Associations & local businesses

This directory allows these groups to list and showcase their businesses, providing a trusted platform for networking and engagement within the school’s community.

 

Step 2:   Setting Up the Business Directory

  1. Log in as an Admin on your Alumnly site.
  2. Navigate to Business Directory from the main menu.
  3. Click “Setup” to configure directory settings.
     
Setup Options:
  1. Set Pricing for Listings – Choose pricing for Premium & Standard business listings (or set them to $0 for free listings). Set your currency from Site Settings > Payment Gateway page.
  2. Connect Your Payment Gateway – Ensure payments go directly to your Stripe account.
  3. Auto Approve Business Listings –
  •   Yes – Listings go live automatically.
  •   No – Listings require manual approval by the admin.
     
  1. Listing Approval Email – Add an email address to receive notifications when new listings are submitted.
  2. Website Embed Code – Copy and paste the embed code to seamlessly integrate the Business Directory onto your school’s website or any external platform.
    1. This feature displays all business listings on your external website (e.g., your school's official site).
    2. By embedding the Business Directory, non-alumni users—including current & past parents, families, staff members, associations, and local businesses—can advertise and list their businesses without needing to register as alumni.
    3. This ensures broader community engagement and allows businesses to self-manage their listings while being visible to alumni and school members.
       

Click “Save” to apply changes.

 

Step 3:   Alumni Adding & Managing Business Listings

Alumnly’s self-managed Business Directory allows alumni to easily add, edit, and maintain their business listings, ensuring they can promote their services within the school’s alumni and broader community.
 

Step 3.1     How Alumni Can List a Business:

  1. Log in as an Alumni and navigate to Business Directory.
  2. Click “Advertise Your Business”.
  3. Choose a listing plan (Premium or Standard) based on visibility and features.
  4. Complete the 3-step process to:
    1. Enter Business Information – Provide essential details such as business name, category, and contact details.
    2. Add Advertisement Details – Upload images, describe services, and customise promotional content.
    3. Publish the Listing – Submit the business for approval or instant activation.
       

💡 Approval Process:

  • If auto-approval is enabled, the listing goes live immediately.
  • If manual approval is required, the listing remains pending admin approval before appearing in the directory.
     

Step 3.2     Managing an Existing Business Listing:

  1. Navigate to Business Directory and click “Edit Your Listing”.
  2. Make necessary changes, such as:
    1. Updating business details (contact info, images, descriptions).
    2. Enhancing the advertisement content for better visibility.
    3. Upgrading, downgrading or cancelling the listing plan.
  3. Click “Save” to apply changes and keep the listing updated.
     

This flexible system allows alumni to promote and maintain their business presence within the trusted school community while keeping control over their own listings.

 

Step 4:   Non-Alumni Adding & Managing Business Listings

Alumnly’s Business Directory extends beyond alumni, allowing parents, staff, local businesses, and other community members to list their businesses via the embedded directory link on your school’s website.
 

Step 4.1     How Non-Alumni Can List a Business:

  1. Visit the website URL where the Business Directory has been embedded.
  2. Click “Advertise Your Business” to begin the listing process.
  3. Enter an email address for verification and click “Generate OTP” (One-Time Password).
  4. Check your email, retrieve the OTP, and enter it to proceed.
  5. Select a listing plan (Premium or Standard) and follow the 3-step process to:
    1. Add Business Information – Provide business name, category, and contact details.
    2. Provide Advertisement Details – Upload images, describe services, and customise content.
    3. Publish the Listing – Submit the business for immediate activation (if auto-approval is enabled) or pending admin approval.
       

Step 4.2     Managing an Existing Business Listing:

  1. Log in by entering the same registered email and generating a new OTP.
  2. Click “Edit Your Listing” to:
    1. Update business details (contact information, images, descriptions).
    2. Modify advertisement content to enhance visibility.
    3. Upgrade, downgrade or cancel the listing plan.
  3. Click “Save” to apply changes and keep the listing updated.
     

💡 This self-managed system allows businesses to maintain their listings while the school retains overall admin control.

 

Step 5:   Managing Business Listings as an Admin

Step 5.1     Reviewing & Approving Listings (If Auto-Approval is OFF)

  1. Navigate to Business Directory > Pending Listings.
  2. Click View on a listing to review the details.
  3. Click Approve to make the listing live, or Un-Approve to reject it.
  4. Approved listings will move to the Approved section. Unapproved listings will move to the Rejected section.
     

Step 5.2     Viewing, Archiving & Deleting Listings

  1. Navigate to Business Directory > Approved Listings.
  2. Click View (eye icon) to view a listing.
  3. Select the listing you want to un-approve, archive, or remove.
  4. Click Un-Approve, Archive, or Delete as required.