Residents' and homeowners' associations
A residents' association runs a board, surveys and the yearly dues.
Community gardens and allotment societies
People apply for a plot on one form, and each plot's rent is invoiced every year. Work days, shared tools and the rules are in the same place.
The committee works in one Magpie team. Plot holders can join as guests, for the board, the calendar and the tools.
Get started free
This combination of six Magpie areas fits a community garden or allotment society.
- Forms
- Forms takes plot applications, with the size wanted and experience.
- Contacts
- Contacts keeps plot holders and the waiting list, with notes.
- Invoicing
- Invoicing bills each plot's rent once a year.
- Calendar
- Calendar holds work days and the show, with RSVPs.
- Asset Tracker
- Asset Tracker lends the shared tools, with who has them.
- Message Boards
- Message Boards gives plot holders a board for swaps and questions.
People apply for a plot on one form.
Forms builds a plot application with your questions, such as the size of plot wanted. Every application comes into one list.
You get an email for each new one. Each answer can be exported as a CSV file.
The waiting list and the plot holders are kept in one place.
Contacts keeps each plot holder and applicant, with tags such as Waiting list. A note keeps the date they applied.
A follow-up becomes a To-do, such as offering a plot that has come free.
Each plot's rent is invoiced once a year.
Invoicing bills each plot's rent as a recurring invoice, emailed on the same day each year. Plot holders pay by card from the email.
A payment by bank transfer or cash can be recorded too. Magpie adds no fee to invoice payments.
Plot holders say whether they are coming to the work day.
Calendar holds work days, the seed swap and the summer show. Plot holders reply Going or Not going, so you know how many tools to get out.
An event can be for plot holders only, or on a public calendar. A capacity stops RSVPs when a workshop is full.
You know who has the rotavator, and when it is due back.
Asset Tracker keeps the shared tools, such as the rotavator and the strimmer, with their condition. A tool lent to a plot holder is checked out, with a due date.
What is overdue has its own list. A broken tool is marked as in maintenance until it is fixed.
Plot holders swap seedlings and answer each other's questions.
Message Boards gives the garden a board, private to plot holders or public. Plot holders post, reply under each post and vote.
A post can offer spare seedlings or ask what is eating the brassicas. The committee can remove a post.
Five more areas cover news, the rules, the books, the website and the noticeboard.
- Newsletter
- Newsletter sends the season's news to plot holders and neighbours.
- Documents
- Documents holds the rules and the minutes, shared by link.
- Accounting
- Accounting keeps the treasurer's books, with rent payments posted automatically.
- Websites
- Websites builds the garden's site, with how to apply for a plot.
- QR Codes
- QR Codes puts the application form on the gate.
A plot goes from an application to the first harvest.
The application
Someone applies for a half plot on the form.
The waiting list
They wait as a contact, tagged Waiting list.
The offer
A plot comes free, and a follow-up reminds you to offer it.
The rent
Their first year's rent is invoiced.
The work day
They RSVP to the spring work day and borrow the rotavator.
Setting up takes four steps.
Build the application form
You choose its questions. Help: Build, publish, and share a form.
Add the plot holders
You add each one as a contact, with their plot. Help: Keep a contact list.
Add the shared tools
You record each one's condition. Help: Track individual assets.
Connect Stripe
Plot holders can then pay rent by card. Help: Connect Stripe to receive money.
Plans
The committee fits the Team plan, with each committee member a member. Plot holders can be guests, with the board and the calendar, and take no place.
A paid plan has room for 100 guests. Magpie adds no fee to invoice payments. Prices are on the Pricing page.
Other groups that look after a place have pages of their own.
Clubs, meetups and community groups
A community group lists events, signs up volunteers and talks on a board.
Farms and market growers
A farm or market grower sells boxes and plans the harvest.
Questions community gardens ask
Can people apply for a plot online?
Yes. An application form asks your questions, and you get an email for each application. Every application comes into one list.
Can we keep a waiting list?
Yes. Each applicant can be a contact tagged Waiting list. A note keeps the date they applied. A follow-up reminds you to offer a plot.
Can we invoice plot rent every year?
Yes. A recurring invoice is issued and emailed to each plot holder every year. They pay by card from the email, or you record cash or a bank transfer.
Can plot holders RSVP to work days?
Yes. Each work day's page takes Going or Not going. You see every reply, with the person's email address.
Can we lend out the shared tools?
Yes. Each tool is checked out to a plot holder, with a due date. Overdue tools have their own list.
Can plot holders talk to each other?
Yes. A message board holds posts, replies and votes. It can be private to plot holders, or public.
Can we share the rules?
Yes. The rules can be a document shared by a link anyone can read. It can also be printed or downloaded as a PDF.
Set up your garden in Magpie.
Create a Magpie account and make a team for the committee.