Element AMS Software Review for Association Executives

Selecting the appropriate AMS can be as challenging as navigating a maze blindfolded. With more than 130 membership systems currently on the market, association executives require a framework to assess new options alongside established ones. Element AMS steps into this space, offering a distinctive proposition: a platform native to Salesforce, guided by founders with extensive experience in competitive AMS environments.

Summary of the Element AMS Software

Element AMS is a Salesforce-native association management system built directly on the Salesforce platform rather than as a third-party integration [2]. The company is led by Vishal A. Shah, whose background includes experience at ASAE and technical leadership at Fonteva from 2015-2021 [3][4].

The leadership team includes additional Fonteva alumni: Chris Gorgoroso (Chief Product Officer), who based on public data, built Fonteva's membership join application, and Sean Miriashtiani, Sales Adviser [5]. This competitive intelligence informs Element AMS's product strategy.

As of late 2025, Element AMS reports a modest amount of current and active clients, including the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA), School Nutrition Association, and Marine Technology Society [5].

The Purpose Statement of Element AMS Software

Element AMS exists to simplify association management by eliminating operational complexity—specifically addressing escalating software costs, declining member satisfaction, and integration challenges [6]. The vendor emphasizes eliminating spreadsheet dependency and enabling associations to rely on powerful reporting and dashboards [7].

What Makes Element AMS Unique

• ISV Licensing Model: As stated by Element, the most significant differentiator is Element AMS's Independent Software Vendor (ISV) status versus the OEM model used by Fonteva and Nimble AMS [5]. This architectural choice has meaningful cost implications—associations pay standard Salesforce licensing plus Element AMS licensing, avoiding the pricing structures that can occur with OEM products. For 501(c)(3) organizations, Element AMS can facilitate 10 free Salesforce licenses through nonprofit programs.

• Staff-Based Pricing: Unlike some competitors who price based on member count for example, Element AMS licenses based on staff users [5]. Associations with large member bases but lean teams may find this more cost-effective.

• High-Volume Processing: The vendor claims the capability to process 10,000 renewals in 10 minutes [5], addressing batch processing limitations common in legacy systems.

• Certification Management (Coming Soon): Robust certification and credentialing capabilities are slated for Q1 announcement, including an approved provider process critical for credentialing bodies [5][8].

• Salesforce Flow: The Engine Behind Element AMS Automation is Flow. What does "Salesforce-native" actually mean for your operations? The following table illustrates how Salesforce's native Flow architecture enables Element AMS to deliver automation capabilities that would require significant custom development in many AMS platforms:

Figure 1: Salesforce Flow capabilities powering Element AMS automation—translating technical architecture into operational benefits for association staff.

Functional Goals of the Element AMS Software

Element AMS addresses: membership management with company-sponsored memberships and automated tier progression; renewal operations including auto-renewals and configurable alerts; integrated financial management with sub-ledger, invoicing, and GL export; chapter and roster management; portal functionality for members and admins; and attribute-based pricing [7].

Where Does Element AMS Fit in the Market

Using the SmartThoughts Tier Classification Framework [9], Element AMS positions in Tier II targeting mid-size associations with $2.5M+ operating budgets.

Vendor-Reported Target Market: Minimum recommended profile includes associations with $3-4M revenue and 6-7 staff members. Organizations with fewer than 10 staff may struggle, particularly if the Salesforce administrator departs [5].

Element AMS competes directly with Nimble AMS and Fonteva in the Salesforce.com platform options. The ISV licensing model allows more competitive pricing, though trade-offs include limited market validation versus established competitors.

The Investment Costs for Element AMS

Element AMS doesn't publish pricing publicly. However, vendor communication provides some insights into the framework and methodology [5]:

• Licensing based on staff users, not member count

• Flat-rate support (no tiered packages)

• Revenue-adjusted implementation pricing

  
  

Speculative Pricing Scenario:  Based on expertise and experience in the market, a 10-member staff members association would likely be in the area of $75,000 to $85,000 for implementation, with licensing likely under $40,000 annually [5].

Recommendation:  It is crucial to reach out to Element AMS directly to obtain the most precise and current pricing information. Association executives should ask for detailed breakdowns that include all license types, implementation estimates, and ongoing costs.

Founders' Product Philosophy: Simplicity, Scalability, Reliability

In a recent webinar titled "What Were They Thinking?!" [13], Co-founders Vishal Shah and Chris Gorgoroso outlined the three core principles driving Element AMS development:

• Simplicity: Association staff often lack deep technical expertise. Element AMS prioritizes intuitive design, enabling non-technical users to accomplish tasks without database knowledge.

• Scalability with Stability: The system grows with associations while remaining robust under operational pressure—critical during peak renewal periods.

• Rapid, Reliable Iteration: Continuous integration and automated testing enable fixes and enhancements "often within weeks" rather than months, according to the founders.

• Architectural Innovation: The founders discussed simplifying traditional AMS complexity. Rather than maintaining separate tables for invoices, payments, refunds, and discounts, Element AMS consolidates all financial transactions into a unified "invoice activities" table—streamlining reporting and maintenance.

• Balancing Customization and Upgrades: A common AMS challenge is heavy customization breaking future upgrades. Element AMS claims to have developed reusable building blocks for membership processes (onboarding, payments, renewals), allowing customization while maintaining upgrade compatibility.

Element AMS Peer Reviews and Unique Feature Insights

Important Limitation: Element AMS does not currently have verified reviews on G2, Capterra, Software Advice, or GetApp. As it is a new product, this should not be considered concerning necessarily. We will update this information as more details become available. Meanwhile, we have received a client case study to validate that clients are actively using the software in production.

IDSA Case Study: Measurable Operational Impact (Element AMS-Provided)

The Infectious Diseases Society of America implementation, detailed in the webinar [13], provides specific operational metrics:

IDSA Challenge Before Element AMS	Element AMS Solution & Impact
Membership renewal delays; heavy manual data management burdening a single staff member during peak periods	Modular Renewal Design: Processed 10,000+ renewals in under 10 minutes; staged renewal capabilities smooth operational load
Inaccurate historical invoice payments are affecting membership status	Seamless Integration: Connected with external event systems, ensuring membership payment statusis always current; reduced support tickets for incorrect member discounts
Burdened staff and poor data quality in affiliated organization rosters	Roster Management & Self-Service: Affiliated organizations (hospitals, training programs) directly manage participant data, improving quality and reducing administrative workload

How Does Element AMS Process 10,000+ Renewals in Under 10 Minutes?

The IDSA metrics are impressive, but association executives will rightfully ask:

"How exactly does that work?" The following breakdown shows the Salesforce Flow automation chain that eliminates manual intervention:

Figure 2: Four-step automated renewal workflow showing how Element AMS eliminates manual tracking and achieves real-time status accuracy.

Implementation Approach: Rather than accepting all initial requirements, Element AMS iteratively refined IDSA's address management from multiple requested address types down to three core types with configurable preferences—prioritizing usability over feature accumulation.

Data Migration Philosophy: Element AMS transforms raw data into enriched formats aligned with its data model rather than simple data transfer, enabling enhanced reporting from day one.

Disclaimer: This case study is vendor-provided, not independently verified. Association executives should request direct references and conduct independent due diligence. Review SmartThoughts guidance on peer review reliance [11].

Future Roadmap Highlights (Element AMS-Provided)

Based on webinar disclosures [13], upcoming developments include:

• Certifications Module: For professional associations with credentialing programs, Element AMS's Q1 2025 Certification Module will leverage Salesforce Flows to handle the conditional requirements that many associations have abandoned due to AMS's rigidity:

Figure 3: Certification automation showing how Flows handle conditional logic (Exam A OR Portfolio + CEUs), automated CEU tracking, and board approval routing.

• AI Integration: Practical Applications, Not Chatbot Hype: Element AMS's AI integration through Salesforce AgentForce targets specific association pain points rather than generic chatbot functionality.

Figure 4: AgentForce AI capabilities addressing eligibility questions, compliance reporting, and documentation generation—practical AI for association operations.

Additional Roadmap Items:

• AI-Assisted Roster Uploads: Real-time feedback on data quality and structure to reduce submission errors

• Duplicate Prevention: Automatic blocking of duplicate renewals and identification of duplicate entries from external sources

SmartThoughts Expert Analysis of Element AMS

Strengths:

• ISV Licensing Advantage: Meaningful cost differences versus OEM competitors

• Experienced Leadership: Team with deep competitive knowledge from Fonteva

• Customer-Driven Development: No VC/PE pressure means client-focused priorities

• Pricing Transparency: Staff-based licensing and flat-rate support

Concerns:

• Limited Market Validation: 3-4 clients with limited peer reviews

• Feature Dependencies: Key differentiators like certification management are roadmap items

• Scale Questions: Small team handling all implementations in-house

• Support Infrastructure: Unverified claims require due diligence

Consider Element AMS if: Your association is Salesforce-committed, comfortable with emerging vendors for pricing benefits, needs align with current features, and you can conduct thorough due diligence, including IDSA conversations.

Exercise Caution if: You require extensive third-party validation, need certification management immediately, have limited IT resources, or your board requires proven solutions with documented ROI.

Alternative Considerations: On the Salesforce platform, Nimble AMS and Fonteva offer documented client success stories and comprehensive peer reviews at higher costs—the classic trade-off between mature solutions and emerging innovation.

Ready to Make an Informed AMS Decision?

If you're an Association Executive not currently working with a consultant and want objective guidance on Element AMS or any AMS option, SmartThoughts offers complimentary exploratory conversations. Our methodology removes bias from software selection using a comprehensive 40+-functional-area Quality Scoring Guide with evidence-based assessment criteria [12].

Schedule Your Free Evaluation: Contact SmartThoughts for comprehensive vendor comparisons backed by verified data here.

FAQs On Element AMS Review

Is Element AMS expensive? Element AMS positions itself as affordable through ISV licensing. Vendor examples suggest $80-120K implementations with licensing under $40K annually for mid-size associations.

Does Element AMS integrate with QuickBooks? Element AMS includes GL export and integrated financial management within Salesforce. Verify QuickBooks integration specifics directly with the vendor.

Who is Element AMS best for? Mid-size professional associations ($3M+ revenue, 10+ staff) seeking Salesforce capabilities at competitive pricing, comfortable with emerging vendors.

Sources Cited:

[1] SmartThoughts LLC. "AMS Tier Classification Framework." https://www.smartthoughts.net/amsmembershipsoftware

[2] Element AMS. https://elementams.com/

[3] RocketReach. "Vishal A Shah - CEO, Element AMS."

[4] ContactOut. "Vishal Shah Career History."

[5] Direct vendor communication. SmartThoughts conversation with Sean Miriashtiani, Element AMS, 2025.

[6] Element AMS. "Overcoming Challenges: How Element AMS Can Help." Vendor white paper.

[7] Element AMS. "Product - Association Management Software."

[8] Email from Sean Miriashtiani, Element AMS, regarding product roadmap.

[9] SmartThoughts LLC. "Membership Software Tiers: Where Do You Fit?" https://www.smartthoughts.net/post/membership-software-tiers-where-do-you-fit

[10] Element AMS. "Customer Success Story: IDSA." Vendor case study.

[11] SmartThoughts. "The Disturbing Impact of Software Review Reliance." https://www.smartthoughts.net/post/the-disturbing-impact-of-software-review-reliance [12] SmartThoughts LLC. "AMS Quality Scoring Guide." Internal methodology, 2025.

New Source Added: [13]/[19] Element AMS Webinar "What Were They Thinking?!" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RY665L6y4R0