How to Create and Manage Groups

Summary: This guide provides a detailed walkthrough of how to create new groups, add and manage members and leaders, and edit all group settings. Following these steps will help you effectively use the Groups feature to organize and connect your congregation.

Before You Begin

• You must have the appropriate Admin permissions to create new groups and manage all groups. Group Leaders can only manage the members and details of their own assigned groups.

How to Create a New Group

1. Navigate to the Groups tab in the top navigation bar and click the '+ New Group' button.
2. Enter your group's information in the dialog box that appears.
   • Group Icon: Upload a unique image to represent your group.
   • Group Name: Enter a descriptive name for your group (this field is required).
   • Description: Provide a brief overview of the group's purpose or focus.
   • Show in App: Toggle this ON to make the group visible and discoverable in your Church App.
   • Frequency & Location: If "Show in App" is ON, specify how often and where the group meets.
   • Enable Chat: Toggle ON to allow group members to use the in-app chat feature.
   • Make Public: If ON, anyone can join the group instantly in the app. If OFF, members must request to join and be approved by a leader.
   • Create from Existing Tags: Check this box to add all members from one or more existing tags to this group automatically.
3. Click the 'Add Group' button to create your new group. You can now proceed to manage its members and settings.
   

How to Add and Manage Members

1. Select a group from the Groups dashboard and click on the Members tab. This page shows the total member count, with leaders pinned to the top for easy access.
   
2. Click the 'Add Members' button to open the search tool.
   
3. Search for individuals by name or by tag, select the checkboxes next to the people you want to add, and then click 'Add to Group'.
4. Click the three-dot menu next to any member's name to open a list of actions.
5. Select your desired action from the dropdown menu:
   • Mark as Leader: Assigns leader status and permissions for this group.
   • Remove as Leader: Revokes leader status.
   • Remove from Group: Removes the person from the group.

How to Edit Group Details

1. Select a group from the dashboard and click on the General tab.
2. Update any of the group's settings as needed:
   • Group Icon: Add, remove, or change the image.
   • Group Name: Edit the name of the group.
   • Status: Set the group's status to "Open" (actively accepting new members) or "Closed" (not accepting new members).
   • Description: Update the group's description.
   • App Settings: Adjust the 'Show in App,' 'Enable Chat,' and 'Make Public' toggles.
   • Location and Frequency: Update the meeting location and frequency details.
3. Click Save to apply your changes. From this screen, you can also Delete the Group if you have the necessary permissions.
   

The Members Page

Once you've added members, they'll appear on the "Members" page. This page provides a comprehensive overview of your group's membership and offers several key features:

Access Note: Group leaders have full access to these member management functions within their assigned groups.

• Member Information: The page displays the total number of members and lists each member alphabetically, with leaders conveniently pinned to the top. For each member, you'll see their name, email address, mobile phone number, and address.
• Add New Members:
  • Click the "Add Member" button.
  • Search for individuals by name or by tag.
  • Select the individuals you want to add and click "Add to Group."
     
• Search: Easily find specific members within the group using the search bar.
• Communication: Quickly send emails or text messages to all members or selected members.
• Leader Management: Designate group leaders by selecting "Mark as Leader" from the three-dot menu next to a member's name. This gives them a visual "Leader" tag and grants them specific permissions within the group. You can also remove leader status using the "Remove as Leader" option.
• Member Removal: To remove a member from the group, select "Remove from Group" from the three-dot menu next to their name.

Troubleshooting & FAQs

• What's the difference between a 'Public' and a private group? If 'Make Public' is toggled ON, anyone using your Church App can find and join the group instantly. If it is toggled OFF (making it private), new members must request to join and be approved by a group leader.
• What is the fastest way to add members from an existing list? During group creation, use the 'Create from Existing Tags' feature. This allows you to select one or more tags, and everyone with those tags will be automatically added to the new group.
• Our group leader can't delete their group. Why not? Deleting groups is a permission-based action available only to Admins. Group Leaders do not have permission to delete groups, even their own.

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