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Platform Help

Get answers below

View easy to follow instructions for  common tasks below

“It’s incredibly easy to get started and get a monthly check from VillaDeus.”

David Baker, Riverside Church

Admin Dashboard

  • Determine if your marketplace will be publicly accessible, behind a login, or in a members only area.
  • If you have an app and a website you should include it in both places.
  • Make space for the iFrame to live on an existing resource page or add a tab where it can be easily found.
  • If you tuck your marketplace away in a menu consider advertising elsewhere on your site and in your app.

The villaDeus Dashboard is where you manage your marketplace and directory. Follow the steps below to gain access, then use the resources on this page to learn how to use the tools you will find there.

If you have been provided with login credentials go to the login URL provided. It should look like this:

dashboard.villadeus.com/client/(YOUR CHURCH NAME)

(YOUR CHURCH NAME) = full church name with “+” instead of spaces

EXAMPLE:      Church of Christ = Church+of+Christ

If you do not have credentials you can ask the person/people at your church who manage the your marketplace and/or directory to create an account for you. 

If you are unable to log into the dashboard for any reason and need your password reset you can contact someone with administrator access or contact us directly for support.

info@villadeus.com

206-736-5504

Administrative users can help manage your marketplace and directory. They can also use the dashboard to access and export data related to people and businesses. There is no limit to the number of administative users your organization can have.

If you have the ability to add users you will see ADMINS as an option in the gray bar across the top of your dashboard screen.

  • Select ADMINS and enter the user information in the fields at the top of the screen above the user list
  • Click the “Add Admin” button.
  • Find the newly added user in the list at the bottom of the screen
  • Select the user by clicking on their row

(In the detail view window you can make changes to the information you entered if necessary)

  • You will need to navigate to the Permissions screen in the upper right of the window
  • Select the appropriate permissions for the user
  • Click “Ok” to save

(If asked for a password enter YOUR password to verify the addition of the new user)

  • To view what the user has access to click on the user from the list and select “Impersonate” in the bottom right of the window
  • Give the user their credentials and your dashboard URL so they can log into the dashboard

If you do not see the ADMINS option at the top of your dashboard then you will need to contact villaDeus for support to add a new user

info@villadeus.com

206-736-5504

Generating and Using links

  • Determine if your marketplace will be publicly accessible, behind a login, or in a members only area.
  • If you have an app and a website you should include it in both places.
  • Make space for the iFrame to live on an existing resource page or add a tab where it can be easily found.
  • If you tuck your marketplace away in a menu consider advertising elsewhere on your site and in your app.

The instructions below will help you gather the code snippets needed to add your marketplace to your website or mobile app. Depending on your access to those systems and your comfort level with coding you may need assistance in completing this process. The steps outlined below will help you generate the code you will either use yourself to complete the process, or hand off to a developer or third party who manages your website or app. If you ever need assistance you can contact us at the email or phone number listed below.

  • From your dashboard select CHURCHES at the top of the screen
  • Select a specific church or campus from the list to open the detail view (there may only be one item in your list)
  • Select “Links” from the top right of the detail view
  • In the links tab you can copy an existing link from the list if any exist or create a new one
  • To create a new link:
    • Enter an “*”(Asterisk) in the domain box at the top left of the window (see below for Advanced Options)
    • Select the type of link you wish to create from the dropdown (To create a marketplace link select “merchant list”)
    • Check the box “show associated members” unless you do not want to show the member(s) that are associated with a business
    • Click the Add Link button
    • The newly created link will appear in the list below
  • Click on the “EMBED CODE” for the link you want in the list to copy it to your clipboard

(marketplace links have “merchants” in the ‘CONTENT” column, you will also find directory links in this list if you have created any)

  • Add the link to your website or app as an iframe following the process outlined by your web and or app provider

 

(If you are unfamiliar with this process or need help consult your developer or app/website provider for assistance. You can also contact villaDeus)

info@villadeus.com

206-736-5504

  • You can also click on a URL in the list to copy a direct access link to view the page directly or to send it out via email.

 

Advanced Options

– When to use something other than “*”(Asterisk) for the domain:

“*”(Asterisk) allows the link to be viewed on any webpage. You may want to enter a specific domain such as a page on your website or in your app if you do not want people to be able to share the link elsewhere. This is especially useful if you plan to place it behind a login. By setting the domain to the logged in page it will be impossible for anyone who is not logged in to view the marketplace. Contact your developer or villaDeus for more assistance. You may create as many links as you need for all the places you want to embed your marketplace.

The instructions below will help you gather the code snippets needed to add your directory to your website or mobile app. Depending on your access to those systems and your comfort level with coding you may need assistance in completing this process. The steps outlined below will help you generate the code you will either use yourself to complete the process, or hand off to a developer or third party who manages your website or app. If you ever need assistance you can contact us at the email or phone number listed below.

  • From your dashboard select CHURCHES at the top of the screen
  • Select a specific church or campus from the list to open the detail view (there may only be one item in your list)
  • Select “Links” from the top right of the detail view
  • In the links window you can copy an existing link from the list if any exist or create a new one
  • To create a new link:
    • Enter an “*”(Asterisk) in the domain box at the top left of the window (see below for Advanced Options)
    • Select the type of link you wish to create from the dropdown (To create a directory link select “member list”)
    • Check the box “show phone/email details” unless you do not want to show contact information
    • Click the Add Link button
    • The newly created link will appear in the list below
  • Click on the “EMBED CODE” for the link you want in the list to copy it to your clipboard

(marketplace links have “members” in the ‘CONTENT” column, you will also find marketplace links in this list if you have created any)

  • Add the link to your website or APP as an iframe

Consult your developer or app/website provider for assistance or contact villaDeus

info@villadeus.com

206-736-5504

You can also click on the URL in the list to copy a direct access link to view the page directly or to send it out via email

Advanced Options

– When to use something other than “*”(Asterisk) for the domain:

“*”(Asterisk) allows the link to be viewed on any webpage. You may want to enter a specific domain such as a page on your website or in your APP if you do not want people to be able to share the link elsewhere. This is especially useful if you plan to place it behind a login. By setting the domain to the logged in page it will be impossible for anyone who is not logged in to view the marketplace. Contact your developer or villaDeus for more assistance. You may create as many links as you need for all the places you want to embed your directory.

Use these steps to get a URL for your marketplace that can be opened in any browser. This type of link will open your marketplace without any surrounding content or navigation to your website. This method of distribution does lack the security described under the Advanced Option section below. Consult with your team about privacy concerns prior to distributing this type of link.

(most useful if you do not have your marketplace included on your website or in your app but wish to share it with individuals)

  • From your dashboard select CHURCHES at the top of the screen
  • Select a specific church or campus from the list to open the detail view (there may only be one item in your list)
  • Select “Links” from the top right of the detail view.
  • In the links window you can copy an existing link from the list if any exist or create a new one
  • To create a new link:
    • Enter an “*”(Asterisk) in the domain box at the top left of the window (see below for Advanced Options)
    • Select the type of link you wish to create from the dropdown. To create a marketplace link select “merchant list”
    • Check the box “show associated members” unless you do not want to show the member(s) that are associated with a business
    • Click the Add Link button
  • Click on the “URL” for the link you want in the list to copy it to your clipboard

(marketplace links have “merchants” in the ‘CONTENT” column, you will also find directory links in this list if you have created any)

  • Use this link to open your marketplace of merchants directly in any browser

 

Advanced Options

– When to use something other than “*”(Asterisk) for the domain:

This only affects Embed code links, not direct shareable links such as the one you collected in the steps above

“*”(Asterisk) allows the link to be viewed on any webpage. You may want to enter a specific domain such as a page on your website or in your APP if you do not want people to be able to share the link elsewhere. This is especially useful if you plan to place it behind a login. By setting the domain to the logged in page it will be impossible for anyone who is not logged in to view the marketplace. Contact your developer or villaDeus for more assistance. You may create as many links as you need for all the places you want to embed your marketplace.

Use these steps to get a URL for your directory that can be opened in any browser. This type of link will open your directory without any surrounding content or navigation to your website. This method of distribution does lack the security described under the Advanced Option section below. Consult with your team about privacy concerns prior to distributing this type of link.

(most useful if you do not have your directory included on your website or in your app but wish to share it with individuals)

  • From your dashboard select CHURCHES at the top of the screen
  • Select a specific church or campus from the list to open the detail view (there may only be one item in your list)
  • Select “Links” from the top right of the detail view.
  • In the links window you can copy an existing link from the list if any exist or create a new one
  • To create a new link:
    • Enter an “*”(Asterisk) in the domain box at the top left of the window (see below for advanced options)
    • Select the type of link you wish to create from the dropdown. To create a directory link select “member list”
    • Check the box “show phone/email details” unless you do not want to show contact information
    • Click the Add Link button
  • Click on the “URL” for the link you want in the list to copy it to your clipboard

(marketplace links have “members” in the ‘CONTENT” column, you will also find marketplace links in this list if you have created any)

  • Use this link to open your directory of people directly in any browser

 

Advanced Options

– When to use something other than “*”(Asterisk) for the domain:

This only affects Embed code links, not direct shareable links such as the one you collected in the steps above

“*”(Asterisk) allows the link to be viewed on any webpage. You may want to enter a specific domain such as a page on your website or in your APP if you do not want people to be able to share the link elsewhere. This is especially useful if you plan to place it behind a login. By setting the domain to the logged in page it will be impossible for anyone who is not logged in to view the directory. Contact your developer or villaDeus for more assistance. You may create as many links as you need for all the places you want to embed your directory.

If you want to share an invitation to add businesses in your marketplace you can follow the instructions below to create a link that can be emailed, used to create a QR code, or distributed in any number of ways

  • From any location where your directory is posted you can simply scroll to the bottom of the directory and click on the Add my Business/Workplace button
  • In the address bar of your browser select the URL for this page
  • Share the URL in email invitations or wherever you want to send someone directly to the business add process without viewing the list of merchants

**Consider creating a QR code or shortened URL to use instead of the direct URL you retrieve through this method

If you do not have your marketplace posted in your app or on your website follow the steps below to get the link for adding a business.

  • From your dashboard select CHURCHES at the top of the screen
  • Select a specific church or campus from the list to open the detail view (there may only be one item in your list)
  • Select “Links” from the top right of the detail view
  • In the links tab you can copy an existing link from the list if any exist or create a new one
  • To create a new link:
    • Enter an “*”(Asterisk) in the domain box at the top left of the window 
    • Select “merchant list” from the dropdown
    • Check the box “show associated members”
    • Click the Add Link button
    • The new entry will appear in the list below
  • Click on the “URL” for the link you want in the list to copy it to your clipboard

(marketplace links have “merchants” in the ‘CONTENT” column, you will also find directory links in this list if you have created any)

  • Use this link to open your marketplace of merchants directly in any browser
  • scroll to the bottom of the directory and click on the Add my Business/Workplace button
  • In the address bar of your browser select the URL for this page
  • Share the URL in email invitations or wherever you want to send someone directly to the business add process without viewing the list of merchants

**Consider creating a QR code or shortened URL to use instead of the direct URL you retrieve through this method

If you want to share an invitation for individuals to add themselves to your directory you can follow the instructions below to create a link that can be emailed, used to create a QR code, or distributed in any number of ways.

  • From your dashboard select PEOPLE at the top of the screen
  • Find the dropdown in the left column near the top of the screen labeled “associated church” and type in the name of a specific church or campus
  • Once the church name appears in the dropdown list click on it
  • The link for people to add themselves will appear just below the dropdown under the church or campus name it is associated with
  • Click on the link to copy it to your clipboard

**Consider creating a QR code or shortened URL to use instead of the direct URL you retrieve through this method

 

There are two ways to secure access to your marketplace and/or directory.

  1. You can require congregants to create a password to log in and view one your marketplace and/or directory. This is the best option for securing access if you do not already have password protected sections on your site or in your app. To implement this solution simply visit the church page in the dashboard and check the “REQ. CONGREGANT LIST AUTH” and/or “REQ. MERCHANT LIST AUTH” checkboxes.
  2.  You can embed them in locations on your site, and within your app that require a login through a system you already have in place. In this case you can generate a secure link that will only load from the page behind your login. To do so follow the steps outlined below. 

 

Follow these steps to create as many secure links as you need:

  • From your dashboard select From your dashboard select CHURCHES at the top of the screen
  • Select a specific church or campus from the list to open the detail view (there may only be one item in your list)
  • Select “Links” from the top right of the detail view.
  • In the links window you can copy an existing link from the list if any exist or create a new one
  • To create a new link:
    • Enter the specific domain where the link will be embedded in the domain box at the top left of the window
    • Select the type of link you wish to create from the dropdown. To create a directory link select “member list”
    • Check the box “show phone/email details” unless you do not want to show contact information
    • Click the Add Link button
    • Click on the “EMBED CODE” for the link you want in the list to copy it to your clipboard

You can now paste the embed code into your site or APP on a page that matches the domain you entered.

(Consult your developer or app/website provider for assistance or contact villaDeus)

info@villadeus.com

206-736-5504

PEOPLE (Members/Attendees)

  • Determine if your marketplace will be publicly accessible, behind a login, or in a members only area.
  • If you have an app and a website you should include it in both places.
  • Make space for the iFrame to live on an existing resource page or add a tab where it can be easily found.
  • If you tuck your marketplace away in a menu consider advertising elsewhere on your site and in your app.

When a person adds themself as part of the process to include their business/place of work, or to be included in your church directory they are initially in a pending
state

  • From your dashboard select PEOPLE at the top of the screen
  • Select a  pending person from the list at the bottom of the page (Pending ambassadors will always appear at the top of your list so you can easily find and activate new entries.)
  • In the detail view window you can review the provided information and make updates if needed
  • Visit the “Merchant Associations” tab to view any business(s) the person is associated with
  • Review their photo if they provided one by visiting the “Image” tab
  • Once you have finished reviewing the new person you can select the appropriate action at the bottom of the detail view window
    •  select ACTIVE ✔ to approve and publish the new person
    • select DELETED ✔ to reject the new person entry
  • Select Ok to save your changes
  • From your dashboard select AMBASSADORS at the top of the screen
  • Select an ambassador from the list at the bottom of the page or use the “Search” box to the right above the list to find a specific person
  • Click on the person in the list to open up their detail view
  • In the detail view window you can make any updates that are needed
  • Visit the “Merchant Associations” tab to add or remove business links
    • To remove an associated business for this person select it from the list and click Unlink Selected
    • To add a merchant click Link Merchant(s) in the top left of the screen and select a business from the list, then click Add
  • Visit the “Image” tab to view and replace the image
  • Select Ok to save your changes

People that are associated with a merchant have a role that shows with the listing. There may be cases where you need to update the role that was entered. Follow the steps below to view and update a person’s role.

  • From your dashboard select PEOPLE at the top of the screen
  • Select a person from the list at the bottom of the page or use the “Search” box to the right above the list to find a specific person
  • Click on the person in the list to open up their detail view
  • From the detail view window select the “Merchant Associations” tab to view businesses linked to the person you are viewing
  • To edit a role click on the blue text in the “ROLE” column (some people may be associated with more than one merchant)
    • You may select “owner”, “employee”, or “other”
    • If you select other you may type in a custom role in the text entry box
    • Click Ok to save the changes
  • From your dashboard select PEOPLE at the top of the screen
  • Above the “search” box at the top right of the list you will find a check box that brings deleted People back into view
  • Check this box
  • Find the person you wish to restore and select them from the list
  • In the detail view window you can review the provided personal information and make updates if needed
  • Uncheck DELETED ✔ to set the business visible in the list view
  • Check ACTIVE ✔ to restore the business
  • Select Ok to save your changes

When you first launch your directory and marketplace you will likely want to import your existing list of attendees. This will save people the hassle of entering information you already have, it will also make it really easy for them to add their business since the first step in the process is to enter personal information. If a person has been uploaded they can simply select themself and validate using a link sent to their email address.

 

You can follow the steps below to upload your people yourself, or securely provide us an export of your people and we will happily add them to your directory for you.

1 GETTING THE FORM

  • Follow this Link to get a copy of the Upload Form
    • If you are unable to open the link for any reason simply contact us for assistance
  • Save a copy of the form following the prompts
 

2 UNDERSTANDING THE FORM

  • The top row in the form includes the column headings which describe the data you will import into each column
  • Each row in the form will have the information for a single person
  • You might not use some of the columns, but you will want to be sure there is a column for each type of data you will be importing before proceeding to the next step
    • If there is data you want to import, but you do not see a place for it contact us so we can help you (For example, if you store a ‘FavoriteColor’, and want to include that information we will need to assist you to make sure that information is included)
  • In some of the columns you will see a down arrow in each blank field, you can click on them to view acceptable data values for each field
  • Once you have reviewed the fields and acceptable values you can move on to preparing your data
 

3 PREPARING YOUR DATA

  • Wherever you currently keep your data there should be an option to export it as a CSV or spreadsheet type file
  • Once you have exported the data you will need to do some cleanup to ensure a smooth import
  • You may either adjust the field names in your exported file to match those found in the import file, or import each field into the import file you created above (this is the recommended path because the import form will show a red mark in the corner of fields that will cause problems during import making it easier to address issues before attempting to import your data)
  • The individual data may also need to be adjusted to include acceptable values
    • Example: The “Gender” column supports the following values (M, F, Unspecified, BLANK) if your data contains other values such as (Male, m, boy) you will need to update the values to match the acceptable formats you should be able to do this easily with the find and replace function in most spreadsheet editors
  • Most fields can contain blank values, but ‘FirstName’, ‘LastName’, and ‘Email’ are required for children you can use their parent’s email
 

4 UPLOADING YOUR DATA

  • From your dashboard select AMBASSADORS at the top of the screen
  • Select CSV Import to import your list
  • Follow the prompts to upload your data
  • If you receive any error messages and are unable to resolve the issue contact us for support
  • From your dashboard select PEOPLE at the top of the screen
  • In the top section of the screen enter the individual’s details
  • Select Add Person to save the new person
  • Find the the newly added person in the list and click on it to open up the detail window
  • In the detail view window you can add additional information
  • use the “Image” tab to upload an image for the individual
  • Check ACTIVE ✔ to set the person active
  • Select Ok to save your changes

You may want to make adjustments to the information that is show for all individuals in your Marketplace/Directory, or edit what information is shown for specific users. When you generate your links following the instructions in the “Generating and Using Links” section you can choose if individuals will be shown in the listings for the businesses where they work. If you decide you want to change this setting you will need to follow those instructions changing your selection in the check box “show associated members” for your marketplace of merchants, or “show phone/email details” for your directory of members.

To make changes to the information shown for an individual associated with a marketplace business listing, follow the instructions below:

  • From your dashboard select PEOPLE at the top of the screen
  • Select an ambassador from the list at the bottom of the page or use the “Search” box to the right above the list to find a specific person
  • In the detail view window you can change what is shown for the selected individual
  • Uncheck SHOW PHONE ✔ if you wish to hide their phone number
  • Uncheck SHOW EMAIL ✔ if you wish to hide their email address
  • Select Ok to save your changes

In certain cases you may want to change the church a person is associated with this is only possible if you have more than one church organization you manage such as another campus. Follow the steps below to change the church a person is associated with.

  • From your dashboard select PEOPLE at the top of the screen
  • Select a person from the list at the bottom of the page or use the “Search” box to the right above the list to find a specific person
  • Click on the person in the list to open up their detail view
  • Visit the “Church Associations” tab to view their current church association

People must always have at least one church association. Consequently you will need to add a new church before deleting the current one. 

  • To add a church click Link to New Church(es) in the top left of the screen and select a church from the list, then click Add
  • To remove an associated church for this person select it from the list and click Unlink Selected
  • Select Close to save your changes

BUSINESSES (Business Listings)

  • Determine if your marketplace will be publicly accessible, behind a login, or in a members only area.
  • If you have an app and a website you should include it in both places.
  • Make space for the iFrame to live on an existing resource page or add a tab where it can be easily found.
  • If you tuck your marketplace away in a menu consider advertising elsewhere on your site and in your app.

When a person includes their business/place of work the business is initially in a state pending

  • From your dashboard select BUSINESSES at the top of the screen
  • Select a  pending business from the list at the bottom of the page (Pending businesses will always appear at the top of your list so you can easily find and activate new entries.)
  • In the detail view window you can review the provided business information and make updates if needed
  • Visit the “People” tab to view the people associated with the business
  • Review the business photo if they provided one by visiting the “Image” tab
  • Once you have finished reviewing the new business you can select the appropriate action at the bottom of the detail view window
    •  select ACTIVE ✔ to approve and publish the new business
    • select DELETED ✔ to reject the new business entry
  • Select Ok to save your changes
  • From your dashboard select BUSINESSES at the top of the screen
  • Select a business from the list at the bottom of the page or use the “search” box at the top right of the list
  • In the detail view window you can review the provided business information and make updates if needed
  • “INDUSTRIES” determines the filter category(s) the business will appear under in your marketplace. You can delete or add categories to make the business more discoverable.
  • Visit the “People” tab to update the people associated with the business
    • To remove an associated person select them from the list and click Unlink Selected
    • To add a person click Link New People in the top left of the screen and select a person from the list, then click Add
  • Visit the “Image” tab to view and replace the image
  • You can use the checkboxes to delete the business or simply hide them in your marketplace
    •  select HIDE IN LIST ✔ to remove the business listing from your marketplace
    • select DELETED ✔ to delete the business entry
  • Select Ok to save your changes
  • From your dashboard select BUSINESSES at the top of the screen
  • Select a business from the list at the bottom of the page or use the “search” box at the top right of the list
  • In the detail view window select the “Image” tab to view the current image
  • Add an image or replace the current image
    • Drag and drop JPG or PNG files onto the window
    • Alternatively use the Select files… button to search for an image on your computer
  • Select Ok to save your changes
  • From your dashboard select BUSINESSES at the top of the screen
  • Above the “search” box at the top right of the list you will find a check box that brings deleted Businesses back into view
  • Check this box
  • Find the business you wish to restore and select it from the list
  • In the detail view window you can review the business information and make updates if needed
  • Uncheck DELETED ✔ to set the merchant visible in the list view
  • Check ACTIVE ✔ to restore the business
  • Select Ok to save your changes

In certain cases your staff may decide to include a business in your marketplace even though they are not associated with a member of your congregation. Here is one example where this might make senses.

“There are no plumbers in our congregation, but Joe’s plumbing is the plumber that services our church building. Joe always does a great job and we want to include him as a resource for our attendees to use for their plumbing needs.”

From your dashboard select BUSINESSES at the top of the screen

  • In the top section of the screen enter business details
  • be sure to leave the value “no person/unaffiliated business” in the people selection dropdown
  • Select Add Business to save the new business
  • Find the the newly added business in the list and click on it to open up the detail window
  • In the detail view window you can add additional information
  • use the “Image” tab to upload an image for the business
  • Check ACTIVE ✔ to set the business active
  • Make sure NON-MEMBER BUSINESS ✔ is also checked
  • Select Ok to save your changes

These recommended businesses will appear in your marketplace shaded with this color MER  to differentiate them as a recommended business. When the business card is expanded, rather than showing an associated person it will show a colored bar that says no attendee affiliation to differentiate them as a recommended business.

In the event that an attendee has added their business and later move to another church you may want to keep the business but indicate that the business is not associated with an attendee.

From your dashboard select BUSINESSES at the top of the screen

    • Find and click on the Business you want to update to open their detail view
    • In the detail view window, at the bottom check    NON-MEMBER BUSINESS ✔
    • Click Ok to save your changes

You can leave the details for the former attendee, or remove them.

  • To remove them re-open the business detail view by clicking on the business in the list and visit the “People” tab
  • Select the associated person or people you wish to to remove from the list and click Unlink Selected
  • Click Ok to save your changes

These recommended businesses will appear in your marketplace shaded with this color MER  to differentiate them as a recommended business. When the business card is expanded, it will show a colored bar that says no attendee affiliation to differentiate them as a recommended business.

In the event that one or more individuals associated with a business need to be removed you can do so following the steps below.

From your dashboard select BUSINESSES at the top of the screen

  • Find the Business with the individual(s) you want to remove and click on it to open the business detail view
  • To view the associated people visit the “People” tab
  • Select the associated person or people you wish to to remove from the list and click Unlink Selected

*if you need to remove the last associated person you will first need to set them as a “NON-MEMBER BUSINESS”

  • In the detail view window, at the bottom, check NON-MEMBER BUSINESS ✔
  • You can then revisit the “People” tab and remove the last person
  • Click Ok to save your changes

Once you have removed the last associated  person the business will appear as a recommended businesses. It will appear in your marketplace shaded with this color MER  to differentiate them as a recommended business. When the business card is expanded, it will show a colored bar that says no attendee affiliation to differentiate them as a recommended business.

A business must have at least one industry associated with it. The industries determine when the business is shown either based on the filter categories in your marketplace, or when typing in the search field.

You may want to manually update the industries associated with one or more businesses in your marketplace.

Follow the steps below to do so:

  • From your dashboard select BUSINESSES at the top of the screen
  • Find a business in the list and click on it to open up the detail window
  • In the detail window you can edit the “INDUSTRIES” for the business by typing terms such as ‘Plumbing’, ‘Carpentry’, or ‘Part…’
  • As you type the dropdown will auto populate with possible matches
  • When a correct match appears click on it to add it to the list of Industries
  • If a match does not appear you can add unlisted categories in the field marked “INDUSTRIES (OTHER)” *see the help topic “Adding Custom Search Terms” for more details
  • Industries can be deleted by clicking on the ‘X” in the “INDUSTRIES” list or deleting any unlisted Industries that were added to the “INDUSTRIES (OTHER)” section
  • Select Ok to save your changes

You may wish to add custom business categories or search terms for a business in your marketplace. This will make them easier to find when your congregation uses the search field to locate a merchant within your marketplace. 

For example, a business that provides retirement planning and investments for individuals would likely list themselves under the category “SERVICES” – “ACCOUNTING & FINANCE”. You may wish to add terms such as  “RETIREMENT”, “INVESTMENT” AND “PLANNING” so people will be more likely to find them. To do so follow the instructions below:

  • From your dashboard select MERCHANTS at the top of the screen
  • Select a merchant from the list at the bottom of the page or use the “search” box at the top right of the list
  • In the detail view window you can review the provided business information and make updates if needed
  • “INDUSTRIES”
    • Determines the filter category(s) the business will appear under in your marketplace
    • You can delete or add categories to make the business more discoverable
  • “INDUSTRIES (OTHER)”
    • Allows you to enter custom text values that become search terms
    • Separate different terms with spaces
    • Enter as many terms as you think will help people find a particular business
  • Select Ok to save your changes

Businesses can be in the following states:

pending   Business has not yet been reviewed. These businesses appear at the top of the list so you can quickly review and move them to an appropriate state. To return a business to this state from another, check PENDING ✔ in the business’s detail window

 

 active   Business has been reviewed, approved, and is now visible in your marketplace for all to see. To place a business in this state check ACTIVE ✔ in the business’s detail window

 

 inactive   Business is not visible in your marketplace they may be awaiting updated information or further review. To place a business in this state make sure both ACTIVE ✔ and PENDING ✔ are unchecked in the business’s detail window. If the business should be permanently removed they should be set as DELETED ✔ 

 

 deleted    Business has been removed and is not visible in your marketplace or in the dashboard. Select DELETED ✔ to place them in this state. In order to restore them follow the steps outlined in the “Restoring Deleted businesses” section.

When a business owner decides to support your ministry through alliance they are automatically set to show that purchases help to support your ministry. This is indicated by a green color being applied to their business card, and a banner in the detail view that indicates that purchases from this merchant help fund your church/ministry.

FAMILIES

  • Determine if your marketplace will be publicly accessible, behind a login, or in a members only area.
  • If you have an app and a website you should include it in both places.
  • Make space for the iFrame to live on an existing resource page or add a tab where it can be easily found.
  • If you tuck your marketplace away in a menu consider advertising elsewhere on your site and in your app.
You can log in to manage your profile wherever you view your church directory or marketplace.  You can also log in HERE. Then enter your email and password on the bottom of the page. If you forgot your password enter your email on the top of the page and you will receive an email to reset your password. To add family members follow the steps below
  • From your Profile Management screen select the PERSON icon in the top right corner of the window
  • Select PROFILE from the dropdown
  • Your family members will be shown across the top of the window. you can click on any of them to make edits, or select the ‘+ (add)’ icon at the right of the list to add a new person
  • To add a child without an email address you can skip the email field by checking the child ✔ checkbox near the bottom of the form
  • When adding a person with an email address, once you enter the full email the system will run a check to see if that person is already included in the directory
  • If they are already in the directory the following message will be displayed “an account exists with this email address; adding it will email an invitation to that account” and you can simply click the Add Member button to add them to your family
  • Newly added family members that were already in the directory will not be shown with your family until they accept an invitation sent to their email
  • For new people you are adding to the directory you will be able to enter their information before saving them by clicking the Add Member button at the bottom of the window
  • It may take a while for the newly added family members to appear in the directory
  • Repeat these steps to add multiple family members

If individual people in your directory need to linked together into a family you can create a family and add them

  • From your dashboard select FAMILIES at the top of the screen
  • At the top of the  FAMILIES screen enter a name for the family in the ‘grouping name’ field
  • In the  grouping type    ⌄ dropdown select “Family”
  • In the description field you can add any notes you would like
  • Click the  Add Grouping button to create the family 
  • At this point there will be no members associated with the family
  • Follow the FAQ for ‘Adding a person to an existing family’ to add family members
If a family already exists, but there is one or more people that are not included you can add them in your dashboard
  • From your dashboard select FAMILIES at the top of the screen
  • Select the family to which you would like to add one or more people (You can use the search box at the top right to find it)
  • Click on the row for the family you would like to edit to open its detail view
  • In the detail view window you can view the family information
  • at the bottom of the family detail view there is a box with family members listed like this: x Person’s Name (email)
  • Click in a white area within the box and begin typing a name
  • After you have typed 3 or more characters a list of matches will appear
  • Select the appropriate person to add them
  • Repeat these steps to add multiple family members
  • If a person does not appear you will need to add them to your directory first by following the FAQ topic for ‘Manually Adding a Person’ then returning to the family detail view to add them
  • Select Ok to save your changes

You can log in to manage your profile wherever you view your church directory or marketplace. 

You can also log in HERE. Then enter your email and password on the bottom of the page. If you forgot your password enter your email on the top of the page and you will receive an email to reset your password.

To remove a family members follow the steps below

  • From your Profile Management screen select the PERSON icon in the top right corner of the window
  • Select PROFILE from the dropdown
  • Your family members will be shown across the top of the window. you can click on any of them to view their details and remove them
  • To remove the selected individual click the Remove button at the bottom of the window
  • You will need to confirm deletion in a pop-up dialogue to complete this process
  • Repeat these steps to remove multiple family members

A family is a grouping of individuals, you may wish to delete one or more individuals from a grouping so that the individuals are shown separately, or so they can form different family groupings such as in the case where a child grows up and gets married, or if a person was added by accident.

  • From your dashboard select FAMILIES at the top of the screen
  • Select the family grouping you would like to delete (You can use the search box at the top right to find it)
  • Click on the row for the family from which you would like to remove one or more people to open its detail view
  • In the detail view window you can view the family information to verify it is the family grouping you wish to edit
  • at the bottom of the family detail view there is a box with family members listed like this: x Person’s Name (email)
  • To remove one or more individuals from a family simply click on the “x” next to their name(s) in the list of family members
  • If there will only be one individual left in the family you can simply select Delete Grouping to remove the entire family grouping

This will not remove the individual members from your directory, it will just stop them from appearing as a family and prevent each individual from editing the other former members of the family.

You can log in to manage your profile wherever you view your church directory or marketplace. 

You can also log in HERE. Then enter your email and password on the bottom of the page. If you forgot your password enter your email on the top of the page and you will receive an email to reset your password.

To update your information simply follow the steps below

  • When you first log in your profile will be open ready for editing, If you have navigated away From your Profile Management screen select the PERSON icon in the top right corner of the window then select PROFILE from the dropdown
  • You can update your email, and if you do so you will need to verify the new address after by clicking the Update Profile button before the change will be effective
  • You can update your personal information and photo by entering the updated information and clicking the Update Profile button
  • You can designate yourself as a primary contact for your family by checking the primary contact ✔ checkbox, or unchecking to remove yourself as a primary contact (Primary contact designation simply tells your church who to reach out to about your family information, a family can have multiple primary contacts or none)
  • Your church may have multiple campuses, if so a “Church Associations” section will be visible, and you will be able to manage which campus or campuses you attend
  • The “Show in directory” section determines how you will appear to other members of your congregation. Unchecking the “show in directory” checkbox will remove your profile from view in the directory your fellow congregants see, but leave you in the directory your church staff can see. When your profile is set to be visible you can individually turn on visibility for your Phone, email and address. If all three are turned off people will simply see your name and photo.
  • After you are done making changes be sure to save them by clicking the Update Profile button at the bottom of the window
  • You can select other members of your family from the row of pictures at the top of this screen to make updates to their profiles as well

A family is a grouping of individuals, you may wish to delete this grouping so that the individuals are shown separately, or so they can form different family groupings such as in the case where a child grows up and gets married, or if a family grouping was created by accident.

  • From your dashboard select FAMILIES at the top of the screen
  • Select the family grouping you would like to delete (You can use the search box at the top right to find it)
  • Click on the row for the family you would like to delete to open its detail view
  • In the detail view window you can view the family information to verify it is the family grouping you wish to delete
  • at the bottom of the family detail view there is a box with family members listed like this: x Person’s Name (email)
  • Select Delete Grouping to remove the family grouping

This will not remove the individual members from your directory, it will just stop them from appearing as a family in your directory and prevent each individual from editing the other former members of the deleted family. If you only wish to remove some individuals from a family you may individually remove them by clicking on the “x” next to their name(s) in the list of family members.

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