Enabling and Customizing Group Finder in Your Member Area
The Group Finder feature allows members to search and filter groups within your organization, enhancing the way people connect and participate in group activities. Follow these steps to enable and customize the Group Finder:
- Navigate to Settings.
- Select Groups.
- Select Group Finder.
- At the top of the page, you'll find a simple Yes/No option to enable the Group Finder.
- Once enabled, you have the opportunity to make additional choices regarding which groups can appear and the options users can use to filter groups in the member area:
- Automatically Contact People when they Request to Join a Group.
- Map.
Note: The Group Finder has an interactive map to view the approximate location where Groups will meet. You can either show the map by default or hide it behind a map button. - Embed Code.
- Filters.
Note: You can allow your members to filter the list of available groups by certain attributes of the group. For example, this will allow them to filter to only see groups within the 'Small Groups' category. -
Restrictions
Note: You can restrict the list of available groups by certain attributes of the group. For example, you may want to restrict groups based on their location.
- Select Save.
Understanding Filtering and Restriction Options:
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Filtering: This setting determines if users can filter groups based on specific criteria on the front end. For instance, users might filter groups by preferred Group Categories or by demographics relevant to them.
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Restrictions: This allows the church to control which groups are displayed. For example, you might choose to show only groups assigned to the Adults demographic and in the “Small Groups” category. The configuration is customizable according to the church's preferences.
Important for Existing Churches: If you're enabling Group Finder for the first time, consider adding “Group Finder” to your navigation menu under Settings > Layouts. This step is crucial for existing churches that have previously customized their menu, ensuring that members can easily locate the Group Finder in the Member area. New accounts should have this set by default.
Note on Group Visibility: Please note that the Group Finder will not display groups you are already a member of. To view your groups, members should navigate to "My Groups."
By following these guidelines, you can effectively implement and tailor the Group Finder feature to meet the needs of your church and its members, fostering greater involvement and connectivity within your community.