• Introduction
• Important Notes
• Enable Group Conversations
• Start a Group Conversation
• Manage Conversations
  • Send Messages
  • Delete Messages
• Conversation Settings

This feature is exclusively available to users of the ChMeetings Branded App.

Introduction

Group Chat allow Group Leaders and members to chat with each other within the group. This helps facilitate communication and information flow so your church can better connect with people, organize group events, make announcements, and more. You will find the Group Chat feature within ChMeetings as Group Conversations.

Important Notes

• This guide is for Group Leaders, who are the only ones who can create conversations.
• The feature works the same way for both Group Leaders and Members, who have a very similar experience. We will highlight any differences within the guide. 
• Group conversations are currently limited to a maximum of 50 participants.
• The number of conversations you can initiate is unlimited.

Enable Group Conversations

To access Group Conversations within a group, you must first enable the feature for that specific group. You can do this either by creating a new group, or editing an existing one. 

• In the Add Group / Edit Group window, toggle on Enable Group Conversations. 
• Save changes when ready. 

Start a Group Conversation

First, remember that you must be a Group Leader to initiate a conversation. To get started, go to Groups in the main menu, and follow the steps below: 

• Click the Conversation button on top of your groups list.
  
  
  
• The next screen shows your current conversations. The left side of the screen shows a list of your conversations, while the right side shows the messages in the selected conversation.
  
  
  
  
• To start a new conversation, click New Conversation. If you’re using the mobile app, click the icon at the bottom right.
  
  
  
  
• In the New Conversation setup window, configure the following:
  • Name: Provide a clear name for your conversation.
  • Who can see messages: 
    • Leaders & Members lets both Group Leaders and members send messages. 
    • Leaders Only means that only Group Leaders can send messages within the conversation.
      
      Messages are accessible to both leaders and members regardless of what you select here. 
      
      
  • Select the Group within which you want the conversation to be active.
  • Save when done.
    
    

Once a conversation is started, it is listed for Group Leaders under Groups > Conversations; and for Members under the dedicated Conversations section, available within the main menu.

Manage Conversations

Once you create a conversation, it will be listed under Groups > Conversations, on the left side of your screen. You can see the conversation name, as well as the last message (or an excerpt of it if it’s longer than one line). 

Click a conversation to reveal its corresponding messages. You can switch between conversations from the same screen. 

Note that if you start typing a message within a conversation, then select another one, the previously typed and unsent message will be lost. 

Send Messages

When sending messages, the group conversation area behaves very similarly to other messaging apps you may be familiar with, for example, WhatsApp. 

To enter your message text, type it within the text box at the bottom right of your screen. If you’re using the mobile app, the text box is at the bottom of your screen, right above the app menu. 

To send your message, press enter, or tap the Send button next to the text box.

Once sent, your message will display within the conversation. 

When your message is sent, everyone in the conversation receives a notification, unless they have muted the conversation.

Delete Messages

Group Leaders can delete their own messages, as well as those sent by members. Members cannot delete their own messages.

We recommend exercising caution when deleting messages and only doing so in situations when, for example, someone sends an incomplete message, or their message was sent in the wrong conversation.

To delete a message, hover over it and click the bin icon displayed next to it. You must confirm your choice and cannot restore messages after deletion. 

Once the message is deleted, everyone in the conversation will be able to see this.

Conversation Settings

Group Leaders and Members can access Conversation Settings by clicking the Gear icon at the top right of your conversation (on both the web and mobile app).

Here are the settings you can configure as a Group Leader: 

• Mute or Unmute the conversation: When muting a conversation, you will stop receiving notifications when new messages are received within it. 
• Disable and Re-Enable the conversation: When disabling a conversation, it will remain listed and visible to everyone, but messages can no longer be sent within it. Everyone will see a “Conversation Disabled” message. This is useful to do when a conversation is closed and you want to prevent further messages without removing it.
• Edit lets you update the conversation name or reconfigure who can send messages.
• Delete will permanently remove the conversation. Please proceed with caution. You will need to confirm your choice before the conversation is deleted.

Members can access conversation settings as well, but the only option available to them is to mute or unmute the conversation.