Contents
- What is the Guest View?
- Accessing the Guest View Builder
- Main sections
- Building your Guest View
- Viewing your live Guest / Member View
- Managing the Guest and Member View separately
What is the Guest / Member View?
The Guest / Member View is a ChMeetings feature that allows you to customize your church’s URL page with information related to your activity, such as events or forms; as well as with options to donate or get in touch with you on social media. The information displayed via this feature does not require the visitor to log in, in which case we call it the “Guest View”. If someone is logged in as a member, they will also be able to see a customized homepage instead of the dashboard - in which case we call it the “Member View”. Each view, either for guests or members, can be separately customized, to fit the needs of your current and potential members.
This feature is only available for paid accounts.
Accessing the Guest / Member View Builder
To reach your View Builder, please go to Member Portal > Builder.
Granting Access to the Builder
As an Owner or Admin, you can grant someone access to the Builder without access to people data. To do so, follow these steps:
- Go to Users & Roles > Roles & Permissions;
- Create or edit a custom role and set your preferred permissions. To enable Builder access, enable the Builder permission. This will allow users with this role to view, add, edit, or delete content within the Builder. If you don’t want these users to access People data, please deselect all permissions within the People section.
- If needed, assign users to the role you just created.
Main sections
The builder contains three important sections:
- Settings: This section shows your church link, QR Code and logo and provides quick access to your Account Settings to update these elements if needed. Here is where you can set a home banner for the page you’re building, hide the blog tab on all views, and hide the language switcher.
- Components: This contains the building blocks of your view, which we call “cards”. Please see the Using builder components below for details.
- Edit Mode: Here is where you can drag and drop the components you want to add to the Guest / Member View. You can change their order and decide whether to remove any of them.
- Preview: This is what your viewpage will look like. It updates in real time, according to the changes you make in the Edit area.
Building your Guest / Member View
Adding cards
To start building your view, simply drag a component from the Components area, then drop it onto the Edit Mode area, as shown below. The process is the same, no matter the component you select.
Editing cards
The next step is to edit and customize the components of your view. Let’s look at some general options, as well as at how to edit each type of card.
General options
All available cards come with the following options, all found at the top right of the card:
- Save the card and add it to your view. This will also display the new card in the Preview area.
- Copy the card: This will create a new card that contains all the information within the card you’re copying. This helps input less manual data to create similar cards.
- Remove card: This removes the card from your view. Please keep in mind that deleted cards cannot be restored and you’ll need to re-enter the information in a new card, if you change your mind.
The following cards allow you to align the text to the left, in the center or to the right of the card: Link Card, Video Card, Audio Card, Form Card, Upcoming Event Card, Article Card, Page Card.
Link Card
A link card allows you to add an image to your view, and link it to anything on the web.
To add this card to your view, please drag it from the Components area and drop it onto the Edit Mode area. You will now be given the possibility to add a 500 X 130px banner image, a description and a link. Choose how to align the text (Left, Center or Right); and if you prefer to make the card visible right away, you can toggle on the Visible option. Under Display Configuration, choose who should be able to see this card: Guests, Members or Both. You can add multiple Link Cards to your view.
Once you add an image (Recommended size: 800 x 250 pixels), you will be able to replace or remove it by clicking the pencil icon in the top right corner.
Once you save your card, you will be able to see it in the Preview area as well.
Form Card
This card allows you to link ChMeetings forms into your view, so that both members and non-members can access and fill them out. All you need to do is select an existing form from the dropdown list of all your existing forms. You can also add a new form directly from the card. Choose how to align the text (Left, Center or Right); and if you prefer to make the card visible right away, you can toggle on the Visible option. Under Display Configuration, choose who should be able to see this card: Guests, Members or Both. You can add multiple Form Cards to your view.
If you have added a banner image to your selected form, it will be displayed here. Have a look at the Preview to see what the card will look like.
Event Card
This card allows you to link a ChMeetings event into your view. This will allow both members and non-members to view and register to events, as either members or guests,
All you need to do is select an existing event from the dropdown list of all your public events. You can also hide this card if you don’t want it displayed right away. In addition, you can choose who can see the event: Members, Guests, or Both. You can add a new event from the end of you events list, if the one you want to display has not been added yet.
You can add multiple Event Cards to your view. Your events need to be public to be displayed on the card.
If your selected event has a banner image, it will be displayed here. Have a look at the Preview to see what the card will look like.
Upcoming Events Card
The Upcoming Events Card allows you to display upcoming events for a certain amount of days. When this card is enabled, members will be able to see what events are coming up, similarly to what they could see using the equivalent Dashboard Widget (which is displayed when you are not using the Builder).
This card lets you enter a title, select the number of days for which events should be displayed, choose a calendar to display events from (or select all). Choose how to align the text (Left, Center or Right); and if you prefer to make the card visible right away, you can toggle on the Visible option. Under Display Configuration, choose who should be able to see this card: Guests, Members or Both. You can add multiple Upcoming Events Cards to your view.
Calendar Card
This card allows you to display a calendar of events that are visible to members and guests. Each category of viewers will see events according to the event’s visibility settings.
You can set the calendar view to day, week, or month, or as an agenda view.
Article Card
This card allows you to add a blog article to your view. All you need to do is select the article, choose how to align the text (Left, Center or Right); and if you prefer to make the card visible right away, you can toggle on the Visible option. Under Display Configuration, choose who should be able to see this card: Guests, Members or Both. You can add multiple Article Cards to your view.
Donate Button
This button lets you. enter a custom donation link or use Online Giving via ChMeetings. If you use Online Giving, the button will take viewers to your donation page and will use the payment gateway you integrated with ChMeetings to collect the donation. Learn more about Online Giving.
Check the Preview to see what your donation button will look like.
Social Media Card
This card allows you to showcase your social media profiles and allow members or guests to visit, right from your church’s login page. All you need to do is drag the card to the Edit mode, add links to your social profiles, and save. You can choose whether to make the card visible right away, or not; and also who can see it (Guests, Members or Both). You can only add this card once.
This card supports the following social and communication channels:
- Facebook,
- Instagram,
- Twitter,
- YouTube,
- SoundCloud,
- Website Link,
- Zoom,
- WhatsApp,
- Viber.
Please note that this will also update the links in Member Portal > Important Links.
Once saved, the card will be visible in the Preview, as well as on your live page..
Live Streaming Card
You can use the Live Streaming Card to add a link where you will be streaming live. Simply add the link, choose whether the card is visible to visitors, then select whether to display it for guests, members or both.
Please note that this will also update the links in Member Portal > Important Links.
Save the card to display it according to your settings. You will see a preview of what it looks like, right away. You can only add this card once.
Video Card
You can publish a video on your Guest/Member View using the dedicated Video Card. It allows you to add the link to your video, enter a description, set the text alignment (Left, Center or Right), then choose whether it is visible or not. You can also set who should the video be displayed to - Guests, Members or Both. You can add multiple video cards to the same page.
The card supports YouTube, and you can embed individual videos and playlists. (For this feature to work, the content must not be Unlisted on YouTube). The card also supports Vimeo, using the Video ID and direct links to Dailymotion and MP4 files.
Once the card is saved, the video will be rendered, both in your preview and on the live view.
Audio Card
The Audio Card allows you to link to SoundCloud, a Google Drive audio file, or add direct links to an audio file, which can be played by viewers on your church page. Use the Description field to provide information about the file. Choose how to align the text (Left, Center or Right); and if you prefer to make the card visible right away, you can toggle on the Visible option. Under Display Configuration, choose who should be able to see this card: Guests, Members or Both. You can add multiple Audio Cards to your view.
Image Card
This card allows you to insert an image into your page. When clicked, this image will enlarge. To configure this card, upload an image (max. 800 X 250px), enter a description, choose how to align the description text, then select whether the card should be visible or not. Under Display Configuration, choose who should be able to see this card: Guests, Members or Both. You can add multiple Image Cards to your view.
Verse of the Day Card
This card displays the Verse of the Day.
You can customize the title, set the text alignment (left, center, or right), set the visibility to Guests, Members, or Both, and set the card’s publish or expiry dates.
RSS Feed Card
This card lets you link an RSS feed to embed it into your page. You can set a title and a maximum limit of items, the text alignment (Left, Center or Right), set whether it is visible or not, then choose who should see it = Guests, Members or Both.
Description Card
The Description Card lets you format text, add images or add HTML code to your Guest/Member View. You can use this card to personalize your View with content and make it more useful and informative for your guests and members.
The preview of this card will display your formatted text and any images you attach, or it will render any HTML you provide. You can add multiple Description Cards to your View.
Page Card
Page Cards allow you to create pages within your Guest/Member View. Rather than displaying all the information on one page, you might want to organize it in pages. For example, you might want to have a separate page for Events, another for your Blog articles, etc. A Page Card allows you to add cards to it, just as you would on the main page.
The Page Card itself behaves just like any other card. It allows you to add an image and a title, choose text alignment (Left, Center or Right), to set whether it is visible or not, then to choose who should see it = Guests, Members or Both.
Manage Page Content
What makes this card different is the option to Manage Page Content. Clicking this option takes you to a new blank page where you can add any other card, just as you would on the main page. This includes nesting a page card within a page card. This way you can create more complex web pages where your guests and members can access the content you want to provide, in an organized manner.
Move Cards Between Pages
You can move cards between pages, using the dedicated button at the top right of each card. Once moved, you can find the card under Manage Page Content on the page card to which you moved it.
Setting Card Publish and Expiry Dates
Each card lets you set the following dates:
-
- A Publish Date at which the card is displayed on your page. Not configuring a date means the card is displayed immediately after configuration.
- An Expiry Date at which the card will be removed from the view. Not configuring a date means the card will not expire, so it will be displayed until removed or set to expire. Once a card expires, its expiration date will be highlighted in red within your admin view (under Member Portal > Builder).
Both dates can be set during a card’s initial configuration or edited later.
Reordering cards
To reorder your saved cards, simply click on the card’s mover icon, found at the top of the card, drag the card up or down, then drop it to the desired position. Here is what this process looks like:
Saving the Guest / Member View
You do not need to save the view itself. All the individual cards you save are automatically added to it and your overall structure does not need to be saved separately.
Clearing Cards
You can reset your built page and clear all cards by clicking Clear Cards, at the bottom left of the page. You will be asked to confirm your choice.
Please only confirm deletion if you are sure that you want to delete the builder configuration. This process is irreversible and deleted cards cannot be restored.
Viewing your live Guest / Member View
Once your Guest / Member view is complete, you’re ready to see it live.
Simply go to your church URL (yourchurch.chmeetings.com, or your custom church domain).
Here is where you will see your view already available, for members and guests. Here is an example of what it can look like:
Managing the Guest and Member View separately
Every card will allow you to decide whether it should display for guests, members or both. To do so, simply use the toggles under the Display Configuration section, available with each card.
When configuring cards and previewing them, you can switch the previewer between Guest and Member, to see what is shown on each view. If you want to change where a card is displayed, you can easily edit it and change the display configuration.