Templates used by the app

The portal sends some messages by itself, such as appointment reminders and urgent alerts. Each one uses a template. You can keep the default or choose one of your own.

For your line (pastors)

Pastors choose the template for the messages the app sends to members from their line.

1. Open Templates.
2. Select the Used by the app tab.
3. If you have more than one line, select the line.
4. Find the message. The ones you can change are appointment confirmed, appointment reminder, task follow-up, follow-up, outreach, after a call and church broadcast.
5. Under Template to use, choose Use the church's or one of your line's approved templates.
6. Select Save. It takes effect within a minute.

A label beside each message shows where its template comes from: Your choice, Church choice or Default.

The other pastors and the church-wide choice are not changed by what you pick.

For the whole church (admins)

The church-wide choice is for admins only.

1. Open Templates, then the Used by the app tab.
2. Find the message in the list. It includes the pastors' own messages too: urgent alert, referral, notice, reminder, report ready and verification code.
3. Under Template to use, choose the default or an approved template.
4. Select Save. It takes effect within a minute.

A line that has its own choice keeps it. A line without one uses the church's choice.

The verification code message is fixed and cannot be changed.

What a template must match

Your template must have the same shape as the default: English, no image or video header, and the same number of fill-ins and the same buttons. If it does not, the page says, for example, "Needs exactly N fill-ins; this has M." Only approved templates can be used.

Good to know

• If a template you chose stops being approved, the app goes back to the default.
• You cannot delete a template the app uses. The page says "The app uses this template, so it can't be deleted." Choose another one first. If a line uses it, the page says to pick another one on that line first.

Tip: Leave the defaults unless you have a reason to change them. They already work.

See also Prepare a template and Alerts on WhatsApp.