Notifications
ChurchCRM sends several types of notifications — to administrators, to members, and to parents at kiosk check-in. This page explains each notification type and how to configure it.
System Notifications (Banners)
ChurchCRM periodically checks for important system announcements (e.g., security advisories, new release notices) and displays them as a dismissible banner at the top of every admin page.
- Banners appear once per session after a new notice is fetched
- Each notice can be dismissed per user — it won't reappear for that user after dismissal
- Version matching supports wildcards (
7.1.*,7.*) so notices apply to a range of versions - Notices are fetched from a public feed; no account or API key is required
No configuration is needed. To suppress a notice, click Dismiss in the banner.
Email Notifications
ChurchCRM sends transactional email for specific events. Email delivery requires a working Email Setup configuration.
| Trigger | Recipients | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| New user account created | The new user | Includes temporary password if set |
| Password reset requested | The user | Contains a reset link |
| Kiosk parent alert | Parent email on record | Sent when a child is checked out (if configured) |
| Event reminder | Event attendees | Must be triggered manually from the Events page |
Configuring email
Go to Admin → Email Settings to configure your SMTP server, sender name, and sender address. See Email Setup for full details.
Kiosk Parent Alerts
When a child is checked out at a kiosk station, ChurchCRM can send an email or SMS to the parent or guardian on record.
Email alerts
Email alerts are sent automatically if:
- The child's parent has an email address on record
- The kiosk is configured to send checkout notifications (in kiosk settings)
SMS alerts (Vonage plugin)
SMS checkout alerts require the Vonage SMS plugin:
- Go to Admin → Plugins and enable the Vonage SMS plugin
- Enter your Vonage API key and API secret in the plugin settings
- In kiosk settings, set Checkout notification method to SMS
Once configured, parents receive an SMS when their child is checked out.
OpenLP Integration (Notifications → Worship)
The OpenLP plugin allows ChurchCRM to push data (member names for announcements, attendance counts) to an OpenLP worship software instance running on the same network.
- Go to Admin → Plugins and enable the OpenLP plugin
- Enter the OpenLP host, port, and authentication credentials
- Use the Send to OpenLP button on any list or attendance page to push the data
Google Analytics (GA4)
ChurchCRM includes GA4 event tracking on authentication pages (login, 2FA, password reset). No notification is sent to users — this is server-side analytics reporting to your GA4 property.
To configure:
- Enable the Google Analytics plugin under Admin → Plugins
- Enter your GA4 Measurement ID in the plugin settings
Related Pages
- Email Setup — SMTP configuration
- Kiosk Devices — Kiosk check-in and parent alerts
- Plugins — Vonage SMS, OpenLP, Google Analytics plugins