Adding a New Family Record
Avoid Creating Duplicate Family Records
Before you start: Prior to adding a new family, open your Family Explorer screen and use the default layout. Then, ensure that the family you are trying to add does not already exist within your church by searching in the Family Name column. If the family currently exists, you can update the Family and Member Records. If the family does not exist, follow the instructions below.
Diocesan and Cluster/Collaborative Initiatives: If you are part of a Diocesan initiative or a Cluster and/or Collaborative, then you would search across all the churches to ensure the family record does not already exist. If the family record exists in another church, add them to your church and assign the appropriate family status. Following this practice will prevent you from creating duplicate family/member records.
Adding a New Family Record
Click Families via the top navigation bar and select Family Explorer in the secondary navigation bar. To add a new family, click on the +Create Family button near the top right corner.
In the New Family window, enter any available information for the members of the family. Please note the following:
- Only the First and Last Name fields are required. All other fields are optional.
- You may use one name or multiple names for the First Name field.
- Upload a family photo if you have one from your parish directory
- When entering Email or Telephone, toggle the Receive Emails/Texts switch to indicate the member is willing to receive communication from the parish.
- You can choose the Family Status from the drop-down. Your options are:
- Active
- Contributing
- Deceased
- Inactive
- Moved
Use the +Add a Member link to add other members to the family record.
Note:
A Family ID is automatically assigned by your ChMS database and it is extremely beneficial when contacting our support team about a Family Record. There is only one family assigned to each Family ID, and no two families have the same Family ID number.
Once you have entered all of the family members' information you desire, click Next in the bottom right corner of the window.
Next, enter the Primary Address information for the family. This becomes the mailing address for the Family Record.
Use the +Add Secondary Address (or Tertiary as needed) to include additional addresses for the family. This is particularly helpful for seasonal parishioners. You may indicate start and end dates for these additional addresses.
When you have finished adding the address information, press the Create button to complete the New Family Record.
Congratulations! You have now added a Family Record.
Note:
If the member has a different last name than what is in the Family Record, you can edit the Last Name field while in the Member Record. Additionally, there are 5 additional tabs to enter additional information about the member.