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Planning Center Help

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Add people in Check-Ins

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New church members can be added to your database using a station, form, Check-Ins on a web browser, or a CSV file. Once you add a person, they will become accessible in all Planning Center products. However, they won't count against your Check-Ins pricing plan until they're checked in. Once they're in your database, create a mobile pass or barcode for each check-in next time!

Alternatively, you can check in visitors with a label without saving them to your database.

Add people using a station

You can add new people using a manned or roster station. Self stations won't let you add new people.

  1. Open the Check-Ins app on your device.

  2. Using a manned station, type the person's full name in the search box.

    Using a roster station's Ready tab, type the person's full name in the search box and select Search “[name]” outside of roster.

  3. Select Add person.

  4. Choose how to add the person to your database:

    • Select New household to add the new profile to a new household.

    • Select Existing household to add the new profile to an existing household you select.

  5. Fill out the person's details.

  6. (Optional) Select Manage trusted people to add non-family members.

  7. Select Show all to include more information.

  8. (Optional) Select Add in the top right corner to add other people to this household.

  9. When everything looks correct, select Save Household.

Tips for adding new families at a station

To ensure a smooth check-in process and avoid communication issues down the road, follow these tips when adding new families at a station:

  • Use the Household form editor to customize the information you request for new households.

  • In the Household form editor, check the Emphasize box under these key fields to help volunteers remember to collect this critical information: 

    • Mobile phone number field for adults

    • Birthdate and grade for children

  • To avoid mix-ups when contacting a parent, add phone numbers and email addresses to the correct person. Contact information with the Home label will be automatically added to all profiles in the household.

  • For children, enter their preferred name in the First name field.

  • When adding more people to a household, you only need to enter their first name. The last name will be auto-filled.

  • Only include medical notes that are okay to print on a label.

Add using a People form

You can have people create profiles for themselves by filling out a form. They can enter the requested information for themselves and their family members, and new profiles will be created for them in your database.

Create a form

You will need permissions in People to create a form. Forms are designed to be filled out by one individual, but you can add the Household members field to request information about a second adult and the children in the family, so that profiles for all family members are created and grouped in one household.

While the fields you request and require are up to you, here are a few recommendations for getting the most helpful information from a form.

  • For adults, make the phone number field required. This ensures that the adult's name and phone number will be added to the child's label if they are selected as the checked in by person at the check-in station, so you can contact them in case an issue arises.

    You can also text any household adults directly from the station if a valid mobile phone number is provided.

  • For children, make the grade, school, and medical note fields optional. This way, people filling out the form won't need to select a grade or school for nursery-aged children, and they won't have to enter any information in the medical notes field for children who do not have applicable details.

Share the form

Once you've created your form, you can share it using a URL or QR code! Follow the steps below to share the form:

  1. Select the product name in the top left of the top navigation.

  2. Choose People from the dropdown.

  3. In People, select Forms from the top navigation.

  4. Select the form you'd like to share.

  5. Select the Settings tab.

  6. In the Form status box, choose how to share your form:

    • Copy: Copying adds the URL to your clipboard. Paste the URL in a text, an email, on social media, or on your website by pressing CMD + V or CTRL + V on your keyboard.

    • Download QR code: Downloading the QR code adds the file to your computer and can be used in church bulletins or an announcement slide. Print QR codes on Avery 22805 square stickers and display them in prominent places at your church, like near stations or in the welcome area!

Tip

You can also add your form as a navigation item on Church Center.

Add using Check-Ins on a web browser

Follow these steps to add a person using Check-Ins:

  1. In Check-Ins, select the People page in the top navigation.

  2. Select Find or add person in the top right.

  3. In the Add Attendee popup, type the name of the person in the Full name search box.

  4. If the person already exists, select their name from the list.

    If they don't exist, select Create a New Person and fill out their information in the Edit profile popup.

Don't forget to add or edit their household!

Import using a CSV File

If you want to add multiple people to your database at once, an organization administrator or manager can import them using a CSV in People.

Important fields to import 

  • Household ID groups household members together, so you can choose who can check a child in or out of an event.

  • Primary contact appears in reports, along with the person who checked in.

  • Mobile number lets you send a text to an adult if you need them during an event. Add numbers to the correct profile—don't store a parent's phone on their child's profile.

  • A barcode can make checking in easier and faster.

  • Grades and birthdates make sure children can check into the correct location quickly.

  • Medical notes help you keep track of sensitive information on printed labels and keep children safe.