Communicate with your teams

In this section:

Communicate with your team members to make sure everyone is on the same page! You can reach out to your teams via email, chat, and text (only on Services Mobile). Choose whether to communicate with the entire team or scheduled team members from a particular plan.

Want to watch a video before you get started? No problem! This five-minute video will show you the concepts in this article in action.

Email your team

You can email team members from a specific plan page or from the team members list, depending on whether you need to communicate with only scheduled team members or your entire team.

Tip

If your team members have trouble receiving emails in Services, check out the article on how to troubleshoot common email problems.

Email scheduled team members

You can email scheduled team members from a plan page to communicate about that particular service. Emails sent from a plan include:

Accept or Decline buttons for unconfirmed team members to respond to scheduling requests.
Any times to which the recipient is assigned.

To email team members from a plan:

Select the Plans page from the top navigation in Services.
If you have multiple folders, select the folder that contains the service type you're working with.
Select a plan from the service type you're working with.
Select the Teams tab.
Select the ✉️ email icon in the top right.
Choose which team members to include in the Recipients popup.
- Teams: Select Add to add teams to this email. Your teams are listed by default. Select the X next to a team to remove it from the list. (Schedulers cannot add other teams; they can only email their teams.)
- Times: If you've added split teams to this email, you can choose to only email team members assigned to a specific time.
- Include: Choose which team members to include based on their scheduling status. Select Only people with Prepared Notifications to email only people whose scheduling requests (or prepared notifications) haven't been sent yet. Team members with an ✉️ email icon next to their name have a prepared notification.
Select Next.
At the top of the popup, choose an email template from the dropdown or select Edit Templates to create a new one.
Important
You can only choose scheduling email templates when sending an email from a plan.
(Optional) Select the x next to a team member's name to remove them from the recipients list.
Edit your subject line or message in the text fields. Use the toolbar above the text field to format your message, insert an image, or upload an attachment.
- Select the 📎 paperclip icon in the toolbar to upload an attachment. You can only upload up to 10MB each, up to 5 per email, 10MB total.
  Warning
  Do not attach copyrighted material, such as chord charts and audio files, to emails. If you have the right licenses, add chord charts and audio files to your songs instead to ensure that usage is properly tracked and reported.
  See the Copyright concerns article to learn more.
- Select the image icon in the toolbar to insert an inline image. See the Image sizing guide to upload the correct size and file type.
Select Send [number of recipients] at the bottom right to send your email.

Select the Plans page from the bottom navigation in Services Mobile.
Select the service type or folder.
Select the plan date from which you'd like to email your teams.
Select the Teams tab at the top of the plan page.
Tap the Email or Text button.
Choose which team members to include in the Recipients page.
- Send Messages For: Select Prepared Notifications to only email people whose prepared notifications are still unsent, or select Scheduled People to email any team member scheduled for the plan. Select Needed Signups to email a signup sheet.
- With Status: Select the toggle next to each scheduling status (Pending, Confirmed, Declined) to email team members based on their scheduling status on the plan.
- Teams: Select the toggle next to a team to include them in this email.
- Times: If there is more than one service time, select the toggle next to a service time to email the people assigned to that time.
- Tap x People Selected at the bottom to manually toggle which specific team members should receive this email.
Tap Next in the top right.
Select the Email tab at the top.
Tap Select an email template to choose an email template for your message. You can only send scheduling email templates from a plan page.
Tap the subject line or message field to edit it.
Tap the Send icon at the top right to send your email.

Email an entire team

If you need to email everyone assigned to a team or position, go to that team's member list.

Select the People page from the top navigation in Services.
Select the Teams tab to view a list of teams in your organization.
Use the dropdown in the top left to filter the list by My Teams (teams where you're a leader or member), All Teams, Archived Teams, or specific service types.
Select a team name to open that team's member list. You can also search for a specific team using the search bar at the top.
Select All team members or a specific position from the left sidebar.
(Optional) To email split team members with a specific service time preference, filter to that time using the Any times dropdown.
Select the ⚙️ settings icon in the top right.
Choose Email from the dropdown.
At the top of the popup, choose an email template from the dropdown or select Edit Templates to create a new one.
Important
You can only send general email templates or welcome emails from this page.
(Optional) Select the x next to a team member's name if they shouldn't receive this email.
Edit your subject line or message in the text fields. Use the toolbar above the text field to format your message, insert an image, or upload an attachment.
- Select the 📎 paperclip icon in the toolbar to upload an attachment. You can only upload up to 10MB each, up to 5 per email, 10MB total.
  Warning
  Do not attach copyrighted material, such as chord charts and audio files, to emails. If you have the right licenses, add chord charts and audio files to your songs instead to ensure that usage is properly tracked and reported.
  See the Copyright concerns article to learn more.
- Select the image icon in the toolbar to insert an inline image. See the Image sizing guide to upload the correct size and file type.
Select Send [number of recipients] at the bottom right to send your email.

To email an entire team in Services Mobile, go to the People page and apply a filter for that team.

Select the People page from the bottom navigation in Services Mobile.
Tap the + Filter button. If you don't see this button, a filter has already been applied. You can tap the existing filter(s) to adjust your filter settings.
Tap Teams I Lead to change which teams appear as filter options. You can select My Teams, All Teams, or teams from a specific folder/service type.
Select the checkboxes next to each team you'd like to email, and then tap the x icon to close the filter menu.
Tap the ✉️ email icon at the top right of the list.
Tap x people selected to manually toggle which specific team members will receive this email.
Tap Select an email template to choose a template for your message.
Important
You can only send general email templates or welcome emails from this page.
Tap the subject line or message field to edit it.
Tap the Send icon at the top right to send your email.

Email specific people

If you need to email specific groups of people who aren't on the same team, go to the People page to send your email.

Select the People page from the top navigation in Services.
Apply filters to narrow down the list of people.
Hover over a person's profile picture or initials and check the box that appears to include them in the email. Check the box in the top left of the list to select all filtered people.
Select the ✉️ email icon at the top of the list.
At the top of the popup, choose an email template from the dropdown or select Edit Templates to create a new one.
Important
You can only send general email templates or welcome emails from this page.
(Optional) Select the x next to a person's name to remove them from the recipients list.
Edit your subject line or message in the text fields. Use the toolbar above the text field to format your message, insert an image, or upload an attachment.
- Select the 📎 paperclip icon in the toolbar to upload an attachment. You can only upload up to 10MB each, up to 5 per email, 10MB total.
  Warning
  Do not attach copyrighted material, such as chord charts and audio files, to emails. If you have the right licenses, add chord charts and audio files to your songs instead to ensure that usage is properly tracked and reported.
  See the Copyright concerns article to learn more.
- Select the image icon in the toolbar to insert an inline image. See the Image sizing guide to upload the correct size and file type.
Select Send [number of recipients] at the bottom right to send your email.

Select the People page from the bottom navigation in Services Mobile.
Tap the + Filter button in the top left to apply filters and narrow down the list of people. You can also search for a specific person using the search bar at the top.
Tap the ✉️ email icon at the top of the list. Everyone in the filtered list will be included as recipients.
Tap [number] people selected at the top of the page to edit the list of recipients. Use the toggles to choose who should receive this email.
Tap Select an email template to choose an email template.
Important
You can only send general email templates or welcome emails from this page.
(Optional) Select the x next to a person's name to remove them from the recipients list.
Tap the text fields to edit your subject line or message text.
Tap the Send icon in the top right to send your email.

Chat with your team

You can chat with scheduled team members or an entire team at once!

Chat with scheduled team members

Select the Plans page from the top navigation in Services.
If you have multiple folders, select the folder that contains the service type you're working with.
Select a plan date from the service type you're working with.
Select the Teams tab.
Choose whether to chat with multiple teams or a single team on this plan:
- To chat with multiple teams, select the 💬 chat icon in the top right. The teams you lead on this plan will automatically appear. Select the x next to a team to remove it from the chat. Search for a team to add to the chat.
- To chat with a single team, select the dropdown arrow next to the team's name, and then choose Chat from the menu options.
If you selected multiple teams, select Start Conversation to start the chat. If you selected a single team, send your first message to start the chat.

Tap Plans from the bottom navigation in Services Mobile.
Select a service type or folder.
Select a plan date.
Select the Teams tab at the top of the plan page.
Tap the 💬 Chat button.
If you only lead one team on this plan, you'll go directly to an empty chat for that team. Tap Send a message to start the conversation.
If you lead multiple teams on this plan, you'll go to the New Conversation page. You can adjust which teams to include by tapping on a team name and selecting the checkboxes on the next page. All of the teams you lead will be selected by default.
Once you've selected the team(s) you want to include, tap Done in the top right.
Tap Start conversation.

Chat with an entire team or multiple teams

Start a chat with an entire team from the team's member list:

Select the People page from the top navigation in Services.
Select the Teams tab to view a list of teams in your organization.
Use the dropdown in the top left to filter the list by My Teams (teams where you're a leader or member), All Teams, Archived Teams, or specific service types.
Select a team name to open that team's member list. You can also search for a specific team using the search bar at the top.
Select All team members from the left sidebar.
Select the ⚙️ settings icon in the top right.
Choose Start chat from the dropdown.

Start a chat with multiple teams on the People page:

Select the People page from the top navigation.
Go to the Teams tab.
Use the checkboxes next to the teams to select up to 10 teams from the list.
Select the 💬 chat icon at the top of the list.

You can start a chat with multiple teams from any screen in Services Mobile:

Select the chat icon at the top of the screen.
If you have multiple linked accounts, tap the church's name at the top of the screen and select which church you want to chat with from the dropdown.
Tap New Conversation to start a chat.
Select which teams to include in your chat from the teams you lead. Select More teams to choose a team you don't lead.
(Optional) If there are future plans for the team(s), use the toggle to filter by plan to choose a specific plan.
Tap Start conversation.

Important

You cannot filter team chats to specific positions or time preferences. Chat conversations include all team members.

Text your teams in Services Mobile

In Services Mobile, you can start a group text using your device's preferred texting app from a plan page. This text message includes a shortened link to open the corresponding plan page.

Because this feature redirects you to your device's text messaging app, recipients cannot opt in or out of the messages.

Text messages rely upon the limitations of each cell phone provider, so while they can be convenient, here are two things to keep in mind:

If you've prepared a text message for more people than your phone carrier allows, not everyone will receive it.
Tip
If you're not sure how many people your carrier allows, copy the text before tapping the button to send it. You may need to send multiple messages, and this will help you keep track of what you're sending.
There is no additional Planning Center charge to send a text; however, recipients may incur standard texting charges, as applicable to their mobile provider.

To start a group text in Services Mobile:

Tap the Plans page from the bottom navigation in Services Mobile.
Select the service type or folder you're working with.
Select the plan date from which you'd like to email your teams.
Tap the Teams tab at the top of the plan page.
Tap the Email or Text button.
Choose which team members to include in the Recipients page.
- Send Messages For: Choose to only email team members whose Prepared Notifications are still unsent, or choose Scheduled People to email any team member scheduled for the plan. Choose Needed Signups to email a signup sheet.
- With Status: Select the toggle next to each scheduling status (Pending, Confirmed, Declined) to email team members based on their scheduling status on the plan.
- Teams: Select the toggle next to a team to include them in this email.
- Times: If there is more than one service time, select the toggle next to a service time to email the people assigned to that time.
- Tap x People Selected to select which specific team members should receive this text.
Tap Next in the top right.
Select the Text tab at the top of the page.
If any team members from the recipients list don't have mobile numbers, tap x People without mobile numbers and then tap each name to save a mobile number to their profile.
Tap the Text Message field to edit your message.
Tap the toggle next to Include phone reference to include the last four digits of each person's phone number in the text. This will let your recipients know who might be able to reply.
Tap the Send icon at the top right to open your device's preferred texting app.