QuickStart: 10 Steps to Setup your EzyChurch App for Success

Getting your EzyChurch App full of relevant content is the best way to ensure your users open it often and maximise the power you know it has to offer the people in your church.

Here's an overview of how to configure your app/website and make the most of its features.

1. Add your organisation's logo and select your brand colours

PURPOSE: This allows your whole app and/or website to look and feel like your organisation.

1. Head over to Subscriptions, located under your Account Menu (Click your name in the top right of your screen),

2. Look under Active Services and find ‘Logos and Colours’. Then click Config,

3. Click the  symbol and find your logo on your computer (200px wide, by 75px high. For more information on our image asset requirements, check out Platform Graphic Assets)

4. Enter the Web Colour Codes of the colours you'd like to use. These can be generated by most graphic design programmes. (You can learn more about what each colour does at Platform Colour Configuration)

5. We also recommend adding a banner to your app's homescreen.

2. Connect Your Calendar (ics feed, or Google calendar)

PURPOSE: This allows your app to list your organisation's public events by syncing them directly with your Google Calendar or ics feed.

1. Open Subscriptions, located under your Account Menu (Click your name in the top right of your screen),

2. Look under Active Services and find ‘Events’. Then click Config,

3. Name your site (this is only visible to your users if you use Multisite)

4. Decide whether you'd like to connect a Google calendar, or an ics calendar feed,

5. Fill in the required details - learn about these at either Connecting Your Google Calendar or Connecting Your Calendar via ics feed

6. Once setup, you’ll need to sync your calendar for the first time:

   1. Navigate to Manage > Events,

   2. Click ‘Sync’,

   3. You may be prompted to authorise your calendar by Google, or your calendar provider,

   4. Follow the prompts to authorise your calendar. You may be required to select to ‘Trust’ EzyStream - please do so,

   5. Once complete, your calendar will automatically sync each night. You can also click sync as often as you like to update your events when you wish.

3. Select your Church Services

PURPOSE: Marking the events in your calendar which are church services automatically creates a menu item in your app menu to show church services to your users. 

1. Ensure you have synchronised your events after connecting your calendar

2. Open Subscriptions, located under your Account Menu (Click your name in the top right of your screen),

3. Look under Active Services and find ‘Service Location and Times. Then click Config,

4. You will be offered a list of all the events in your calendar.

5. Simply toggle the event(s) which are church services and we’ll display them on the services page automatically in your app.

6. View the full article here: Identifying your Church Services

4. Enable Push Notifications + Make your first Topic

PURPOSE: Push Notifications allow you to send a message to everyone who has your app installed, for example to remind them of an event.

1. Ensure you have Push Notifications enabled in your subscription. 

   1. Head over to Subscriptions, located under your Account Menu (Click your name in the top right of your screen),

   2. See if Push Notifications is listed under 'Active Services'. If so, move onto No.2,

   3. If not, look for the 'Engage Bundle' under Available Services,

   4. Click 'Add' to this module, and the feature will be added to your account.

2. Browse to Notifications, under the Manage Menu (in the top right of your screen)

3. Ensure you have at least one Notification Topic, under Notification Topics. (Learn how at Push Notifications).

4. Click  Notification to Send or Schedule your first Notification.

   1. If you're still in the Notification Managment Page (Manage > Notifications), simply click  Notification.

   2. In the future, this is easily selected on the homepage of your dashboard and Push Notifications has detailed instructions on how to do this.
      Idea: For a first test message, you could send a 'Welcome to our app' type message. This will show in Notification History for 7 days.

5. Setup Online Giving

PURPOSE: Make Giving to your Church easier than ever with a Give button right in your app. You can also embed a Giving form into your website. 

1. Head over to Subscriptions, located under your Account Menu (Click your name in the top right of your screen),

2. Look for EzyStream Giving under Available Services. If it's not there:

   1. Look for the 'Engage Bundle' under Available Services,

   2. Click 'Add' to this module, and the feature will be added to your account.

3. Click ‘Config’ on EzyStream Giving' and select ‘Activate EzyStream Giving’

4. Head over to your Manage Menu (top right of your screen), and select Giving.

5. Set Up Your Giving Account by filling in the form to create your Giving Account and click Submit.

6. You'll need to wait a short time while the EzyStream team reviews your account. Once done, you'll get an email from us to continue the process.

7. Once you receive an email from us, browse back to Manage > Giving, or refresh your browser if its still open,

8. You'll be prompted to Verify your account with our payment processor. This is a requirement to ensure safe handling of your transactions.
   To do this, you’ll need:

   1. Your organisations legal entity name,

   2. Your NZBN or ACN/ABN (If you don’t have one, you’ll need to contact us),

   3. A document showing your Charitable Status. (You can normally download one at the NZ Charities Register, or the Australian Charities Register)

   4. Information about your board members including their full names and Date of Birth)

9. Once done, add at least one Bank Account, by clicking Accounts in top left of your Giving Dashboard.

10. The final step is to create at least one Appeal - the thing(s) you want members to give towards. (You'll learn lots more at Understanding Appeals)

6. Add your Newsletter

PURPOSE: Reduce printing and cut through email clutter by delivering your newsletter directly to your congregation's phone, complete with a Push Notification so they know it is there.

1. Find out what method you currently distribute your newsletter.

7. Add your Live Stream

PURPOSE: Regardless of what system you use to Live Stream your service, you can integrate it with your EzyChurch App. Once complete, a button will appear in your app saying ‘Watch Live’ and your user will be directed to your stream.

1. Find out what method you currently use to stream your service:

2. Optional: Schedule a push notification to send just before you intend to go live!
3. Each week, update the URL/Video ID of your live event.

8. Add your first piece of media

PURPOSE: Distribute your media to everyone in your church with one single upload. You can have it publish into your app, your website and your podcast feed with one upload action!

1. Click Add Media in Quick Actions in the top left of your dashboard.

2. Click 'Add New Video/Audio Series'

3. You’ll be prompted to create a series. After creating a series, you can add multiple episodes to your series - great for topics spanning multiple weeks as one series. You can learn about other options here.

   1. Add a poster image (1200px x 1200px). This is a requirement for series'.

   2. Enter a synopsis for your series,

   3. Enter the copyright of your series,

   4. Choose where you’d like your media to appear,

   5. Confirm there is no third-party content in your files,

   6. Click Submit.

4. Next you can add your first episode to the series:

   1. Click the  button to add your audio and/or video file into the form. Learn about Supported Media Types and Media Graphic Asset Requirements.

   2. Fill out the fields in the form. (Learn more here)

   3. Click Submit once your media has been uploaded.

5. To learn how to embed your media into your existing website, please check out Embedding Media in your Website

NOTE: If you'd like to upload video and your screen does not give you this option, please add a Video Subscription under Subscriptions.

9. Embed a Form - Or a few

PURPOSE: Easily collect data from your users by embedding forms from Infoodle or Google.

1. Head over to Subscriptions, located under your Account Menu (Click your name in the top right of your screen),

2. Look under Active Services and find 'Form Embed'. If it’s not there, add the 'Connect Bundle' under Available Services.

3. Click Config on the Embed Form Feature. (Learn more at App Web Embed).

4. Type the name you'd like to give the button in your app which will display this form (e.g Volunteer)

5. Copy and Paste the URL of the form published by Google, Infoodle, etc

6. Click Submit.

10. Setup Sermon Notes

Purpose: Notes is a clever way to publish sermon notes for your community, and allow them to edit that note on their own device during the sermon.

1. Head over to Subscriptions, located under your Account Menu (Click your name in the top right of your screen),

2. Look under Active Services and find 'Notes',

   1. If you can’t see this option, you’ll need to add the ‘Inspire Bundle’ under Available Services.

3. Click Config,

4. Select ‘Activate’ to turn this button on in your app,

5. Then, browse to Manage > Notes,

6. Create a template note you want to publish to everyone:

   1. Give it a title,

   2. Enter the content of the note you'd like everyone to see:

      1. This is a template note, which may include places for users to enter their own additional notes, or fill in the spaces.

      2. You can link an existing media item if you wish

      3. You can also enter related Bible references. Please make sure you enter these in the example format: e.g. John 3:16. (ie. John 3v16 is not supported!)

7. Save your draft note.

8. When you'd like to publish your note to all your users, open the note again and click Publish.

11. Add your FaceBook Page

Purpose: Link your users directly into your Facebook page.

1. Head over to Subscriptions, located under your Account Menu (Click your name in the top right of your screen),

2. Look under Active Services and find 'Social'.

3. Type the service name: Facebook

4. Copy and Paste the URL of your Facebook page directly from Facebook.

5. Click Submit.

12. Check and Activate your Contact Details

Purpose: Display a Contact button as a menu option in your app.

1. While still in your Subscription Page, click Config on the Contact Us Feature.

2. Name the button you'd like to be displayed in your app menu.

3. Enter a message you'd like to display to your users in your app's Contact Page.

4. Verify your Contact Details by going to My Organisation, under your Account Menu, by clicking your name in the top right of your screen.

13. Plan Your Launch!

Once your app is ready, make sure you launch it strongly to your church!

1. Plan a 'Device Day'

2. Check out our videos and slides to help in your launch!

   • EzyChurch App Launch Resources

   • Custom App Launch Resources

Want to extend your app further?

Try some of the following features:

• Add a Resonate, and/or your National Organisation's Resource Channel

• App Web Embed

• External Web Links

• Add Discount Coupons

• Add Infoodle Integrations

• Add your YouTube Live Stream

• Add a theme to your app's Homescreen

• Customise your App Buttons

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