Notifications

HolyCRM can let you know when something needs you, like being asked to serve, even when the app is closed.

The bell

The bell at the top of the app shows your notifications for the church you’re in. A number on it means there are ones you haven’t read. Tap one to open what it’s about; Mark all as read clears the number. Notifications are kept for 90 days.

Turning notifications on for your phone or computer

Notifications are turned on per device: your phone and your computer are separate.

1. Open the bell and tap Turn on notifications, or go to My Profile → Notifications.
2. Your browser asks for permission: choose Allow.
3. Tap Send a test in My Profile to check it works. The test should arrive within a few seconds.

iPhone and iPad: notifications only work once HolyCRM is installed on your Home Screen (iOS 16.4 or later). Install it first (see Getting Started), open it from its icon, then turn notifications on from there.

Android and computers: they work in Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Samsung Internet, whether or not you installed the app. They don’t work in private or incognito windows.

What you’ll be notified about

• When you’re asked to serve on a rota. On Android and computers the notification has I can serve / I can’t buttons; “I can’t” lets you add a note. Or tap it to answer.
• A reminder the day before if you haven’t answered yet.
• The day before you serve, once you’ve confirmed.
• Event reminders: the day before an event you’re registered for, with the time.
• Small group: on the day your group meets, a few hours before.
• Announcements your church sends as an app notification.
• A thank-you when a gift of yours is recorded (never the amount).
• Kids check-in: if the kids’ team needs you, a page asking you to come, with your tag’s code. This one can’t be switched off.
• If you lead rotas: when a volunteer says they can’t serve, so you can find a replacement, and two days before a service if any role still has open places (“Sunday service needs 2 more people”).
• If you see Visitors: when a new visitor arrives (from the app or your “New here?” form), and when a visitor is assigned to you for follow-up.
• If you see Prayer Requests: when a new request arrives, and when one is assigned to you. The notification never shows the request itself or who sent it.
• Administrators: when someone they invited joins the team, plan and trial reminders, and when a payment is received.

When several of the same kind arrive close together (say, a list of visitors imported at once), you get one notification that counts them, like “12 new visitors”, not twelve.

Under My Profile → Notifications → What to notify me about you can switch each kind off for the church you’re in. If you belong to more than one church, each one has its own switches.

Notifications only say what happened. Details stay inside the app, behind your login, because notifications can appear on a locked screen.

Devices and signing out

My Profile → Notifications lists the devices where notifications are on. Remove stops them on a device you no longer use. Signing out also turns them off on that device, so on a shared computer the next person isn’t sent yours.

The “Tap to copy the URL for this app” notice on Android

While HolyCRM is open, Android may show a quiet notice from Chrome saying “Tap to copy the URL for this app”, with Share and Open in Chrome. Chrome adds it to every app installed from the browser; it isn’t a HolyCRM notification. To hide it, long-press it and turn that kind of Chrome notification off. That hides it for every app you installed from Chrome, and HolyCRM’s own notifications keep working.

Not getting notifications?

• “Notifications are blocked”: you chose Block when the browser asked. Allow notifications for HolyCRM in the browser’s site settings, then come back.
• Check the device isn’t in Do not disturb or battery saver mode, which can hold them back.
• You’ll still find everything in the bell, and you’ll still get the usual emails.