How can you keep in touch?

Email

You should have all your community members' email addresses stored in infoodle.

To send out a bulk email to everyone, simply generate your list via the report page - no need to add criteria as you want to include everyone, click generate (you can choose if you want to save this report but probably not necessary), then click, Go, to email them, and you are now on the create email page. For more information on sending emails see the Contact/Email Help Pages in the infoodle help centre.

Check who does not have an email address

There may be some members in your community that do not have an email address, so these people may need a phone call. To generate a list of those without an email address:

1. Go to the reports area of infoodle, select People, add criteria as Email Address - is Not Set. (see screenshot below)
2. Then click on Select fields and select only the names, and phone numbers.
3. Next Generate results, click on CSV or Excel and the report will be downloaded to your computer (or you can use the Advanced search function)
4. Now you can call those for whom you do not have an email address.

Phone app

If you have already configured the app, go to the contact pages and click on App Notifications. Select the topic (if you have this extension) Next click on Content then enter the message and send. There is more you can do with the app during this time, more on this further down in this email

If you do not have the app configured and need help, please contact support(at)infoodle.com

Text

Sending Texts in infoodle is easy. You just need 2 things to be set up:

1. Those who you want to give permission to send texts need to have this permission in their Role.
2. They also need to have an allocated budget. Because the payment gateway we use charges us, we pass the cost directly on to you at the end of each month.

For more information on sending texts see the contact/text help pages.

How can your community keep in contact with you?

As well as information regarding the latest news updates, restrictions etc. and how that will impact your community you also want to know what the community needs so you know how to respond. You need to be able to keep in touch with those who are vulnerable. To do this:

1. You need to have birth dates recorded so you know who is vulnerable due to age.
2. You want to know who in your community has health or financial vulnerability.
3. You need correct and up to date contact details.
4. Who in your community needs assistance.
5. What kind of assistance do they need, food, finance, contact, counselling, prayer etc.

All this information can be gathered via forms.

You may want to have a form so people can sign up if they need help, and one for those who are able to help others and deliver supplies/do some grocery shopping etc.

Forms can be embedded into your website, a link in your phone app. Or a link in your email.

For more information on forms, click on the forms help pages

Checking no-one falls through the cracks

You may have your community split up into groups with people identified who will check up on them - these could be community workers, pastoral care workers, small group leaders or volunteers specially assigned for this crisis.

Attendance tracking can be used to identify people who have been contacted. Add the date as a week beginning date, and tick all who have been contacted. If someone needs help, a To Do, (task reminder) can be set for the person or group from the individuals profile page. You can mark attendance via your phone, laptop, or the infoodle app, and send emails to your group as well.

A report can be run to see who has not been contacted by running the attendance report.

Financial assistance for charities

You may have seen or heard that financial assistance is also available for charities in New Zealand, and a number of other countries as well:

New Zealand
Australia
UK

Here at infoodle we carry on providing the help and support your needs, so contact support(at)infoodle.com with your questions.

Training continues - see the schedule here. The subjects may change a little to cover requirements necessary due to the current COVID-19 Pandemic.


Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your families at this uncertain time.
Stay safe, be strong, be kind,
From the team at infoodle.