NEW: User Specific Navigation

• Description: We’ve added a new user navigation menu to the upper right corner of the app. This menu can be personalized to the logged in user (similar to the dashboard) and can include links to any part of the App.
• Availability: This feature is available and deployed for all customers.
• Configuration: In your MinistryPlatform database, there is a new Stored Procedure called api_PocketPlatform_GetRightNav which controls the items listed in the user specific navigation. Customers comfortable with writing SQL can make adjustments to this Stored Procedure directly to customize what’s available for users. For more information, reference this KB article.
• Testing: None needed.

ENHANCEMENT: Multi-Task Media Player

• Description: The media player now includes a feature that allows users to minimize the player while keeping the video playing in a small thumbnail viewer. When activated, this mode allows users to navigate to other areas of the app to take notes, sign up for events, use the Connect Card, etc.
• Availability: This feature is available and deployed for all customers.
• Configuration: None
• Testing: None necessary. If desired, you can play a video in the app and click the minimize icon to activate the new feature.

NEW: Group Management

• Description: This new feature allows Group Leaders and Group Members to directly engage with and manage their group. The tools include features for managing group meetings, taking attendance, distributing curriculum and managing members.
• Availability: This new feature is available for all customers.
• Configuration: Admin SPOCs can configure individual Groups by setting “Available On App” to Yes on the Group Record. The tool can be accessed from the User Specific Navigation. Additional information is available at this KB article.
• Testing: None needed; if desired setup a test group with beta testers and set “Available On App” to Yes on the Group Record.

NEW: Connection Card

• Description: This new feature creates a digital version of the Connection Card Core Tool. The Connection Card allows users to check themselves into today’s Event, respond to Opportunities, and submit Prayer Requests.
• Availability: This feature is available for all customers. Links to the Connection Card can be added to Recipes or the User Specific Navigation.
• Configuration: There are a number of configuration parameters in MinistryPlatform that control the display of the Connection Card at any moment in time. Additional information available at this KB article.
• Testing: None necessary; if desired, configure Events and Opportunities and Settings in MinistryPlatform and then access the Connection Card to review functionality.

NEW: Journey + Milestones / Gamification

• Description: The PocketPlatform Gamification feature rewards users with badges and progress bars as they engage with community, develop their spiritual journey, and find more areas of spiritual and Kingdom growth in their lives.
• Availability: This feature is available to all customers whose MinistryPlatform instance is running at least SQL Server 2016. Gamified Journeys and Milestones can be added to the Dashboard. Gamified Journeys are available by default in the User Specific Navigation.
• Configuration: There are a handful of configuration options in MinistryPlatform that control which Journeys and Milestones are displayed within this feature. For more information, reference this KB article
• Testing: None necessary; if desired, configure Joureys and Milestones in MinistryPlatform and assign your user to the Journey; then access the My Journeys screen via the User Specific Navigation to review functionality.

ENHANCEMENT: App Analytics

• Description: We’ve enhanced analytics tracking to record data in MinistryPlatform in addition to Google Firebase. This allows creation of Charts / Graphs / Views within MinistryPlatform that can be shared with leadership and other Platform users.
• Availability: This feature is available and deployed for all customers. By default, the new analytics data in MinistryPlatform is available as read-only to users with the PocketPlatform Admin security role.  For more information, reference this KB article.
• Configuration: None needed. Customers may build Charts / Graphs as desired. Customers may also assign read only rights for the Pocket Platform Analytics Noun to other security roles if desired.
• Testing: None

NEW: Dismiss Dashboard Announcements

• Description: This new feature allows you to configure Dashboard Announcements to be dismissable by the user. This feature only applies to Announcements, not to other Dashboard Recipes.
• Availability: This feature is available to all customers using Announcements recipes.
• Configuration: Open an announcement record in MinistryPlatform and set Dismissable to Yes or No as desired.
• Testing: None needed; if desired, test setting an active Announcement to Dismissable = Yes and then swipe down on the dashboard to reload the Dashboard. Dismissed items can be added back to the Dashboard from the Settings page, via the User Specific Navigation in the upper right corner of the app

ENHANCEMENT: Dashboard Analytics

• Description: Dashboard items now include enhanced analytics allowing the app to track when a Recipe Group is scrolled into view. This allows some basic analytics on how many times specific recipes are viewed by users.
• Availability: This feature is available and deployed for all customers.
• Configuration: None needed.
• Testing: None needed.

NEW: Sermon Series Categories

• Description: With this new feature you can organize your sermon / media archive into categories like Weekend Services, Mid Week Services, Classes and Groups, etc. Categories are displayed in the App as a scrollable list with a 16:9 graphic and title for each Category.
• Availability: This feature is available to all customers but is not enabled by default. If you’d like to enable this feature, please submit a ticket using the form at the bottom of this page.
• Configuration: Customers will need to create at least one Sermon Series Type record in MinistryPlatform, attach a graphic to the record(s), and then assign Sermon Series to the available Sermon Series Types. If a Sermon Series is not assigned to a Sermon Series Type, it will not be displayed in the Sermons module in the App.
• Testing: Once enabled, review the display of categories and confirm that Sermon Series appear in each category as expected.

NEW: Roku / Apple TV / Sermon Widget / Podcast Feed

• Description: we’ve developed three new channels for delivering your livestream and on demand sermon media to your congregation.
• Availability: These are available for all customers. Roku and Apple TV involve an onboarding fee while the Sermon widget and Podcast Feed do not. All four require PocketPlatform Support to enable and configure the feature. If interested in any of these options, please submit a ticket using the form at the bottom of this page.
• Configuration: create Sermons and Sermon Series as normal.
• Testing: Testing links can be made available on each platform.

NEW: Add to Calendar feature

• Description: Add an event to your personal calendar.
• Availability: This feature is available on the Event Detail screen of every Event; it is also available on the registration complete message after registering for an Event.
• Configuration: None.
• Testing: None necessary; if desired, click the link to add to the calendar on your device

ENHANCEMENT: Custom Forms

• Description: Custom Forms have new and improved native support.
• Availability: This feature is available for all customers. Forms can be used immediately in Dashboard Recipes and in User Specific Navigation. To add a Form to the main app navigation, please submit a ticket using the form at the bottom of this page. To add a link to a form in a recipe, reference this KB article.
• Configuration: Build your custom form in MinistryPlatform as normal.
• Testing: None necessary; if desired setup a test recipe or link to a form

ENHANCEMENT: Alternate Authentication user flow

• Description: Improved authentication flow allows users to check for an existing User Account before creating a new User Account.
• Availability: This feature is available for all customers and is enabled.
• Configuration: None.
• Testing: Logout of the app, then click Create Account. You’ll be presented with options to enter your phone number or email address. Follow the prompts to continue.

ENHANCEMENT: Webview / Native interface

• Description: Improvements to the display of webpages inside the App including additional authentication mechanisms.
• Availability: This feature is available for all customers. Webviews can be used in Dashboard Recipes, User Specific Navigation, or in the main App Navigation. To add a webview, reference this KB article.
• Configuration: None.
• Testing: None.

ENHANCEMENT: External Opportunity Sign-up

• Description: Opportunity Signups now include an optional External Registration URL which allows users to register on a third party service.
• Availability: This feature is available to all customers, but is disabled by default. If you’d like to enable this feature, please submit a ticket using the form at the bottom of this page.
• Configuration: Once enabled, enter the link for your third party registration in the External Registration URL field on the Opportunity Record.
• Testing: Once enabled, test signup via the App to confirm.

ENHANCEMENT: optional “Congregation Name” on Event List

• Description: Congregation Name / Campus Name can now be included on the Event Detail screen.
• Availability: This feature is available to all customers, but is turned off by default. Turning the feature on requires a configuration value to be set at the time of recompile. If you’d like this feature turned on submit a ticket using the form at the bottom of this page.
• Configuration: PocketPlatform Support.
• Testing: None.

NEW: Prayer Request Forms

• Description: This new feature allows you to direct users to a Prayer Request form. Users can select the type of request and submit the form to create a Feedback Entry attached to their Contact. Users that are Heads of Household can also submit requests on behalf of other Contacts in their Household.
• Availability: This feature is available for all customers. Prayer Request Forms can be added to Dashboard Recipes or to the User Specific Navigation. To add to the main app navigation, please submit a ticket using the form at the bottom of this page.
• Configuration: None
• Testing: None necessary; if desired setup a test recipe or link to a Prayer Request form