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System Administration FAQ

Q1: When I use Internet Explorer to access the Contacts page, I receive an error message: "The requested page does not support Calendar and Gantt layouts." Other users don't have this issue. What do I need to do?

The page-specific customizations (views, column orders, and so on) all store in the browser's local storage. In Internet Explorer, the easiest way to clear local storage is to push F12 which opens the developer's console. Then, click the console tab. Type localStorage.clear(); into the bar and press enter. This flushes the local storage of the browser and should resolve this error.

Q2: Is there anything we should know about anti-virus software on our MinistryPlatform server?

You want to configure your anti-virus software to exclude the MinistryPlatform Tools folder from its scan. The anti-virus software incorrectly identifies this as a virus and removes it, which then stops sending emails.

Q3: How can we ensure we're PCI compliant?

ACS Technologies ensures our software is PCI compliant. Normally, your credit card processor company requires you to scan your infrastructure quarterly to ensure that the infrastructure (firewall, servers, websites, and so on) that touches credit card data is fully compliant.

Note: Even if you don't store credit card numbers, you still transmit numbers. Many MinistryPlatform churches work with companies like TrustWave or SecurityMetrics to facilitate scanning.

Here are some resources some churches have found helpful in the PCI Compliance process:

Q4: For sound disaster recovery and business continuation, what items related to MinistryPlatform should we back-up?

You need to backup:

  • W:\_MinistryPlatformFileStorage
  • W:\_MinistryPlatformTools
  • W:\Webroot
  • SQL Databases
Q5: Can MinistryPlatform be an OAuth provider?

Yes, MinistryPlatform can be an OAuth provider for the Platform. The endpoint is: https://yourURL/ministryplatform/oath/authorize

Q6: How can I see who and/or how many people log in to the Portal?

To see this, go to Administration > Authentication Log. The Portal/API tracks logins from the localhost IP address. You can also create a View on the Users page based on the User Activity view for only Users without Security Roles.

Q7: How can I see who and/or how many people have Security Roles?

To see this, go to Administration > Users and select the Users with Security Roles view.

Q8: What web browser and version do you recommend we use with the Platform for optimum performance?

You can use the Platform with a major browser. Our churches (and our team) use a variety of browsers including Firefox (regular, not ESR), Chrome, Edge, Internet Explorer, and Safari. We typically recommend staying up-to-date with the latest browser version available.

Q9: What do I need to know about time zones in the Platform?

Set all user accounts to blank, null, or UTC. Your Domain Account record should be set to UTC. All event start and end times work in your local time. If you live in EST and you set your event to start at 7:00 PM, it will start at 7:00 PM EST rather than 7:00 PM UTC. The Audit Log records record in UTC time.

Q10: We are getting a new church logo. Where should we make this update in our MinistryPlatform applications?

Update logos on the Domain record and Accounting Company record as attached files. Other places to consider include:

  • Portal Admin Templates
  • Check-In Suite Labels
  • Check-In Suite Themes
  • Message Templates
  • Portal Skin
  • Custom reports
  • Events or Groups using the logo as their default image (switch the View format to Image to see these quickly!)