Background Check Request Tool
The Background Check Request Tool is a great way to allow ministry staff to review the status of Background Checks without giving them access to the Background Check record.
- This tool requires a background check integration with Active Screening Faith, Protect My Ministry, BIS, or Verified First.
- The Background Check Request Tool works with your Portal, the Platform, and a background check provider to facilitate and automate the creation, completion, and execution of Background Checks.
- The Background Check Request Tool allows you to:
- Create Background Check records.
- View the status of background check records, which include:
- No Previous Background Check
- Waiting on Background Check: A Background Check record created, waiting to be submitted.
- Submitted: Background Check submitted for processing.
- Waiting on Review: Background Check results returned, but could not be auto-cleared either because adjudication is not configured or there is a problem that requires human review or intervention.
- All Clear: Background Check on record with All Clear set to Yes.
- Complete a Background Check request form on behalf of a Contact (for example, from a paper form).
- Email Contacts a link to the Background Check request form to complete.
- You can launch the Background Check Request Tool from an open record or from a selection of records on the Contacts, Participants, or Background Check pages.
- If a Contact has a Background Check with the same Background Check Type that is already "Processing" or in "Current Checks", clicking Create Background Requests displays a warning message to prevent duplicate checks. You can ignore this if there is a valid reason for requesting a new check.
- If a Contact appears on a tab multiple times, it is not a duplicate, but indicates that they have multiple Background Checks of different Background Check Types that fall into that category.
- Read the article on Background Checks to ensure that you know how MinistryPlatform handles background check records.
- All Background Check Types are currently available in the drop-down list regardless of whether Is Background Check is set to Yes or No.
- The data in the Background Check Request form is transmitted to the background check provider and the Background Check record is updated accordingly.
- After the background check has been processed, the results automatically return to MinistryPlatform and the Background Check record updates accordingly. A PDF of the completed Background Check is attached to the Background Check record.
- Users can track Background Check Errors using one of two views on the Background Checks page:
- Fix: All Errors
- Fix: Errors Last 7 Days
Background Check Request Tool Configuration Settings
This tool relies on several configuration settings:
- COMMON, BackgroundCheckUrl
- The URL for your Background Check vendor.
- COMMON, BackgroundCheckProvider
- Your church's Background Check vendor. If NULL, background checks cannot be completed and you will see an error indicating that no provider is configured.
- COMMON, BackgroundCheckUsername
- The username of your account with your Background Check vendor.
- COMMON, BackgroundCheckPassword
- The password of your account with your Background Check vendor.
- COMMON, MonthsTillBackgroundCheckExpires
- An integer value representing the number of months after which a servant needs a new background check. The starting default value is 12 months.
- COMMON, BackgroundCheckTestMode
- Specifies whether or not background check is to be sent in "Test" mode. This value should always be set to False unless requested by support.
- COMMON, BackgroundCheckTemplateID
- The ID of the Message template to be used when sending Contacts a link and details requesting they complete the Background Check request form on the Portal. Available merge fields are based on the Background Check page and normal Contact Fields. Do not modify the link included in this email.
- COMMON, BackgroundExpiringSoonDays
- Enter a number in days to set an override date to re-screen background checks, even if they haven't expired. The default value is 0.
Request a Background Check from BIS, Active Screening Faith, or Protect My Ministry
Request a Background Check from Verified First
- Verified First receives information from the Platform and sends an email with a Background Check Request form to the individuals selected in the Tool.
- Participants receive the email, sign the disclosure agreement, sign authorization, and submit the form.
- After receiving the authorization, Verified First runs the background check and returns the results to the Platform.
- The Background Check and Participant records update.
Background Check Request Tool FAQ
There is no existing process for this. However, you can set this up with either view a Process or a View Notification.
The request will come back but with no results and an error message saying that the Social Security number did not match or was not found.
Yes, Protect My Ministry can set you up with access to your old information, ask Protect My Ministry for instructions on how to do this.
The URL sent to your users through the Background Check Tool is: https://[yourdomain]/portal/backgroundcheck.aspx?background=[Background_Check_GUID].
You must have adjudication set up with your background check company to update that field. Then, all checks that meet your criteria are automatically set to True.
- COMMON, BackgroundCheckUsername
- COMMON, BackgroundCheckPassword
When you update Configuration Settings, be careful not to introduce any extra spaces or hard returns at the end of the values.