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Tools

Background Check Request Tool

Learn more about the Background Check Request tool, including configuration settings, how to request a background check from various integrations, and more.

Note: To use this tool, you must have access through your security role. SPoCs can grant user access to this 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 MinistryPlatform and a background check provider to facilitate and automate creating, completing, and executing background checks.
  • With the Background Check Request tool, you can:
    • Create background check records.
    • View the status of background check records, which include:
      • No Previous Background Check: This person doesn't have a previous background check.
      • Waiting on Background Check: A background check record has been created but needs to be submitted.
      • Submitted: A background check has been submitted for processing.
      • Waiting on Review: background check results have 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: A 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 for them 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 Members, or People Lists > Background Checks pages.
  • If a contact has a background check with the same background check type that is already processing or in current checks, a warning message displays to prevent duplicate checks when you click Create Background Requests. You can ignore this if there is a valid reason to request a new check.
  • If a contact displays 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.
  • 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 transmits to the background check provider and the background check record updates accordingly.
  • After the background check has been processed, the results automatically return to MinistryPlatform and updates the background check record accordingly. A PDF of the completed background check is attached to the background check record.
  • You can track background check errors using one of two views on the People Lists > Background Checks page:
    • Fix: All Errors
    • Fix: Errors Last 7 Days
  • Verified First customers: To remove background check types you no longer use in MinistryPlatform, you must first delete the background check package in Verified First. This triggers a process to delete the background check types from MinistryPlatform. If you've used the Verified First package to process a background check, Verified First prompts you to select which package to transfer the background check to.
  • Protect My Ministry customers: You must select Accept FCRA for each background check you do.

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 set to 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, for 12 months.
COMMON, BackgroundCheckTestMode
This setting specifies whether or not to send the background check in "Test" mode. This value should always be set to false unless requested by support.
COMMON, BackgroundCheckTemplateID
The ID of the message template to use when you send contacts a link and details requesting they complete the background check request form. Available merge fields are based on the Background Check page and normal contact fields. Do not edit the link included in this email.
COMMON, BackgroundExpiringSoonDays
Enter a number of 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

Warning: You CANNOT use the old Protect My Ministry integration and the new Protect My Ministry integration at the same time. You must first complete applications submitted from the old form before you sign up to use the new Protect My Ministry integration.
Attention: California customers cannot use statewide criminal county background checks without county. You must use a county-aware background check.
Note: The Background Check Request tool is intended for a selection of 200 or fewer contacts. If needed, you can break up your selection into smaller selections.
  1. Go to the Contacts, Participants or Members, or Contributions > Donors page.
  2. Click Tools, then click Background Check Request.
  3. Review the contacts in your selection including their background check status (displayed by status):
    • No Checks: Contacts who don't have any Background Check records.
    • Processing: Contacts who have a Background Check record in progress that is not complete.
    • Current & Expired Checks: Contacts who have a completed Background Check record.
  4. For contacts with no existing checks, create a new Background Check record from the No Checks tab. For contacts with existing or expired checks, create a new Background Check record from the Current & Expired Checks tab.
    1. Select Contacts.
    2. Select the background check type.
    3. Optional: Select the requesting ministry.
    4. If you selected a county background check type, select the appropriate state and county.
    5. Protect My Ministry customers: You must select the Accept FCRA checkbox for each background check you do.
    6. Click Create Background Requests.
      Note: You are only charged for a background check once you send the record (or you completed it on behalf of the contact) and click the Submit button. There is no charge for creating a background check record.
  5. Complete your background checks using one of the following methods:
    • Complete the form on behalf of the contact. For example, they filled out a paper form with the required information and consent.
      1. Find the contact you're completing the form for on the Processing tab.
      2. Select Fill Out Form.
      3. Fill out the form with the provided information.
      4. Submit the form.
    • Send an email to the contact asking them to complete the background check request form. If you use BIS, an email sends automatically, so ignore this step. If needed, you can log in to BIS to resend an email.
      1. Go to the Processing tab and select the contacts to email. Can't find the contact you're looking for? Confirm you created the background check on the No Checks or Current & Expired tabs. If the contact still doesn't display, confirm you have an email on record for the contact.
      2. Click Send Email(s).
      3. Contacts receive an email with a link using the template defined in the COMMON, BackgroundCheckTemplateID configuration setting. The recipient doesn't need a login or password to use this link, and all known information is auto-filled.
  6. To view submitted or complete forms, click Review/Print Form. This opens the form attached to the related Background Check record.
  7. When you're finished, close the tool.

Request a Background Check from Verified First

Attention: California customers cannot use statewide criminal county background checks without county. You must use a county-aware background check.
Note: The Background Check Request tool is intended for a selection of 200 or fewer contacts. If needed, you can break up your selection into smaller selections.
  1. Go to the Contacts, Participants or Members, or Donor page.
  2. Click Tools, then click Background Check Request.
  3. Select a background check type and requesting ministry from the corresponding drop-down lists.
  4. Select Submit. This button is grayed out until you make a selection.
  5. Read and acknowledge the Certification of Use message.
    The background check requests are automatically created in MinistryPlatform.
  6. Close the tool.
Outside of the Platform:
  • Verified First receives information from the Platform and sends an email with a background check request form to those selected in the tool.
  • Participants receive the email, sign the disclosure agreement, sign authorization, and submit the form.
    Important: Participants must respond to the Verified First email quickly, or else ERROR - unresolved reference (ngc_VerifiedFirst) will mark the background check as canceled. If it does get marked as canceled, you can resubmit the background check with the tool.
  • After receiving the authorization, Verified First runs the background check and returns the results to MinistryPlatform.
  • The background check and participant records update.

Background Check Request Tool FAQ

Q1: Does the person who requested the background check receive any sort of alert once the request is returned?

There is no existing process for this. However, you can set this up with either view a process or a view notification.

Q2: What if someone puts in the wrong Social Security number, will the request come back?

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.

Q3: Will we still have access to our old information in Protect My Ministry?

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.

Q4: What is the URL to the background check page online?

The URL sent the Background Check tool sends to your users is: https://[yourdomain]/portal/backgroundcheck.aspx?background=[Background_Check_GUID].

Q5: I am receiving emails saying that the background checks I submitted have been returned, but the All Clear field is not set to true. Why?

You must have adjudication set up with your background check company to update that field. Then, all background checks that meet your criteria are automatically set to true.

Q6: Why did a user receive an error message stating "Invalid User Name/Password" when they clicked the Submit button on the background check request form?
This error occurs because the secure search or Protect My Ministry username or password are incorrect or failing for some reason. This error happens through the Protect My Ministry or secure search system, even though you see it online. Follow up with your provider and make sure you have the correct username and password for the integration in these configuration settings:
  • 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.

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Last updated: December 1, 2025

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