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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 works with MinistryPlatform and your background check provider to facilitate creating, completing, and executing background checks. Ministry staff can review the status of background checks without having access to the background check record.

  • Before using this tool, you must have a background check integration with Active Screening Faith, Protect My Ministry, BIS, or Verified First.
  • With the Background Check Request tool, you can:
    • Create background check records.
    • 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.
    • View the status of background check records in MinistryPlatform, which include:
      • Current / Completed – Individuals with this status have a completed, unexpired background check. The background check record has All Clear set to Yes, and no action is needed. Or, the background check record has Background Check Status set to Completed but All Clear is not set, and you need to manually review it.
      • In Progress – The background check record has Background Check Status set to In Progress, and you need to wait on it to process.
      • Waiting on Applicant – Individuals have been sent an invitation to complete their portion of the background check. The background check record has Background Check Status set to Submitted or Waiting on Applicant, and you need to wait on it to process. If needed, you could send a reminder about the invitation.
      • Invitation Expired – Individuals failed to complete the invitation within the allotted time. The background check record has Background Check Status set to Invitation Expired, and you need to re-initiate the request.
      • Ready to Order – The background check record has Background Check Status set to Ready to Order, and you need to wait on it to process. If you have access, you can review the applicant's information in the background check system.
      • Cancelled – The background check record has Background Check Status set to Cancelled, and you need to submit a background check.
      • Expired – Individuals have an expired background check. The background check record has a Background Check Status that is blank or unrecognized, and you need to submit a background check.
      • Missing – Individuals don't have any background checks. The contact is not in query results due to no prior records, an expired record, or an error, and you need to submit a background check.
      Note: These statuses only display in MinistryPlatform and may not match exactly with statuses provided by your background check integration.
  • 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 multiple times, it is not a duplicate. This 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 update 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 request.

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 this is blank, 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. If needed, make a selection. Or you can select an individual after you open the tool.
  3. Click Tools, then click Background Check (New).
  4. If there are any validation issues with the selected contacts (such as a missing email address), a list displays.
    1. You can open each record and fix the issue, then click Re-validate.
    2. Or, you can save the error data as a selection on the Contacts page, and fix these later.
    3. Click Continue to get back to the main window.
  5. Select the background check type.
  6. If you selected a county background check type, select the appropriate state and county.
  7. Optional: Select the ministry that's requesting the background check.
  8. If needed, enter any notes related to the background check request.
  9. Review the contacts in your selection, including their background check status (as defined by MinistryPlatform):
    • Invitation Expired – The background check record has Background Check Status set to Invitation Expired, and you need to submit a new request.
    • Cancelled – The background check record has Background Check Status set to Cancelled, and you need to submit a background check.
    • Expired – The background check record has a Background Check Status that is blank or unrecognized, and you need to submit a background check.
    • Missing – The contact is not in query results due to no prior records, an expired record, or an error, and you need to submit a background check.
    • Waiting on Applicant – The background check record has Background Check Status set to Submitted or Waiting on Applicant, and you need to wait on it to process.
      Note: Protect My Ministry customers: Want to remind the applicants about their background check? You can click Resend Invites at the bottom of the tool to send the invitation to selected individuals whose Background Check status is Waiting on Applicant.
    • Ready to Order – The background check record has Background Check Status set to Ready to Order, and you need to wait on it to process.
    • In Progress – The background check record has Background Check Status set to In Progress, and you need to wait on it to process.
    • Current / Completed – The background check record has All Clear set to Yes, and no action is needed. Or, the background check record has Background Check Status set to Completed but All Clear is not set, and you need to manually review it.
  10. If needed, make any additional selections required by the provider.
  11. Protect My Ministry customers: You must select the Accept FCRA checkbox for each background check you request.
  12. When you're ready, click Submit.
    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.
  13. 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 Contributions > Donors page.
  2. If needed, make a selection. Or you can select an individual after you open the tool.
  3. Click Tools, then click Background Check (New).
  4. If there are any validation issues with the selected contacts (such as a missing email address), a list displays.
    1. You can open each record and fix the issue, then click Re-validate.
    2. Or, you can save the error data as a selection on the Contacts page, and fix these later.
    3. Click Continue to get back to the main window.
  5. Select the background check type.
  6. If you selected a county background check type, select the appropriate state and county.
  7. Optional: Select the ministry that's requesting the background check.
  8. If needed, enter any notes related to the background check request.
  9. Review the contacts in your selection, including their background check status (as defined by MinistryPlatform):
    • Invitation Expired – The background check record has Background Check Status set to Invitation Expired, and you need to submit a new request.
    • Cancelled – The background check record has Background Check Status set to Cancelled, and you need to submit a background check.
    • Expired – The background check record has a Background Check Status that is blank or unrecognized, and you need to submit a background check.
    • Missing – The contact is not in query results due to no prior records, an expired record, or an error, and you need to submit a background check.
    • Waiting on Applicant – The background check record has Background Check Status set to Submitted or Waiting on Applicant, and you need to wait on it to process.
    • Ready to Order – The background check record has Background Check Status set to Ready to Order, and you need to wait on it to process.
    • In Progress – The background check record has Background Check Status set to In Progress, and you need to wait on it to process.
    • Current / Completed – The background check record has All Clear set to Yes, and no action is needed. Or, the background check record has Background Check Status set to Completed but All Clear is not set, and you need to manually review it.
  10. If needed, make any additional selections required by the provider.
  11. When you're ready, click Submit.
  12. Read and acknowledge the Certification of Use message.
    The background check requests are automatically created in MinistryPlatform.
  13. 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. Also see this Verified First article: 'Ready for Review' Status/Queue for Files.
  • The background check and participant records are updated.

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: 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.

Q5: 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 Protect My Ministry or Secure Search 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: June 23, 2026

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