Configuring Plan Your Visit
Quick Start
Want to get the Plan Your Visit Widget up and running ASAP? Check out the Quick Start Guide.
If the shared script hasn't been added to your website, add it to the appropriate webpage, replacing "example-church.com" with the base URL of your church's website.
Create a webpage on your website that will display your Plan your Visit Widget or identify the page on your website where it will be displayed.
Add the Plan Your Visit Widget to your church website by placing this snippet of code in the body of your chosen webpage, modifying the required attributes.
Widget Configuration
Required Attributes
- Return URL: This is the URL of the webpage that contains your Plan Your Visit widget. Used by verification email to resume Plan Your Visit.
- Attribute: returnurl
- Valid Value: fully qualified URL
- Example:
returnurl="https://example-church.com/visit"
- Verification Email Template: Email that contains a validation link allowing an individual to proceed.
- Attribute: verificationemailtemplateid
- Valid Value: Message record ID (dp_Communications.Communication_ID)Note: The verification email comes from a Message, not a Message Template. Similar names but very different things. Here's how to create the email to use for this attribute.
- Example:
verificationemailtemplateid="141"
- Church Notification Template: Email that notifies a designated point of contact (see, Plan Your Visit User).
- Attribute: churchnotificationemailtemplateid
- Valid Value: Message record ID (dp_Communications.Communication_ID)Note: The church notification email comes from a Message, not a Message Template. Similar names but very different things.
- Example:
churchnotificationemailtemplateid="1"
- Show/Hide Address: Determines whether the form will require an address. When disabled, these fields are hidden.
- Attribute: collectaddress
- Valid Value: true or false
- Example:
collectaddress="true"
- Milestone to Assign: Designates which milestone will be assigned to those who plan their visit.
- Attribute: milestonetoassignid
- Valid Value: Milestone ID
- Example:
milestonetoassignid="15"
- Milestone Program: Determines which program will be credited in the Milestone Assigned record.
- Attribute: milestoneprogramid
- Valid Value: Program ID
- Example:
milestoneprogramid="5"
Attributes must be included before the opening widget tag is closed. Attributes may be listed in any order and should be separated by a space or other whitespace. An attribute's value should be wrapped in quotation marks.
Configure Your Widget
Fill out the Widget Configurator below, copy your generated widget code, and paste it into your website.
Platform Configuration
Milestone: Create or update the milestone that should be assigned when form is completed.
Program Create or update the program that will be credited when the Milestone is assigned.
Participant: Review Configuration Setting COMMON, defaultParticipantType. This value will be assigned to Participant records created by this Widget.
Group: Ensure the necessary groups are configured for Group Type Age and Grade Group. Groups that have this Group Type and meet all of the following criteria will be available for pre-registering children:
- Today's date is less than the End Date or the End Date is undefined.
- Available Online is set to Yes.
- Target Size (if defined) has not been reached.
Note: Age and Grade Groups associated with the selected Congregation and the church-wide Congregation will be displayed.
Congregation
- Designate a "Plan a Visit User" for each Congregation Record. These Users will be notified with the Message configured in the attribute "Church Notification Template".
- Designate a Plan a Visit Template for each Congregation Record. This Message will be sent to anyone who completes the Plan Your Visit form. This Message can be tailored to each Campus.
Note: If you don't designate a Plan a Visit Template for each Congregation Record, you'll receive error notifications.
Messages: Messages sent by the Plan Your Visit Widget are completely customizable! But to support the workflow, certain tokens must be incorporated into the Messages. See required and optional tokens for the three relevant messages.
- Verification Email Template: Plan Your Visit is a two-step Widget and this Message requires a verification token for visitors to continue the form. No records have been created for this User in the Platform, so Contact Merge Fields are not available. This Message can be personalized using optional tokens.
- Required: Token [mpp_verify_email_url] should be set as the value of a link somewhere in this Message. This link should be set from source view. The link text displayed might be "click here" or "verify."
- Optional: Tokens [mpp_contact_first_name] and [mpp_contact_last_name] will merge in the "First Name" and "Last Name" values provided on the form.
- Church Notification Template: This Message is sent to the "Plan Your Visit User" specified for a Congregation. Contact Merge Fields are supported for the recipient. This Message also supports information provided by the visitor using optional tokens.
- Optional: Tokens [mpp_contact_first_name], [mpp_contact_last_name], and [mpp_when_to_expect_you] will merge in the "First Name", "Last Name" and "When can we expect to see you" values respectively.
- Plan a Visit Template: This Message is sent after all records are created for this Visitor and supports standard Contact Merge Fields. This Message should be configured for each Campus on the corresponding Congregation Record.
Create a Verification Email Template
Widgets use Message IDs, not Template IDs. You can use the Template Editor Tool to create your Verification Email Template, but you will need to turn the Template into a Message and use that ID in the Plan Your Visit Widget.
- Create and save your Verification Email Template using the Template Editor Tool. Make sure you'll be able to access the template.
- Open the New Message Tool and select your newly created template from the Template drop-down list. Click Save as Draft.
- Navigate to and find the draft you just created.
- Click the subject line to open the Message record. The Message ID is listed under the subject line. Use this ID for the Verification Email Template ID attribute value.
Customization
Want to customize the Plan Your Visit Widget even more? We love that!
CSS: Every Widget accepts the Custom CSS attribute. Include it before the opening Widget tag is closed and customize backgrounds, button colors, and more.
Application Labels: Call them Congregations or Sites instead of Campuses? Have services on Saturdays AND Sundays?To make changes, go to and update the appropriate label(s). Note that you are responsible for all translations if the default is not used.
- mpp-plan-your-visit.congregationLabel: Label for the congregation a visitor plans to attend. The default is "Select Campus".
- mpp-plan-your-visit.congregationPlaceHolderText: Label for the drop-down value prompting congregation selection. The default is "Select Campus".
- mpp-plan-your-visit.verificationDescription: Text shown when requesting information from a first-time visitor. The default is "We are looking forward to meeting you on your first Sunday. Please fill out the information below so that we can make your experience special."