Views
A general overview of views in MinistryPlatform.
A page view is a filtered list of records on a page. For example, this view on the Groups page displays all current small groups.
Page views are a saved query that runs against all records when you select it from the view list or use the Refresh button. This means views are dynamic, as opposed to selections, which are a static list of records.
- You can define what columns (fields) to include in a page view, as well as the order of those columns.
- Page views can display a field (column) from a directly, or indirectly, related record up to six tables removed. For example, you can add the postal code of a donor from a page view on the Donation Distributions page.
- Page views can contain summary values. For example, the total of all donations this year can be viewed on the Donors page. While this is not the primary purpose of page views, it is an option.
- You can write complex criteria with SQL and add it through the Setup Layout tab or in .
Uses
- Hide records that are not relevant to the task at hand. For example, a view that displays all active widows and their assigned deacon would be useful to a deacon's ministry.
- Display records that need immediate action. For example, display all widows added to our system this month who haven't been followed-up with by our widow's ministry.
- Provide columns you need to search. For example, how many active widows do we have over 59 years of age? If you list the age column, you can search for that criteria within that view.
- Provide a quick count of records that meet a specific set of criteria. For example, how many active widows do we have in our church?
- Find data that you need to fix or update. For example, how many active widows do we have without a deacon assigned?
Limitations
- It is possible to create a view that takes too long to load. In these cases, use a report instead.
- Page views can't list child record data. You can only have one row per record in a page view, so you can't list information for a child record because each record can have more than one child record. If you need to do this, create your page view on the child record's page. For example, if you want a view to display everyone who checked in last Sunday, make that view on the Event Participants page, not on the Events page:
In/Not In View
Before the views drop-down list, you'll see an In/Not In drop-down button. Toggle this setting to reverse the result set. When reversed, each filter clause is reversed to create the Not In view. For example, if a view displays everyone with an email address who is over 18, the reverse will show everyone who does not have an email address and is under 18.
Personal Views
A personal view has a user specified. The user can see them and you can share them with a user group.
You can create personal views using the Advanced Search Tool or a SPoC can go to .
Shared Views
User Groups
A shared view has a user group specified. Everyone in the user group can see them, as can a user if it's also a personal view. You can only assign user groups to page views, not sub-page views.
Direct Links to Views
The easiest way to get a link to the view is to select the view you want to share and copy its URL. Paste that URL into an email or message and share away! To access the view, you must be part of its user group or the view must be a system view.
System Views
A system view does not have user or user group specified - everyone can see them. SPoCs can manage all views under .
Watch & Learn
- Views 01: Set It and Forget It (conference recording)
- Views 02: Under the Hood (conference recording)
- Views, Charts, Dashboards, and Notifications (webinar)
- Creating Views (training course)
- Creating Views 2 - The SQL (training course)