QR Code and Link-Based Group Join

TimelyChurch makes it easy for people to join your groups by scanning a QR code or clicking a shareable link. This article explains how to generate, share, and manage these join methods.

Overview

Every group can have a unique signup code that powers both a direct join link and a scannable QR code. When someone scans the QR code or visits the link, they are taken to a branded signup page where they can join the group instantly.

Generating a QR Code and Share Link

1. Open the group detail page.
2. Click the Share button in the sidebar (the share icon next to Email).
3. A share modal opens with several options:

Short Link

At the top of the share modal you'll find a Short link field, labeled "best for SMS, social." This is a compact, branded URL that's much easier to type, text, or post than the full address. It is generated automatically the first time you open the modal.

• Copy the short link by clicking the copy icon next to the field.

Heads up: If you later delete or archive the group, the short link will show recipients a "no longer available" page. Where restoring is supported, it re-activates the link automatically.

Full Link

Below the short link, the share modal also shows the Full link -- the complete URL to your group's public page. This link is in the format:

https://yourchurch.timelychurch.com/c/your-church/groups/[group-id]

You can:

• Copy the full link by clicking the copy icon next to the URL field.
• View the public group page by clicking the View quick-action button, which opens it in a new tab.

QR Code

1. In the share modal, click the QR Code button.
2. A QR code image is generated and displayed below the buttons.
3. Click Download QR Code to save the QR code as an SVG file (qr-code.svg).

Because the QR code is a vector (SVG) file, it stays crisp at any size -- so it prints sharply whether you scale it down for a bulletin insert or blow it up for a banner.

The QR code encodes the group's share link. When scanned with any smartphone camera or QR reader app, it opens the group signup page directly.

Embed Code

If you want to add a group signup widget to your church website:

1. In the share modal, click the Embed button.
2. An HTML iframe code snippet is displayed.
3. Click Copy to copy the embed code to your clipboard.
4. Paste the code into your website's HTML.

The embedded widget displays the group signup form in a frame that fills the available width and is 500 pixels tall, with rounded corners.

Social Media Sharing

The share modal also provides one-click sharing to:

• Facebook -- Opens Facebook's share dialog with the group link.
• Twitter/X -- Composes a tweet with the group name and link.
• WhatsApp -- Opens WhatsApp with a pre-filled message containing the group link.
• Email -- Opens the user's email client with a pre-filled subject and body.

How the Signup Code Works

Behind the scenes, each group can have a unique 16-character signup code (e.g., A3BF9C2D1E4F5G6H). This code is:

• Generated automatically the first time a QR code is requested for the group.
• Stored on the group record.
• Used to create a dedicated signup URL:

https://yourchurch.timelychurch.com/c/your-church/groups/qr/A3BF9C2D1E4F5G6H

What Happens When Someone Joins via QR Code

When a person scans the QR code or visits the signup link, they see a branded join page with the group's details. The process varies depending on your group's settings:

For Logged-In Users

If the visitor is already signed in to TimelyChurch and has a person record in your church:

1. If they're already a member, the page shows an "You're Already a Member!" message with a link to view the group.
2. Otherwise, the page shows the group details and a "Joining as [their name]" confirmation, with a single button to complete the signup. The button label adapts to the group's settings -- Join Group, Request to Join (if approval is required), or Join Waitlist (if the group is full).
3. Submitting adds them to the group immediately, unless approval is required or the group is full (see below).

For New Visitors

If the visitor is not signed in:

1. The page displays a registration form asking for:
   • Your Name (required)
   • Email (required)
   • Phone (optional)
2. When they submit, TimelyChurch checks if a person record with that email already exists in your church directory.
   • If yes, the existing record is used.
   • If no, a new person record is created automatically.
3. The person is added to the group (subject to approval and capacity, as described below).

Approval Required

If the group has the Require approval setting enabled (on the group's Details tab):

1. The person is added with an inactive status and a note reading "Pending approval."
2. Group leaders receive a notification about the join request.
3. The person sees a "Your request to join has been submitted" message.
4. A leader must manually approve the request by changing the member's status to Active.

Group Full with Waitlist

If the group has reached its member capacity and waitlist is enabled:

1. The person is added to the waitlist instead of being added as a member.
2. They see a confirmation message with their waitlist position number.
3. Group leaders are notified about the new waitlist entry.

Group Full without Waitlist

If the group is full and waitlist is not enabled, the visitor sees an error message indicating that the group is not accepting new members.

Guest Registration

Groups can be configured to allow guest registration, which means visitors can join without creating a TimelyChurch account. This is controlled by the "Allow guest registration" checkbox on the group's Details tab.

When guest registration is enabled, the public join form does not require the visitor to log in first.

Invalidating an Existing QR Code

If a QR code or signup link was shared with an unintended audience and you need to retire it, contact TimelyChurch support. The signup code stored on the group can be reset, which generates a brand-new code. Once it is reset:

1. The group receives a new, unique signup code.
2. The old QR code and signup link stop working immediately.
3. You will need to reprint or redistribute the new QR code.

Note: There is currently no self-service button in the group settings to reset the signup code. Reach out to support if you need this done.

Best Practices

Tip: Print QR codes on connection cards, bulletin inserts, or table displays at group meetups. This makes it effortless for newcomers to sign up on the spot.

Tip: Use the "Require approval" setting along with QR codes for private or sensitive groups. This way, anyone can express interest by scanning the code, but leadership retains control over who is admitted.

Tip: If you embed the group signup on your website, make sure the group is set to "Open" so that the join form is functional for visitors.