> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://guide.worshipbuddy.org/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Adding People to Your Organization

> Import or manually add members to your organization

# Adding People to Your Organization

Before you can schedule services, you need to add people to your organization. ChurchBuddy offers two ways to add people: bulk import via Excel file or manual entry one at a time.

## Adding People Overview

When you add people to your organization:

* They receive an invitation email to join ChurchBuddy
* They can create an account (if they don't have one) or log in with their existing account
* They'll be able to see services they're scheduled for
* You can assign them to teams and positions
* You can set their permissions and roles

<Info>
  **Note**: People can view any service they're scheduled for, regardless of their permissions. This ensures they can always see their assignments.
</Info>

## Method 1: Import via Excel File (Web Only)

Bulk file import is the fastest way to add multiple people at once. This method is available on **web only** — the mobile app supports manual multi-row entry only.

### Step 1: Download the Template

1. <a href="https://pb.worshipbuddy.org/Import%20People.xlsx" download>Download the Excel import template</a>
2. Open the template in Excel or Google Sheets

### Step 2: Fill in the Template

The template has three columns:

* **First Name** (required)
* **Last Name** (required)
* **Email** (required)

**Important guidelines:**

* **Start at row 2** - Row 1 contains headers, don't modify it
* **All three fields are required** for each person
* Enter one person per row
* Make sure email addresses are correct (they'll receive invitations)
* Don't leave any required fields blank

### Step 3: Import the File

1. Go to **People** in your organization
2. Click **Import People**
3. Drag and drop your file onto **"Drop your CSV or Excel file here"**, or use manual entry in the same modal
4. Supported formats: **CSV**, **.xlsx**, **.xls**
5. Click **Import People**

<Warning>
  **Important**: The import process may take a moment. Don't click "Import People" multiple times, even if it seems like nothing is happening. Wait for the import to complete.
</Warning>

### Step 4: Verify Import

After importing, you should see:

* A confirmation message showing how many people were added
* The new people appearing in your People list
* Any errors or issues with specific rows (if applicable)

## Method 2: Manual Entry

If you only need to add a few people, or prefer to enter them one at a time:

1. Go to **People** in your organization
2. Click **Import People**
3. Click **Enter Manually Instead** in the import modal (web), or open the import modal on mobile
4. Fill in for each row:
   * **First Name** (required)
   * **Last Name** (required)
   * **Email** (required)
5. Click **Add Row** (web) or **Add Another Person** (mobile) to add another person
6. Click **Import People** (web) or **Import** (mobile)

<Warning>
  **Important**: The import process may take a moment. Don't click the button multiple times, even if it seems like nothing is happening.
</Warning>

## What Happens After Adding People

Once people are added, several things happen automatically:

1. **They're Added to Your Organization** - People are immediately added to your member list. On web, unactivated invites show a **Pending** badge (`pending_invites`).
   * They appear in your People list right away
   * You can assign them to positions even before they log in

2. **Account Creation** - If they don't have a ChurchBuddy account, one is created automatically
   * Their account is linked to your organization
   * They can log in immediately using their email address

3. **Invitation Email Sent** - Each person receives an email invitation that says:

   > Hi \[First Name],
   >
   > You've been invited to join \[Your Org Name] on ChurchBuddy!
   >
   > ChurchBuddy is a comprehensive church management platform that helps organize and manage every aspect of ministry. It's more than just scheduling—it's a complete platform for church management.
   >
   > With ChurchBuddy, you can:
   >
   > * View your schedule and assignments
   > * Set your availability to help schedulers plan
   > * See announcements and important updates
   > * Check in to services and events
   > * Manage your profile and preferences
   > * And much more!
   >
   > To get started, click the link below and enter the Organization ID: \[Your Org ID]
   > [https://church.worshipbuddy.org/](https://church.worshipbuddy.org/)
   >
   > You can also download the ChurchBuddy mobile app for iOS and Android from our website:
   > [https://worshipbuddy.org/church-buddy](https://worshipbuddy.org/church-buddy)
   >
   > If you don't already have an account, you'll be prompted to create one when you log in.
   >
   > * The ChurchBuddy Team, on behalf of \[Your Org Name]

4. **Activation When They Log In** - When they log in and access your organization:
   * The "pending" status is automatically removed
   * They become an active member
   * They can see their assignments and set their availability

<Info>
  **Note**: People are already members of your organization immediately after being added. The "pending" status is just a marker that they haven't logged in yet. You can assign them to positions and schedule them even while they're pending.
</Info>

## Assigning Positions

After adding people, assign positions on each person's detail page:

1. Go to **People** and click a person (opens `/org-person-detail/`)
2. Click **Edit Positions & Teams**
3. Check positions they can serve in
4. Save

<Info>
  You cannot assign positions from the inline People list card — open the person detail page first.
</Info>

## Next Steps

After adding people and assigning positions:

1. **[Manage People](/ChurchBuddy/Setup/managing-people)** - Update information, set permissions, and manage team memberships
2. **[Set Permissions](/ChurchBuddy/Setup/permissions)** - Assign roles like Team Admin or Scheduler
3. **[Create Services](/ChurchBuddy/Setup/create_services)** - Start scheduling your teams
4. **[Add More People](/ChurchBuddy/Setup/add_people)** - Import additional people anytime

## Best Practices

1. **Verify Email Addresses** - Double-check emails before importing to ensure invitations are delivered
2. **Import in Batches** - For large organizations, consider importing in smaller groups (50-100 at a time)
3. **Keep Template Updated** - Save your import template with your organization's standard format
4. **Assign Positions Promptly** - Assign positions soon after adding people so they can be scheduled
5. **Communicate Expectations** - Let people know they'll receive an invitation email and should accept it

## Troubleshooting

**People not receiving invitation emails:**

* Check that email addresses are correct
* Ask them to check spam/junk folders
* Verify the email wasn't blocked by their email provider
* Note: They're already added to your organization even if they don't receive the email - they just need to log in

**People showing as "pending":**

* This is normal - they're already members, just haven't logged in yet
* The "pending" status is automatically removed when they log in
* You can still assign them to positions and schedule them while pending

**Import errors:**

* Make sure all required fields (first name, last name, email) are filled in
* Check for duplicate email addresses (each person needs a unique email)
* Verify the Excel file format matches the template
* Try importing a smaller batch to identify problematic rows

**Can't assign positions:**

* Make sure you've created teams with positions first
* Verify the person has been successfully added to your organization
* Check that you have permission to edit people (Owner or Admin)

**Need to add more people later:**

* You can import additional people anytime using the same process
* New people will receive invitation emails just like the first batch
* Existing people won't receive duplicate invitations