Approving new members
How "Approve new members" works — people who join with your join code wait until an admin approves them, where you see who's waiting, what approving and declining do, and how to turn it off.
Your church's join code lets people in without you having to invite each one. Approve new members adds one step: someone who joins with your code or your join link waits until an admin approves them. It's on for every church.
Until they're approved, a person who's waiting can't see anything inside your church: not your directory, not your prayer requests, and not your groups, announcements or members-only events. They aren't counted as a member either.
Who's waiting
When someone asks to join, every admin of your church gets an email and a note in Updates saying "{name} asked to join", with a button to review it.
Everyone waiting is listed at the top of your Directory, under Waiting for approval, with their name, email address and when they asked. The Directory link in the sidebar shows how many people are waiting, and so does Needs attention on your dashboard.
Approving someone
Choose Approve. They join your church as a member right away, and we let them know three ways: a notification on their phone, a note in their Updates, and a welcome email. Your church then shows up on their home in Psalmly.
Declining someone
Choose Decline, then confirm. They won't join, and they get a short note that their request wasn't approved.
A decline sticks. Your join code won't let them in or let them ask again. If you change your mind, or declined someone by mistake, invite them by email from your Directory. Accepting an invitation always brings someone in.
People you invite by email
Invitations skip approval. You chose that person, so accepting your invitation brings them straight in, even while they're waiting.
Turning it off
On the Join code & welcome sheet page (from your Directory), turn off Approve new members. From then on, anyone with your code or link joins right away as a member, and every admin still gets an email and an Updates note naming them, so you can remove anyone you don't know.
People who were already waiting when you turned it off keep waiting: approve or decline each of them in your Directory.
Where to share your code
Approval keeps strangers out, but the code is still a key for your people. Share it in the bulletin, on a poster at church, or by email, and keep it off social media and your website. See Sharing your join code.