Integrating PastorsLine and Pushpay/CCB gives your church improved communication and better relationships with your church members and first-time guests. Integration also reduces your workload.
For example:
You have already created contacts and groups on CCB. You have already captured important data. Why do it all over again? Just integrate with PastorsLine and enjoy the fruits of your previous labors.
On CCB, data is captured via a form. On PastorsLine, it is captured via text message. Easier for you and your subscribers. So, capture the data on PastorsLine and send it back to CCB.
As your church grows with PastorsLine, you will most likely be adding new subscribers and new groups. All this can be synced back to CCB, keeping both apps up-to-date.
How to set up the integration
PART A – CCB
In order to create a sync between Pushpay/CCB (CCB) and PastorsLine, you need to create an API user in your CCB account. You will need to have permission to do this.
To check whether or not you have permission to do this, log in to your Pushpay/CCB account.
NEW VERSION
| (1) Click on Settings (blue box in image to the left).
If you see the API option, you have the needed permission to continue.
If you do not see this option or are unsure about anything, be in touch with your database administrator.
(2) Click on the API option. You will see the API summary screen (image below).
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(3) Click on Add a new API User (blue box and arrow in image above).
(4) You will see the New API User form. Complete this form with the needed details.
For the name, we recommend something simple such as ‘pastorsline’ (one word, no spaces). Your name must be unique. In other words, it must be different from any name already in the system.
For the username, we recommend using the same ‘pastorsline’ (one word, no spaces).
Your password should be something which is difficult to guess. According to Pushpay/CCB, passwords must include at least 8 characters; must include at least 1 upper case letter; and must include at least 1 number.
Make a note of your API username and password. You will need them later.
The Primary Organization Contact Information is optional. If you wish, you can use the PastorsLine contact information, but again, this is totally optional.
(5) Then, click on Save which is located at the bottom, right-hand corner of the form.
(6) You will again see the API summary screen. Click on the Users tab.
NOTE: If you do not see the API summary screen again, look at the top of the page for an error message. You might see the word "undefined" or a different message. "Undefined" mostly likely means that the name you chose was not unique. You can choose a different name. You can add to your name to make it unique.
For example: The name you chose was "PrayerGroup". This returned an error message. Try adding a number (such as PrayerGroup1) or another word (such as PrayerGroupMonday).
(7) Scroll up and down the Users dropdown list to find the account you have just created. Usually, it will be easy to find because most churches only have a few accounts.
(8) Select your new user account from the list of users.
(9) Now, click on the name of your new API user. This is the first item in the API User Account Details section. You will be brought to the API User's Information page.
(10) Click on the Services tab. You will see the list of API services.
(11) You need to select the services which will allow CCB and PastorsLine to communicate correctly. For a list of the services you need to check off, click HERE.
Example below: DOES NOT SHOW ALL SERVICES REQUIRED!
Check list in link above for full services to check off.
(12) Click Save which is located at the bottom, right-hand corner of the Services list. Alternatively, look at the Actions menu in the upper, right-hand corner and choose Save this API User.
(13) The screen will refresh to the API summary screen. You have now successfully created a new API user.
Look at the line ‘Your API URL’. Make a note of your account name. This is the word between the forward slash and the ‘.ccbchurch’. For example, in the URL “https://multisite.ccbchurch.com/api.php”, the account name is “multisite”.
OLD VERSION
2. Click on ‘Settings’ (Gear Icon). Click on ‘API’. Note: if you do NOT see the option to select 'API', you do not have admin access in CCB to add this user. You will need to have someone with admin access do this for you.
3. You will see the API summary screen. Click on ‘Add a new API User’ (located to the right of the summary screen) to add a NEW user.
4. You will see the API User Information form. Complete the form with the required information. NOTE: CCB passwords can only be characters and numbers (no special characters) with at least one number.
5. Make a note of your API username and password. You will need it later.
6. Click Save (located at the bottom, right-hand corner of the form).
7. You will again see the API summary screen. Click on the Users tab.
8. Select your user from the list of users. Remember to select the user that you created for the PastorsLine integration.
9. Then, click on the name of your API user (below the "API User Account Details" section) and you will be brought into the API User's information page.
10. Next, click on the Services tab. (Click HERE to view how to get to the 'Services' tab.)
11. You will see a list of services. You need to select the services which will allow CCB and PastorsLine to communicate correctly. For a list of the services you need to check off, click HERE.
Example below: DOES NOT SHOW ALL SERVICES REQUIRED!
Check list in link above for full services to check off.
12. Click ‘Save’ (located at the bottom, right-hand corner of the services list).
13. You will see the API summary screen. Look at the line ‘Your API URL’. Make a note of your account name. This is the word between the double slash and the ‘.ccbchurch’. For example, in the URL “https://multisite.ccbchurch.com/api.php”, the account name is “multisite”. You will need your username, password and account name for the next steps in PastorsLine.
PART B – PASTORSLINE
2023 July Update
Your integrations are now separated into Active and Inactive. See turquoise boxes & arrows in the image below.
Step 1
Log in to PastorsLine.
Step 3: The Integrations page will open (see example in the 3 images below).
Step 4: The Church Community Builder (CCB) integration will be under the Inactive tab (see images above).
Step 5: Toggle on the button. It will turn purple.
***Toggle buttons: greyed out is OFF, purple is ON.
Step 6: Complete the CCB form with the required information from Part A - CCB (above): username + password from Step 4 and CCB account from Step 13.
Step 7: Click on ‘Integrate’. You will see the message ‘Syncing your CCB Lists’.
Step 8: The PastorsLine system begins to sync (pull in) your church’s information from CCB. This can take up to 30 minutes but is usually completed in 5-10 minutes. When it is done, the system will send you an email letting you know.
STEP C: AFTER THE SYNC IS COMPLETE
The CCB panel will display the message ‘Select Groups to Sync’, 'Select Saved Searches to Sync' and 'Select Process Queues to Sync' (image below).
Once you select groups, saved searches or process queues, a list of items will open. We will do an example with selecting groups for syncing since the process is similar for saved searches and process queues.
EXAMPLE
Select an item by toggling on the switch on the item line. The greyed out switch will turn purple when it is selected for syncing (toggled on). Note the toggled on switches in the blue oval in the image below.
Reminder: syncing means that the data in the lists selected will be kept up-to-date automatically - anything toggled on here will sync over as a new group in PastorsLine.
After selecting all the items you wish, click on ‘Sync Groups’ (located at the bottom, right-hand corner at the end of the list).
Once your chosen items have finished syncing, they will show up in the Groups view.