Where Do Family Members Come From?
Notebird suggests people who are linked to a person under Relationships on their profile.
If your church management system syncs households, such as Planning Center, these relationships may be added automatically. You can also add relationships yourself on the person's profile.
If someone you expect isn't suggested, check that they are linked on the person's profile.
How Do I Write One Update for a Family?
You can write one update and add several family members to it.
Open a person's profile and start a new update.
Under Add family, tap a family member to add them. For example, + Benjamin (Spouse).
Write your note and save it.
What If Someone Isn't Suggested?
If the person has no family linked, the update form looks as it normally does, with a small + Someone Else link.
To add someone who isn't listed as family, tap + Someone else, search for the person, and click Add. Your note stays exactly as you typed it.
Note: Family members at another location aren't suggested automatically.
What If I Can't Open a Family Member?
If a family member isn't in any group you belong to, their button will show a lock with the reason.
For example: Jordan is not in your groups. Ask an admin to add Jordan to a group you share.
Ask an Admin to add the person to one of your groups, or write the update for the people you can open.
How Do I Start a Family Update from Activity or Tasks?
You can also add family members when starting an update or task from Activity or Tasks.
From Activity:
Click the round + button.
In Add an update for..., search for a person.
Notebird will suggest their family members.
Select everyone the update is for.
Write and save the update.
From Tasks:
Click the round + button.
In Add a task for..., select the people who need the task.
Save the task.
Family members are suggested based on the first person you select.
How Do Tasks Work for a Family?
When you create a task for a family, Notebird creates one task for each person.
For example, if you create a task for two family members, the button will say Save 2 tasks.
Each task:
Goes to that person's own groups.
Can be completed independently.
Is assigned only to teammates who can see every task.
This is helpful when family members have different care needs.
For example, a youth pastor could receive a task related to a daughter's care while another teammate continues caring for the parents.
Who Can See a Family Update?
Family updates follow the same group visibility rules as other updates.
The update starts in each family member's groups. The form shows who will see it.
If family members are in different groups, the form explains that every group will see the whole note.
If you add a group that someone isn't in, Notebird will add them to that group and explain the change.
A teammate who can open only one family member will see that person's name plus 1 other. They will not see the other person's name.
How Do Family Updates Look?
Notebird makes it easy to recognize updates that involve multiple members of the same family.
When everyone has the same last name, their names are combined.
In emails, the Inbox, and the Early Bird Report, names are written out in full.
Family updates also show overlapping profile photos, with a +N badge when additional people are included.
Can I Edit or Delete a Family Update?
Yes.
Edit: You can add or remove family members from an existing update. People you can't open appear as 1 other person and stay on the update.
Delete the update: Deleting the update removes it from every family member's page, along with its comments and reactions. This cannot be undone.
Delete a person: If you delete one person from Notebird, an update shared with other family members remains on the other family members' pages.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this only work for families?
No. You can add any person you have permission to access. Family members are simply suggested automatically when Notebird knows the relationship.
How does Notebird know who is in a family?
Notebird uses the relationships listed on a person's profile. These may be added through a church management system integration or added manually.
Can I add someone who isn't a family member?
Yes. Select + Someone else, search for the person, and add them to the update.
Does a family update count as one update or several?
It counts as one update in reports and totals, even though it appears on each person's profile.
Does creating a task for a family create one task or several?
Notebird creates a separate task for each person. This allows each family member's task to be managed and completed independently.
What if I can't see one of the family members?
If you don't have access to that person's profile through your groups, Notebird will show a lock and explain why. An Admin can add you to a group that includes the person.