ChapelWebsites.com

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Dashboard Overview

Your dashboard is mission control for your church website. This guide will help you understand what's where and how to navigate efficiently.

Accessing Your Dashboard

Log in at chapelwebsites.com/login with your email and password. You'll automatically be taken to your dashboard.

Dashboard Layout

Your dashboard is organized into clear sections in the left navigation menu. Here's what you'll find:

Main Navigation

Dashboard (Home)

  • Overview of your church
  • Quick stats and recent activity
  • Links to common tasks

Settings

  • Update church name and description
  • Change contact information
  • Set location details
  • Modify your website URL (slug)
  • Upload a hero image for your homepage

Theme

  • Choose from three built-in styles (Modern, Classic, Minimal)
  • Customize your primary and accent colors
  • Preview changes before publishing
  • See how your theme affects your public website

Events

  • View all upcoming and past events
  • Create new events
  • Edit or delete existing events
  • Events automatically appear on your public website

Sermons

  • Manage your sermon library
  • Add new sermons with titles and descriptions
  • Organize past messages
  • (Audio/video upload coming soon!)

Giving

  • Connect your Stripe account for online donations
  • View giving status
  • Manage donation settings
  • Disconnect Stripe if needed

Members

  • Invite team members to help manage your church
  • Assign roles (Owner, Admin, Member)
  • Manage existing team members
  • Resend invitations if needed

Top Navigation Bar

Church Switcher (if you manage multiple churches)

  • Quickly switch between different churches
  • Create new churches

User Menu (top right)

  • Account settings
  • Log out

View Website Button

  • One-click access to see your public church website
  • Opens in a new tab

Understanding Your Dashboard Home

When you first log in, you'll see your dashboard homepage with:

Church Overview Card

  • Your church name and description
  • Current website URL
  • Quick edit button to update details

Quick Actions

  • Add Event - Create a new event quickly
  • Customize Theme - Jump to theme settings
  • Invite Members - Add team members
  • Connect Giving - Set up Stripe

Recent Activity

  • Recent events you've created
  • New team members who joined
  • Theme changes you've made

Navigation Tips

Getting Around Quickly

Use the Navigation Menu: Click any section in the left sidebar to jump directly to that feature.

Breadcrumbs: At the top of each page, you'll see where you are (e.g., Dashboard > Events > Create Event).

Back to Dashboard: Click the "Dashboard" logo at the top of the sidebar to return to your homepage.

View Your Website Anytime: Click the "View Website" button in the top navigation to see how your public site looks.

Keyboard Shortcuts

While we don't have specific keyboard shortcuts yet, here are some general browser tips:

  • Cmd/Ctrl + Click on links to open in a new tab
  • Tab to navigate between form fields
  • Enter to submit forms

Mobile Access

Your dashboard works on mobile devices! While we recommend using a desktop for the best experience, you can:

  • Check recent activity on your phone
  • Approve new events
  • Invite team members
  • View (but not extensively customize) your theme

Tip: For complex tasks like theme customization or creating detailed events, we recommend using a desktop or tablet.

Dashboard Permissions

What you see in your dashboard depends on your role:

Owners (you, if you created the church)

  • See and access everything
  • All navigation items visible

Admins

  • See most features
  • Cannot delete the church
  • Cannot manage members

Members

  • View-only access
  • Can see events and sermons but cannot create or edit them

Common Tasks

Here's how to accomplish common tasks from your dashboard:

Create a New Event

  1. Click Events in the left navigation
  2. Click the Create Event button
  3. Fill in event details
  4. Click Save

Update Church Information

  1. Click Settings in the left navigation
  2. Edit any field you want to change
  3. Click Save Changes

Customize Your Colors

  1. Click Theme in the left navigation
  2. Choose a style (Modern, Classic, or Minimal)
  3. Pick your primary and accent colors
  4. Click Save Theme

Invite a Team Member

  1. Click Members in the left navigation
  2. Click Invite Member
  3. Enter their email and choose their role
  4. Click Send Invitation

Dashboard Best Practices

Keep Information Updated

  • Review your church settings monthly
  • Update contact information if it changes
  • Remove team members who no longer need access

Regular Check-Ins

  • Log in weekly to add new events
  • Upload sermons regularly
  • Monitor giving activity if you have Stripe connected

Use Appropriate Permissions

  • Only give Owner access to people you completely trust
  • Use Admin role for staff who manage content
  • Use Member role for volunteers who just need to view

Mobile App Coming Soon!

We're working on a dedicated mobile app for easier dashboard access on the go. Stay tuned!

Getting Help

Need assistance? Here's how:

In-Dashboard Support

  • Look for the help icon (?) next to complex features
  • Hover over field labels for additional guidance

Email Support

Documentation

  • You're reading it! Search for specific topics
  • Bookmark frequently used guides

Next Steps

Now that you know your way around:

  1. Complete Your Initial Setup - Add all your church details
  2. Customize Your Theme - Make it look amazing
  3. Create Your First Event - Start engaging your congregation

Questions? Check our FAQ or email [email protected].

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