Recent Features
This page highlights newer capabilities in the Communicate App. For a narrative overview of the latest release, start with What's New — July 2026. Full how-to details are in the linked guides below.
1. Channel Preferences (Essentials and Plus)
Set a preferred day, optional preferred time, and blocked days per channel, per campus—so new communications land on the rhythm your church actually uses.
- Where: Channels panel → edit a channel in a campus workspace
- Guide: Quick Start: Channel Preferences
2. Channel Schedules (Plus)
Create named, repeating Schedules on the calendar (weekly email, first-Sunday newsletter, and similar). Optional lock keeps communications inside the Schedule.
- Where: Channels panel → Add under Schedule; also on the Calendar and Campaign Schedule
- Guide: Quick Start: Channel Schedules
3. Smart Templates (Plus)
Smart Templates replace the old week-grid-only model for new work. Anchor to campaign Start or End, drag channels onto a timeline, and let Communicate place communications using your Channel Preferences and Schedules on apply.
- Legacy Templates remain for existing workflows but will be deprecated soon.
- Convert — On the Templates page, Legacy cards include Convert to Smart Template to create a Smart copy without losing the original.
- Templates page — Searchable card grid with category filter; click a card to edit; ⋮ for Duplicate or Delete.
- Where: Templates → New → Smart template; apply from a campaign with Template Preview
- Guides: Quick Start: Smart Templates · Smart Templates · Release overview
4. Template Preview
Before applying any template on a campaign, Template Preview shows ghost placements on the Communications Calendar. Drag to adjust, resolve conflicts, then Apply.
- Where: Campaign → + Apply Template → choose a template
- Guide: Templates
5. Communication time and notes
Set an optional time on a communication (shown on calendar pills). Add collapsible rich-text Notes in the entry modal for planning context separate from copy.
- Where: Click any communication on the Calendar or Campaign Schedule
- Guide: Communications
6. Category access for team members
Limit Managers, Editors, and Viewers to specific categories. Full guide: User Permissions and Roles.
7. Calendar view options and channel catalog
The Calendar View menu toggles Global, Campus, Drafts, and Completed communications. Filter chips remove active filters quickly. Channels now use a catalog of preset types with per-campus opt-in on Plus.
8. Channel Delete and Remove
Delete (single-campus or Global) and Remove (campus opt-out) now show an impact confirmation before anything changes—counts of communications that will be deleted, template placements that will lose the channel, and (for campus Remove) global communications that will only unlink this campus. Type DELETE or REMOVE when data will be destroyed. Global delete stays blocked until campuses with real usage Remove first.
- Guide: Channels — Delete and Remove
9. Help menu and Viewer navigation
Help (sidebar, bottom) opens Setup Guide, User Docs, Training Videos, Feature Request, Report a Bug, and Contact (exact items depend on your role).
Viewers see a limited sidebar: Calendar, Campaigns, and Help only. See User Permissions and Roles.
Earlier highlights
- Quick Add Campaign (Timeline) — drag dates on the Timeline to start a campaign
- Rich text editors — formatted copy and notes on campaigns and communications
- @Mentions in comments — tag teammates in comments
- Email notification preferences — control in-app vs email alerts
Additional resources
- What's New — July 2026 — release overview
- Quick Start Guide — Get up and running
- Channel Preferences and Schedules — combined reference
- Documentation — All docs
- [email protected] — Questions or support