News

News Management Overview

The News section in your CMS controls what appears in the News Section of your church mobile app. This guide shows you how to create, format, and manage news posts with images and descriptions.

Adding a New News Item

To add a new news item to the News List, click the Add New button in the top right corner.

Note: The saved news item will appear in the News List.

Accessing the News Section

1. Log in to TheCommunityApps CMS.
2. Go to Post → News.

You will see the News List screen where you can view, edit, or delete existing news.

Creating a New News Post

1. Click the Add New button (top right).
2. You will see the News Details form.

News Details Fields

Complete the following fields in the News Details form:

• Sub Group – Select the appropriate subgroup (e.g., Hudson Memorial Church, TCA Demo Group). This controls who sees the news in the app.
• Title – Enter a short, clear headline (e.g., Judah Music Worship Concert).
• Date – The publish date of the news (defaults to today).
• Valid Till – The date the news should stop appearing in the app.
• Push Notification – Check this if you want to send an app push notification for this news.
• Priority – Higher priority news appears higher in the app feed.
• Active – Toggle ON to make the news visible in the app.

Uploading a Cover Image

• Cover Image – Click Choose File to upload.
• Requirements:
  • Size: 600×600 pixels
  • Max file size: 1 MB
• Once uploaded, you will see a preview.
• Tip: Use square, high-contrast images for best visibility on mobile.

Writing the Content

Your news content is divided into two parts:

Short Description

Short Desc – A brief summary of 1-2 sentences. This appears in the app news list view.

Full Content Body

Content – Use the toolbar to write the full article. You can apply bold, italic, lists, and adjust font sizes. This full content appears when a user taps the news item in the app.

You can include event details, service times, speaker bios, or links.

Setting Type and Source

• Type – Select category like Event, Announcement, or Devotional.
• Source – Select from A-Z labels for filtering purposes.
• Custom Fields – Use only if instructed by your admin.

Saving Your News

• Click Save – News becomes active immediately if Active is ON.
• Click Clear – Reset the form.
• Click Cancel – Return to News List without saving.

Managing Existing News

In the News List screen, you can:

• Delete – Permanently remove the news item.
• Edit – Modify title, image, content, or dates.

The Status column shows Active (visible) or Inactive. Use Records per page and select All to view all news at once.

Adding a Video Thumbnail

To add a video thumbnail for display in the App:

1. Go to a YouTube thumbnail grabber website (search for youtube thumbnail downloader).
2. Enter the YouTube URL and click Get Thumbnail Images.
3. Download the Normal size image (320×180 pixels).

Pro Tips for Church Admins

• Set Valid Till wisely – Old news will auto-hide from the app.
• Use Push Notification sparingly – Only for urgent or important updates.
• Always check Cover Image size – 600×600 pixels prevents cropping issues.
• Test on mobile – After saving, check the actual app to confirm formatting.

Troubleshooting

• Issue: Image not showing in app – Solution: Re-upload as 600×600 pixels, under 1 MB.
• Issue: News not appearing – Solution: Check Active toggle and Valid Till date.
• Issue: Push notification not sent – Solution: Ensure Push Notification was checked before saving.
• Issue: Formatting lost – Solution: Use toolbar buttons for bold and lists. Avoid pasting directly from MS Word.