Adding a Guardian Who Isn't Already a Member
Shows how to attach a guardian's name and phone number for someone who isn't in Sermfy yet, without creating a Member record.
Not every guardian is a Member
Not every guardian attached to a child will already have a Member record, for a parent or caregiver who isn't in the system yet, you can add them as a guardian using just their name and phone number instead of linking to an existing record.
This mirrors how a Visitor's "invited by" field already works elsewhere in Sermfy, a free-text name and phone number standing in for someone who hasn't been formally registered yet.
What this does and doesn't do
Adding a guardian this way only attaches contact information to the child's record, it doesn't create a Member record for that person, if that guardian later joins the church as a Member, you'd link their new Member record separately rather than the free-text entry converting automatically.
Best practice
Capture a phone number for every free-text guardian, not just a name, a name alone doesn't help a volunteer reach someone in an actual pickup or emergency situation.
Related Articles
Registering a New Child
Walks through exactly what information Children's Ministry captures when you register a new child, including which fields are optional.
Linking a Guardian to a Child's Record
Covers how to attach a guardian who already has a Member record to a child, including recording the relationship between them.
Creating a Children's Ministry Class
Clarifies that a Children's Ministry class is just a Group with a special tag, created through the same Groups feature as any ministry.
Moving a Child to a Different Class
Walks through moving a child between classes and confirms their attendance history carries over intact.