eSPACE to MinistryPlatform Integration: Getting Started

This integration was designed by both companies and allows MinistryPlatform users to be able to add events within the eSPACE Event Scheduler, take advantage of all of the different approval options, view events on the internal calendar, run reports and use other features and modules! Also, users can sync event occurrences to MinistryPlatform so that they can display it on their public calendar, add event registrations, and more!

• Keep in mind that this is a one-way sync from eSPACE to Ministry Platform.

Already Using MinistryPlatform and Now Adding eSPACE

• If you have already been using MinistryPlatform and are now just adding eSPACE Event Scheduler, then you will need to contact eSPACE Support and ask for them to transfer your MinistryPlatform data to eSPACE Event Scheduler. 
• Data transfers from Ministry Platform to eSPACE can only happen if the eSPACE account is empty, to begin with. In order to retransfer data, all existing event data in eSPACE must first be wiped.

About This Specific ChMS Integration

1. Adding Spaces to Event Scheduler: In order to add spaces to Event Scheduler they must first be synced from your Ministry Platform account. To do so, go to Settings > Basic > Spaces and click the button at the top right-hand corner that says “Sync Rooms from MP”.

2. Additional Fields: In order for events to sync from eSPACE Event Schedule to MinistryPlatform, MinistryPlatform requires that the events in eSPACE have additional fields filled out. Once you set up the integration with the steps below, then these additional fields will appear on the events in eSPACE for you to fill out.

3. Contacts: This is required for all events in eSPACE before they can sync over to MP.

4. Manually Sync Occurrences: After you fill out the info for these additional fields, and the events is approved, then you will be able to go to the Occurrence tab on the event and click the button to sync all occurrences to MinistryPlatform. 

• This should be added as part of the duties of an admin. After they approve the event, they are the ones that then sync all occurrences to MP.

5. Editing Occurrences: If you edit an occurrence or multiple occurrences, then those will each have to be resynced to MP individually on the Occurrence tab. To do so, a. expand the occurrence and b. click “Edit Date & Time”. Then c. click the “Save and Resync to MP” button. Afterwards d. click “Back to All Occurrences” and e. repeat for each individually edited occurrence.

6. Timing: When you sync the event occurrences, they sync in real-time!

7. What Info syncs: Below is what details will sync to MinistryPlatform from eSPACE:

• Event Name 
• Event Start/End Dates & Times
• Minutes for Setup 
• Minutes for Tear-down (Cleanup)
• Event Type 
• Congregation 
• Program
• If the event is marked public, it will be public in MinistryPlatform
• The first Contact of the event is added as the Primary Contact in the MinistryPlatform event
• Event Spaces (Currently, we only write Spaces/Rooms to MinistryPlatform without Services or Resources) 

8. Adding Additional Spaces: In MinistryPlatform if you add a Space/Room, Resource or Service, then in eSPACE you will need to go to Settings > Basic > Spaces and click the “Sync Rooms From MP” again.

9. Space Hierarchy: If you have a hierarchy in MinistryPlatform they will both sync to the Event Scheduler. You can only have 1 Parent Building and 1 Child Room only within MinistryPlatform!
10. Resources and Services: When you sync an event occurrence from eSPACE to MinistryPlatform, Resources and Services will not sync. Based on the integration requirements between the two companies this can not be changed. 

Setting up the Integration from eSPACE to MinistryPlatform

1.  First, make sure that both accounts are set to the same time zone.
   1. MinistryPlatform - After logging in, click on Username on the top right of the dashboard. A new window will open where you can add/edit the Time Zone and SAVE!

2. Event Scheduler - Admins can go to the left sidebar of dashboard, select Settings > Advanced >General to add/edit the Time Zone and SAVE!

• Create an API Client in your MinistryPlatform Account.
  1. Login to your MinistryPlatform account 
  2. Navigate to System Setup > API Clients 
  3. Click on New to create new Api Client  

• Fill up the form and click save to save your new Api Client 

• Add the MinistryPlatform Client ID and Client Secret Key to eSPACE. 
  1. Login to your eSPACE account 
  2. From the left side menu click on Integrations  

3. From available providers, choose MinistryPlatform and click on “Integrate Now”. 

4. Enter all your information with Client Id and Client Secret from the second step and click on the “Save” button to complete the integration. 

Multiple Congregations/Parishes

When integrating eSPACE with Ministry Platform, you can filter by the different congregations/parishes that you have in order to keep the events for each separate.

• Go to the left navigation bar > Settings > Other > ChMS, and then click Edit to the right

• Now, choose which congregation/parish to filter on:

• Email support@smartchurchsolutions.com and ask them to configure your account on the backend so eSPACE starts to “push” in events to your MinistryPlatform account.

• About 15 min after support does their part eSPACE will start to push events to Ministry Platform every 15 minutes.

For eSPACE Work Order & Asset Management only customers, learn more about our product Event Scheduler, by clicking "Learn More". 

For current eSPACE Event Scheduler customers, if you still have questions, please reach out to support by clicking on Help > Support > Create Ticket/Contact Us in your eSPACE account. 

If you are not an eSPACE customer already, you can simply email sales@smartchurchsolutions.com.