Set up a shared computer

Some computers at church are used by many people, like the sound booth computer or a check-in kiosk in the lobby. Instead of someone signing in and out on them, you pair the computer once with a code. It then stays signed in for its one job.

A shared computer is not a member. It can’t see the directory, prayer requests, giving or anything else in the member area.

There are two kinds:

• Sound booth: the livestream checklist and posting this Sunday’s link. See /help/livestream.
• Check-in kiosk: families check children in for Sunday school and nursery. It shows only last names and children’s first names. See /help/child-checkin.

Before you start

• Only the secretary or webmaster (or whatever your church calls those roles) can add shared computers.
• If the computer is signed in as a person, sign out on it first.

Steps

1. On your own device, go to Administration → Shared computers.
2. Under Add a shared computer, choose What it’s for and type a Name, like “Lobby kiosk”.
3. Choose Add and show its code. An address and an 8-character code appear.
4. On the shared computer, open the address shown.
5. Type the code and choose Pair this computer.

The code works once, within 30 minutes. After that, the computer stays signed in. You only do this once.

Managing shared computers

The Shared computers list shows each computer, its kind, and when it was last used.

• New code gives a fresh code to a computer that hasn’t been paired yet.
• Pair it again gives a new code, for when a paired computer needs pairing again.
• Remove stops that computer at once. Choose it twice to confirm.

Adding or removing a shared computer is recorded in the Activity log.

If something goes wrong

• “That code didn’t work. Ask the office for a new one.” The code was already used or is more than 30 minutes old. Choose New code or Pair it again and try again.
• “You’re signed in as yourself.” The computer is signed in as a person. Choose Sign out here, then type the code.
• “This computer was removed by the office.” It was taken off the Shared computers list. Add it again to get a new code.
• The computer was signed out by accident. Someone may have chosen Sign this computer out, or the browser’s site data was cleared. Use Pair it again to get a new code.
• A lost or stolen computer. Choose Remove right away. It stops working at once.