Documentation

Creating Events

Learn how to create and manage calendar events in Outward Sign.

Overview

Events in Outward Sign are calendar entries that help you schedule and track parish activities. Events can be:

  • Standalone calendar items - Parish meetings, social events, committee gatherings
  • Linked to sacramental celebrations - Weddings, funerals, baptisms, masses

Understanding Events vs. Sacramental Records

Important Distinction:

  • Events (Calendar module) - Scheduling and date/time/location information
  • Sacramental Records (Weddings, Funerals, Baptisms, etc.) - Complete liturgical planning, readings, ministers, scripts

Many sacramental celebrations have multiple associated events:

  • A wedding might have: rehearsal event, ceremony event, reception event
  • A funeral might have: vigil event, funeral mass event, committal event

Creating a New Event

Method 1: From the Calendar

1. Navigate to Calendar in the sidebar

2. Click on a date or click Create Event

3. Fill in event details

4. Click Save

Method 2: From a Sacramental Module

When creating a wedding, funeral, or other sacramental celebration, you can create associated events directly within that module. This automatically links the event to the sacramental record.

Event Information

Basic Details

  • Title - Event name (e.g., "Smith Wedding Rehearsal")
  • Description - Additional details or notes
  • Event Type - Select from preset types (Mass, Wedding, Funeral, Meeting, etc.)
  • Status - Scheduled, Confirmed, Completed, Cancelled

Date and Time

  • Start Date/Time - When the event begins
  • End Date/Time - When the event ends
  • All Day - Check if this is an all-day event

Location

  • Select Location - Choose from your parish locations (church, hall, chapel)
  • Or add custom location - For events at other venues

Participants

  • Expected Attendees - Estimated number of participants
  • Contact Person - Primary contact for the event
  • Notes - Special instructions or requirements

Calendar Views

Month View

See all parish events for the month at a glance. Click on any event to view details or edit.

Week View

Detailed weekly schedule showing exact times for all events. Useful for identifying scheduling conflicts.

Day View

Hourly breakdown of a single day's events. Perfect for busy celebration days (Sundays, Holy Days).

List View

Chronological list of upcoming events with full details. Helpful for planning and coordination.

Filtering Events

Use filters to view specific types of events:

  • By Type - Show only weddings, funerals, masses, etc.
  • By Location - See events at a specific venue
  • By Status - View only confirmed or scheduled events
  • By Date Range - Custom date range selection

Exporting Events

Export to Calendar Apps

1. Navigate to Calendar

2. Click Export or the download icon

3. Select .ics format

4. Import into Google Calendar, Outlook, Apple Calendar, etc.

Your .ics feed includes:

  • All event details
  • Date and time information
  • Location
  • Updates automatically when you make changes (if using a subscription link)

Print Calendar

1. Select your desired view (month, week)

2. Click Print

3. Generate a printer-friendly calendar

Liturgical Calendar Integration

Outward Sign includes the Catholic liturgical calendar with all solemnities, feasts, and memorials. These appear automatically on your calendar and cannot be edited (but you can create associated events, like scheduling a specific Mass for a Holy Day).

Liturgical calendar features:

  • Solemnities (Christmas, Easter, Pentecost, etc.)
  • Feasts of the Lord, Mary, and saints
  • Liturgical seasons (Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter, Ordinary Time)
  • Liturgical colors

Event Conflicts and Scheduling

Checking for Conflicts

When creating an event, Outward Sign will alert you if:

  • The location is already booked at that time
  • A presider is assigned to multiple celebrations
  • Ministers have scheduling conflicts

Resolving Conflicts

  • Adjust time - Move the event to a different time slot
  • Change location - Use a different venue
  • Reassign ministers - Find alternate ministers for one celebration

Recurring Events

For regularly scheduled events (weekly meetings, daily Masses):

1. Create the initial event

2. Check Recurring Event

3. Select pattern:

- Daily

- Weekly (choose days of week)

- Monthly (choose date or day of month)

4. Set end date or number of occurrences

Recurring events can be edited individually or as a series.

Best Practices

Planning Ahead

  • Create events early - Schedule at least 2-4 weeks in advance
  • Confirm details - Verify dates, times, and locations
  • Check availability - Ensure ministers and locations are available

Communication

  • Share calendar - Export to staff calendars
  • Update promptly - Make changes as soon as you know about them
  • Include contact info - Always add a contact person for events

Organization

  • Use consistent naming - "Last Name - Event Type" (e.g., "Johnson Wedding")
  • Add descriptions - Include helpful context in the description field
  • Mark status - Keep event status current (confirmed, completed, etc.)

Common Workflows

Scheduling a Wedding

1. Create the wedding record in the Weddings module

2. Create associated events:

- Rehearsal (Friday evening)

- Ceremony (Saturday afternoon)

- Reception (Saturday evening)

3. Link all events to the wedding record

4. Assign presider and ministers

Planning Holy Week

1. Review liturgical calendar for Holy Week dates

2. Create events for all liturgies:

- Palm Sunday Masses

- Holy Thursday Evening Mass

- Good Friday Liturgy

- Easter Vigil

- Easter Sunday Masses

3. Assign presiders, deacons, and ministers

4. Coordinate rehearsals

Coordinating Multiple Funerals

1. Check calendar for availability

2. Create vigil and funeral mass events for each

3. Verify location availability

4. Assign presiders (avoid double-booking)

5. Communicate schedule to funeral home

Related Features

Need Help?

Contact your parish administrator or visit outwardsign.church for support.