--- title: How to use the event chats? description: "If chat is generally activated in your ChurchTools, you have the option of using an event chat for each event. This is a chat room in which all people who are assigned to a Roles can participate. **Note** You can…" url: "https://staging.churchtools.academy/en/help/churchtools-modules/planning-events/how-to-use-the-event-chats/" updated: "2026-06-12" category: Events / Planning Events --- # How to use the event chats? If chat is generally activated in your ChurchTools, you have the option of using an event chat for each event. This is a chat room in which all people who are assigned to a Roles can participate. **Note** You can specify in the settings of the individual *services* whether people who are assigned to these services can participate in the event chat or not. For example, you can exclude Roles from the chat for which it is not relevant. You can find more information on this [here](https://staging.churchtools.academy/de/help/churchtools-modules/events-planen/40-mitarbeiterkommunikation-bei-events/). You can activate event chats either manually for individual events or automatically for many events. For both options, first activate the *event chat* in the *System settings*. [![Screenshot System settings Communication Chat](https://staging.churchtools.academy/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/System-settings_Communication_Chat-1024x593.png)](https://staging.churchtools.academy/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/System-settings_Communication_Chat.png) **Note** Some people who should participate in the event chat may never have been logged in to your ChurchTools before. In this case, you can set them to be automatically invited to log in to ChurchTools by e-mail. [![Screenshot System settings Communication Chat Invite relevant persons](https://staging.churchtools.academy/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/System-settings_Communication_Chat_Invite-relevant-persons-1024x335.png)](https://staging.churchtools.academy/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/System-settings_Communication_Chat_Invite-relevant-persons.png) ## Start event chats manually To start the event chat manually for your event, select your event in the module and click on the *speech bubble*. [![Screenshot Events Start Event chat](https://staging.churchtools.academy/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Events_Start-Event-chat-1024x221.png)](https://staging.churchtools.academy/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Events_Start-Event-chat.png) In the window that opens, confirm that you want to start the event chats (3). You will also be noted whether people assigned to the event have not yet installed the ChurchTools app and therefore cannot participate in the chat (1). You have the option of automatically sending these people an e-mail (2) inviting them to install the app so that they can use the chat. [![SAcreenshot Events Really start Event Chat](https://staging.churchtools.academy/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Events_Really-start-Event-Chat-1024x548.png)](https://staging.churchtools.academy/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Events_Really-start-Event-Chat.png) ## Start event chats automatically If you want to use the event chat for many events, you can specify in the *System settings* whether and when the chat should be started for an event. To do this, navigate to the *Communication* tab (3) in the *System settings* (1 and 2) and then to *Chat* (4). [![Screenshot System settings Communication Chat](https://staging.churchtools.academy/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/System-settings_Communication_Chat_2-1024x327.png)](https://staging.churchtools.academy/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/System-settings_Communication_Chat_2.png) There you specify how many days before the event the chat should be started (1) and select all calendars (2) for whose events this setting should apply. [![Screenshot System settings Communication Settings for Event chat](https://staging.churchtools.academy/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/System-settings_Communication_Settings-for-Event-chat-1024x501.png)](https://staging.churchtools.academy/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/System-settings_Communication_Settings-for-Event-chat.png) ## Deactivate event chats manually When your event is over, you probably no longer need the associated chat. You can therefore deactivate the event chat of an event so that it disappears from the active chat list of your ChurchTool users. **Note** The chat history is not deleted directly. If you have accidentally deactivated the chat, you can reactivate it and the chat history will be retained. You can deactivate the chat of an event manually by clicking on the same *speech bubble* as for activating the chat. [![Screenshot Events Deactivate Event chat](https://staging.churchtools.academy/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Events_Deactivate-Event-chat.png)](https://staging.churchtools.academy/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Events_Deactivate-Event-chat.png) ## Deactivate event chat automatically Alternatively, you can specify in the *System settings* how many days after an event the associated chat should be automatically deactivated. [![Screenshot System settings Communication Chat Deactivate chats automatically](https://staging.churchtools.academy/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/System-settings_Communication_Chat_Deactivate-chats-automatically-1024x502.png)](https://staging.churchtools.academy/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/System-settings_Communication_Chat_Deactivate-chats-automatically.png) If you delete an event, the associated event chat are always deleted as well. ## Read more - [Employee communication at events](https://staging.churchtools.academy/en/help/churchtools-modules/planning-events/employee-communication-at-events/) - [Chat no longer updates - what to do?](https://staging.churchtools.academy/en/help/system-settings/communication-system-settings/17-chat-is-no-longer-updating-what-to-do/) - [E-mail settings](https://staging.churchtools.academy/de/help/system-einstellungen/kommunikation-system-einstellungen/einstellungen-fur-e-mail/)