Getting Started with Answers VBS Digital Tools

MyAnswers.com/vbs/videos/tutorial-videos/

AnswersVBS provides a comprehensive suite of digital tools designed to simplify your Vacation Bible School planning and execution. These tools are built to be user-friendly and accessible, even if you're not tech-savvy.

Once you've created your event at MyAnswers.com, you'll be taken to your event dashboard. This serves as the central hub for managing and planning your VBS.

Event Information:

• Your VBS start date

• Planning checklist with tasks from the director's guide and other resources

• Progress indicator showing the percentage of completed tasks

Registration Summary:

• Number of registered students

• Number of registered volunteers (if using this feature)

Additional Dashboard Elements:

• Available resources you can purchase directly through the tool

• List of your coordinators

• Team assignments and their first stations

• Quick links for promotion and sign-up

Navigation:

• Left sidebar navigation

• Top navigation bar

• Right-side utilities including shopping cart, messaging system, and account settings

You don't need to share login credentials. With the Plus version, you can invite other coordinators to help manage your event. They'll have their own access to the system.

Communicate with your coordinators directly within the tool. Send messages on specific tasks and check your inbox without leaving the platform.

Manage your public-facing event page and registration:

Public Page Management:

• Preview your event page

• Edit your public page content

• Access and edit registration forms

Important: Remember to enable your registration form once you're satisfied with it. Until you turn it on, people won't be able to register.

Promotion Tools:

• Code snippets and links to embed on your website

• Marketing resources to help spread the word

The digital library has been significantly expanded and includes:

• Music

• Posters

• Printable resources

• And much more

All library content is accessible from any device, including your smartphone. A separate video tutorial covers the library in detail.

The entire tool is accessible from any internet-connected device. On a smartphone, you'll see an optimized mobile view of your dashboard, allowing you to manage your VBS planning anywhere, anytime—no desktop computer required.

Manage all the individuals involved in your VBS:

Coordinators: People you've invited to help with planning who can log into the admin area

Students: View registered students, manage their information, and add students manually if needed (you're not limited to online registration only)

Volunteers: Track volunteer registrations and manage volunteer information

Attendance Tracking: Available in the Plus version for efficient student check-in

Building rotation schedules can be tedious in spreadsheets or word processors. The AnswersVBS scheduling tools simplify this process.

What You Can Do:

• Configure rotation settings

• Set up teams

• View your overall rotation schedule

• Access room-specific schedules (view and print)

• Access team-specific schedules (view and print)

The flexible scheduling system makes it easy to track where everyone should be at different times during your VBS.

The dashboard shows a preview of your planning checklist. Click on any checklist item to see:

• Illustrated reminder cards

• Helpful tips to keep you on track

• Links to relevant resources in the digital library

• Options to mark items as done, skip them, or save for later

Full Checklist Access: Click "Checklist" in the navigation to view the complete list, organized by category:

• Crafts

• Decorating

• Drama

• Games

• And more

Coordinator-Specific Checklists: When you invite coordinators (like a Crafts Coordinator), they can log in and see a checklist defaulted to their specific area of responsibility.

Browse and purchase supplies directly through the tool:

Categories Include:

• Gear

• Promotion materials

• Music and media

• Additional resources

Shared Wish List Feature:

• Coordinators can add items to a joint wish list

• See who added each item and when

• Coordinators can add comments explaining why the church should order specific items

• Access the wish list by clicking the wishlist icon in the utilities area

Example Uses:

• Outdoor banners for promotion

• Daily drama videos (great alternative if you lack personnel for live drama or prefer to focus your volunteers elsewhere)

The dashboard provides shortcut links to:

• Planning guides

• Resource materials

• Digital library content

While the settings area may look intimidating at first, don't worry—the tool will guide you to the right section whenever you need to adjust something.

What You Can Configure:

• Registration forms

• Schedule settings

• Web page customization

• Coordinator invitations

• Rotation schedules

• Teams and age groups

• Custom volunteer roles

• Event dates (can be modified after initial setup)

Flexibility: Different churches run VBS differently. The settings are designed to be flexible enough to accommodate various event structures and workflows.

If you ever feel stuck or unsure about what to do:

1. Look for the help link in the bottom left corner

2. Click to open the Help and Feedback section

3. Search for answers to common questions

4. If your question hasn't been asked before, create a new question

5. Our dedicated support team will respond to help your VBS run smoothly

6. The community may also contribute helpful feedback

The help system is also a great way to communicate what's working well and what could be improved. We're constantly enhancing the tool based on user feedback.

AnswersVBS digital tools and the comprehensive digital library are designed to make Vacation Bible School planning significantly easier. We're confident you'll love using them to create a successful VBS experience.