Use Person Signal Types

Signals are discreet flags that can be assigned to a person to bring attention to a matter. As with most aspects of Rock, signals are highly customizable. They can be used to flag anything from security concerns to high-level lay leads to anything and everything in between. Some examples of how your organization might use signals are:

• Safety and Security - to flag someone who shouldn't be around children or on campus.
• Pastoral Care - to bring attention to someone who needs extra or specialized care.
• Administrative Tasks - to alert staff of a missing form or other administrative matter.

Signals differ from tags in that tags are meant only to provide information while signals are meant to prompt you to further action. They're a quick, visual way of saying, "Hey, there's something here you should know about."

Signals are managed from Admin Tools > Settings > Security > Person Signal Types. You can create as many signals as you need for your organization, giving each a specific color and icon to differentiate them. As you set your signals up, keep the following in mind:

• The list order of the signals in the Person Signal Types screen is important. The color of the top-most signal is used as the color for the Person Signal Type badge displayed on the Person Profile page, so it's best to keep the most important signal types at the top of the list.
• It's best to use general names for signals. For example, "Safety Team Recommendation" is general without being too vague. This helps to avoid the problem of labeling people, something that not only isn't kind but could also pose future legal issues. Consider using an appropriate color and icon for signals as well.
• Configuring the security settings for each signal type is essential. Signals aren't meant for everyone to see. Likewise, the information provided on the Person Profile page (particularly in the tabs subsections) is sensitive and should only be viewed by those with the appropriate security permission.

For individuals, signals are managed on the Security tab of the Person Profile page. Each signal has a type, owner, expiration date, and note. The owner is the person to contact for follow-up details and defaults to the person currently logged in.

When a person is assigned a signal, a flag-shaped badge appears on their Person Profile page. The flag's color reflects the highest-priority signal type assigned. The flag also displays a number indicating the total signals assigned. Hover over the flag to see a list of the person's signals. A detailed view is available in the Security tab. Signals also appear on group member lists as an icon of the top-level signal next to the person's name.

* Signal Badge - The flag here is red because the color associated with this signal is red. If Bob had two signals, and if the higher-ordered signal was assigned a yellow color, then the flag would be yellow and the number “2” would appear in the center.