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FAQ / Frequently Asked Questions

Community management

How can I change the language in my community management?
  1. In the community manager, click on the email address in the upper right corner and click on My account/Myaccount.
  2. On the next screen under Language, click Edit/Change and change the language to the desired language here.
  3. Click Save/Save to adjust the language.



Is there a backup if I delete something from community management?

You may have deleted something when you were not supposed to. In community management, it is not possible for an administrator to restore data. This can only be done by Socie administrators. Recovering deleted data is a major time commitment. Also, it depends on what needs to be reset to determine what the effort is. For recovering data from our backups, we charge a minimum of 4 hours. Depending on the situation, this may increase further. Our rate is 103.50 euros (excluding VAT) per hour.

It would be nice if an administrator could restore deleted items himself. Consider the recycle garbage can on your computer. This would ultimately be the most beautiful solution, but we cannot yet offer this option.

So watch out when deleting texts, photos or modules. Modules are better set to “invisible.

Community Administrators

How can I change a community administrator's email address?

From the member list, you can click on the profile and change the email address. Next, click on your account in the upper right corner and then click unsubscribe. Now create an account with the email address you just entered in your profile. After logging in with this, you will get instant access to your community as an administrator.

As a community administrator, is it possible to also be able to post messages in groups via a computer instead of mobile?

Messages in groups now still go through the app.

You can also install the app on a laptop (or iPad).
Virtually all Chromebooks (Google laptops) and all Macbooks from an M1 processor upwards can run the app.
Thus, community administrators and group administrators can also use the app and post messages via laptop or iPad.

Events & Calendar

How do I connect my app to an external iCal feed?

It is possible to load an external iCal feed within the app, other calendar feed types are unfortunately not possible.

To do this, go to the Calendar module and click on + Add Feed. Give the feed a name, for example “Club Agenda,” and under URL enter the full URL of the iCal feed.

Tip: check if the iCal feed meets the standard at https://icalendar.org/validator.html to make sure the feed can be loaded properly.

Click Add to add the feed to the calendar.

If the feed items are not immediately visible, open another module screen and then open the calendar again. Or click the new feed button and then click Save again or Update Now next to Status.

Events from an iCal are automatically updated a maximum of once every 2 hours.

Why are my iCal calendars no longer being retrieved?

This is probably because it failed five times in a row to retrieve the agenda. After five failed attempts, the link stops automatically retrieving the iCal calendar. In most cases, it fails to retrieve a calendar because the website, where the calendar is located, is not available. Possibly it takes too long to retrieve the calendar, or the calendar does not meet the iCal standard.

Check with the website builder that the iCal link is still working properly.

What is the difference between the calendar and my events?

The Calendar(s) display events with a full calendar view on which all days are visible, including those on which no activities are taking place.

My events is a list of all events visible to the current user. So this is a collection of all events from all groups and modules that the user has access to. We do not have a page showing only the events for which the user is logged in.

See also this Blog.

Can I also export my Socie calendar?

Yes, You can export calendars to external calendars in Socie. You then create an iCal feed that you can retrieve in another calendar.

Members

What is the maximum number of members in the app?

There is no maximum number of members you can register in the Socie app.

How can I send an invitation to join via mail?

Members can be invited through community management to start using the Socie app.
It is not required to send it; members can create an account for the Socie app even without an invitation.

The email contains a default text that cannot be changed by communities.

Members who have not yet received an invitation can be emailed all at once via Members -> Invite Members at the top of the page. A mail can also be sent to a selection, this can be done by checking members in the list and clicking the Invite button above the member list.

You can also send an e-mail yourself after adding members to the member list. Once they have created an account, they can look up the community within Socie.

You can hide the link in the app via Members -> Membership Requests -> Show this link in the app? Setting these settings to NO will prevent the invitation link from showing in the app.

How can I activate a QR code or URL so potential members can find my app?

Go to Members -> Membership Requests. Activate the module. Now you can share the QR code or link and members can make a membership request.

See also this blog.

How can I accept a membership request?

Go to Members -> Membership Requests.– > Requests.

If two members to be added have the same email address, is this possible or should these be 2 different email addresses?

Yes, you can. Among families, this is more common. If multiple members use the same email address, the user can choose on whose behalf they use the app when starting the community.

Why does importing members not work with my own chosen unique key?

The unique key you choose:

– Must be populated in both the existing member list (all members already in the app) and the list to be imported.

– and may not duplicate.

Then the import should work.

Groups

I cannot add members to interactive groups from the app, how do I fix this?

Option 1:

When members are set to hidden in privacy settings or when the member list is set to hidden, members cannot be added to a group in the app.

The option to set the member list as hidden is often set to protect member data.

For example, to allow group administrators to have access to the member list, this can be set up through the community administration as follows:

  1. Go to Member List -> Settings.
  2. Set the Visible option in the app to Visible.
  3. Set the To Use by option to Groups and then choose the desired group which may view the member list in the app. These groups can be set up and managed through Groups at the bottom of the menu (above Notifications).
  1. Save the adjustments. Now only the desired group(s) will have the list visible in the app.
  2. Go to Members -> Settings -> Privacy.
  3. Set the Member Profile option to Visible if set to Hidden.

Option 2:

If option 1 does not solve the problem, check whether the member list module has been made available only to a specific group of members.

To do this, go to Member List > Settings and see if the option To be used by is set to a specific group.

RSS feeds

What is an RSS feed?

An RSS feed is a collection of the latest news items and/or articles from a website. The feed provides these messages in a standardized format. This allows another website and/or application to read the messages and provide them in its own style. With Socie, this is also possible through a News & Blogs module.

Where can I find the URL for my website's RSS feed?

How and whether an RSS feed is offered varies from site to site. Are you using WordPress? Then you can usually access the RSS feed by putting /feed after the URL of the page. Other websites display the RSS logo on a page offering an RSS feed. You can obtain the URL for the RSS feed of such a page by clicking on this logo.

How do I check if my RSS feed is working?

Check your RSS feed here: https://validator.w3.org/feed/

How do I make the images from the RSS feed show up in the app?

In the following situations, the URL of the image is inherited:

  1. The article contains an enclosure element whose type begins with image/.
  2. The article contains an enclosure element whose URL ends in .jpg, .jpeg, .png or .gif.
  3. The article contains another element (for example, media) with a URL ending in .jpg, .jpeg, .png or .gif.
  4. The description or content element contains an HTML img tag with a valid URL for an image. When an article contains both a description element and a content element, the content element will be used. So make sure the appropriate images are also in this element.
  5. The channel element containing the items contains a valid URL for an image.
How to turn my youtube playlist into an rss feed

Copy the Playlist ID and take the link below and paste the ID where it says SOCIE.

[https://www .youtube.com=””]

Privacy and AVG

Where can I find the privacy statement?

Socie’s privacy statement can be read at https://socie.nl/privacy-statement/

Do members have to share a phone number like Whatsapp?

No, members choose after registration (email address required) what data they want to share and with whom. In doing so, sharing your phone number or profile picture, for example, is not mandatory.

Account & Login

How do I activate Socie app on a new phone?
  1. You can download and install the Socie app on your new phone in the regular way.
  2. When you open the Socie app, the welcome screen is displayed.
  3. Since the app was previously activated on your old phone, choose the Login option.
  4. You can login with the email address and password you used to register the Socie app previously.

Forgot your password? Then click on the Forgot your password link.

A member cannot log in, how do I resolve this?

If a member indicates they cannot log in, you can check the following things:

1. Verify that the email address the member uses is also the email address listed in member directory.

2. Ask if he has already created an account for the Socie App at the known email address. In fact, an account is not automatically created for members, they must do it themselves through the Socie App. They can do this by clicking Create Account on the app’s home screen .

3. Using the App Manager, look under Members to see if the member is listed. You can search by the last name or part of the e-mail address. .

4. Have the member request a new password via the App. This should then come in to the e-mail address they created the account on.

Should the above items still not solve the problem, submit a ticket to Socie. In doing so, please tell us what steps have already been tried, what the member’s e-mail address is and what brand of phone the member uses.

A member sees "no membership found" when logging in, how do I fix this?

This message is generally displayed when members try to log in with an email address that is not known in the community’s member list. Check that the email address used to log in is known in your community’s member list.

Why doesn't a member receive an (invitation) email?
There can be several reasons why an e-mail sometimes does not arrive. Here are some common causes:
  1. Incorrectly entered e-mail addresses: If the recipient’s e-mail address is entered incorrectly, the e-mail will not arrive. Always check that the e-mail address is spelled correctly.
  2. Spam filter: The e-mail may be stopped by the recipient’s spam filter. Make sure the content of your e-mail does not contain suspicious elements that could be marked as spam.
  3. Overloaded email server: If the recipient’s e-mail server is overloaded, the e-mail may not be delivered immediately. In such cases, the e-mail is often queued and delivered later.
  4. Blocked email address: The sender’s email address may have been blocked by the recipient’s email provider. This can happen if the recipient has marked the sender as undesirable or if there have been problems with previous communications.
  5. Server problems: Technical problems with the sender’s or recipient’s email server can cause the email to not be delivered.
  6. Firewall settings: In some cases, firewall settings on the recipient’s computer may cause certain emails to be blocked.
If you save the sender address(noreply@socie.nl) in your contacts, you are implicitly indicating that emails from that address should be considered legitimate. This can help prevent emails from that sender from ending up in the spam folder.
Why doesn't a member get a (password forgotten) email?
The most common reason why the forgotten password email does not arrive is that the member does not have a “Socie” account.
It is possible that this user previously had an account but did not use the app for an extended period of time. In fact, accounts inactive for more than six months are automatically deleted. The user received a message about this at the time.
If there is an account and the email is not being received, it is a good idea to try the solution under “why doesn’t a member get an (invitation) email”.

App version & phone software version

How do I install the Socie app on my smartphone?

You can find the Socie app in the Play Store (Android) or App Store (iPhone) of your smartphone or tablet. From the Store, you then have the option to download and install the Socie app.

Did you receive an invitation email? Then you can also find this information in this e-mail.

How can I tell if I have the latest version of the Socie app? Or that an update is available?

Search the App Store for Socie and click on the Socie app. Then you can see if an Update button is available. If it is not available, the latest version is installed on your device.

How can I see which version of the Socie app I have?

If you are experiencing problems with the Socie app, we would like to hear what version of the app you are using and what type of phone you have.
You can look up the installed version in the Socie app as follows: In the app, go to the menu and click on your profile picture or name.
Then go to My Account and here you will find the app version at the bottom.

How can I see what software version my phone is using?

Apple

Looking up software version for Apple (anno 2021):

Go to Settings and then General. Then tap Info to find the software version installed on your device.

Android

Look up software version for Android (all phones except Apple and Windows):

  1. Open the app settings on your phone.
  2. At the bottom, tap System Advanced. System update.
  3. Check your Android version and level of security patch.

Modules

How can I set module permissions?

With most modules, you can adjust permissions through Settings to set who sees and can use the module. Here it is possible to set that all members are allowed to use the module or only specific groups.

If groups are set up, the module is visible in the app only to members within the group.

The app may need to be closed and restarted before changes in it are visible.

Go to a module’s settings and under To be used by, select the appropriate group(s).

How can I test/set up modules shielded?

You can test most modules shielded by creating a test group in the Community Administration at the bottom via Groups.

To do so, click + Add Group, enter a name and click Save.

Then click on the group and in the Members tab, add your own account.

At the desired module, go to Settings. Adjust the Use by setting here to Groups. Then click on Add Groups and check the group you just created.

This module is now only available/visible in the app for members who are in the test group.

How can I delete a module?

You can delete a module through the Settings of that module. A Delete button is available here.

After clicking the button, you must confirm the deletion before it is actually deleted. This is for additional verification, to prevent a module from being accidentally removed by a wrong click. Deleting a module also deletes all of its content.

Others

How can I upgrade my Start package to a Plus/ Premium app?

The Start app can always be upgraded to a Plus, or Premium app.

You can easily arrange this through your Socie app’s Community Management via License -> Change.

With the Plus app, you can use the additional features immediately after changing.

The Premium app requires contact with Socie before the additional features can be used.

I am using the Start app, can I also try the Plus app?

You can, from the dashboard in the community management you can start the free trial of the Plus app yourself.

Once the trial period expires, your account is automatically reset to the Start app.

How can I have someone else make the payment for the app?

You can have someone other than the community administrator make the payment for the app. Select the desired license via License. Click change.

In the upper right corner at payment completion you will see the text:

“Will someone else complete the payment?”

Copy and forward the link below to complete payment.

You can share the displayed URL with the person who is going to pay.

Can I also (have) Socie paid by invoice?

Yes that is possible. Once you choose a paid package in Socie, you can choose to “pay by bank payment. With that, you create an invoice that you transfer to Socie by bank payment. Once payment is processed, the package becomes active.

How can I change an existing Plus or Premium package and have someone else pay by invoice?

You can choose a new payment method when a license expires.

Go to your app’s community management:

1 Under (‘License -> Invoice Details’)enter the new invoice details.
2 Under (‘License -> License) under Completion of Payment, choose “undo”
3 Then choose again the package you want.
4 Once you create a new package, choose “pay by bank payment”. With that, you create an invoice that you transfer to Socie by bank payment.

You then have 14 days to pay the bill, and the app remains usable as usual.

Please note that if the word “undo” is not visible at the top, you can also already delete your payment method by clicking “delete” at the bottom right under “Payment Method”.

Where do I find my invoice?

The invoice can be downloaded by going to License and then Licenses and Invoices on the left side of the menu.

Can I change the account number for package payment?

It is possible to change the account number in the community administration under ‘License’. On this page, “Payment Method” is listed at the bottom right. Click Change here to change the account number. Another option is to delete the account number. Another payment can then be made with the new account number when the license expires.

Accounts

How can I delete my account?

See here: Delete data

How do I delete an app?

If you no longer wish to use the community you can delete it. To do so, go to: Settings -> Account -> Delete my app. In doing so, make sure you delete the correct app if you are the administrator of multiple apps.

How can I change my password?

To do so, in the community manager, click on your email at the top right of the screen -> My Account -> Change My Password.

How can I delete my data?

See here: Delete data

Accounts

Can I get a notification when someone responds to a post I didn't post myself?

By default, you do not receive notifications of responses to a post not posted by you.

This happens only when you turn on the Follow responses to this post option on the Responses screen. By default, you do receive notifications of posts made by other members. You can manage this by tapping the cogwheel in the upper right corner via My Notifications. There you can set for each module whether or not you want to receive notifications of new content in that module.

Notifications are not arriving, how do I fix this?

Verify that the notifications for the desired module are on. It is possible to set whether or not you receive notifications for each module.

This can be set by tapping the cogwheel in the upper right corner via My Notifications.

Note -> Notifications arrive only to members who have the app installed on their phones and have created a Socie account.

Should this not solve the problem, please feel free to send us a ticket with an example where things don’t seem to be going well.

How can a user notification be deleted?

This is not possible. If a user notification is closed, it will disappear after a few weeks.

Files

What is the best way to add an audio file?
For audio file sharing, consider using a news module. Here you can specify an “Audio URL” and it will be played within the app.
If the audio file is added as a file, then the file is downloaded on the phone. It is then played outside the app.
How come my YouTube video is not playing in the app?

Copyrighted videos cannot be played in the app.

If you get the message Video not available, Watching on YouTube it means that the video you want to share in the app has copyright.

Copyrighted videos can only be viewed via YouTube.

In what ways can I share videos in the app?
You can add videos in the Socie app in 2 different ways:
1. Via a video file
2. via a URL
Add files via Media.
When sharing a post in a Share your moment module or interactive group, you can add video files under Media. In doing so, the following content types are supported:
  • video/x-msvideo,
  • video/mp4,
  • video/mpeg
  • and video/quicktime.
    Note: The selected video should be a maximum of 50 MB in size.

Add files via URL
For news items, documents, polls and crowdfunding goals, it is possible to add a URL to a video.

When a URL to a YouTube video is used, the app displays a YouTube video player. In all other cases, the supplied URL is displayed in the operating system’s default video player.

Others

How can I change the formatting of my Socie app?

The formatting page can be found in the community administration under Settings -> Formatting.

How can I remove the publication date?

This is possible through the Hide publication date setting in the list view. This can be found in the module’s Settings.

Can members also use the app on a PC or laptop?

You can also install the app on a Laptop (or iPad).
Almost all Chromebooks (laptops from Google) and all Macbooks from an M1 processor onwards can run the app.
So members can also use the app via laptop or iPad.

How can I sort photo albums and photos?

You can change the order of photo albums by changing the publication date.

You can set the order of photos to oldest first or newest first. Sorting goes by date the photo was added to the album.

What languages is the app available for?

What languages is the app available for?

The app is available in English, Dutch, German, French and Spanish.
The app adopts the language setting of the device. If the device is set to another language, the English language is applied.
Not all texts are available in multiple languages. Text added by the administrator will not be translated. Examples include news releases, events and documents.
An administrator can choose to add text in multiple languages. He can do this by using multiple modules or adding multiple translations per message.
Is it possible to renew Apple membership and certificates for Premium licenses?

It is only possible to renew ‘membership’ (developer program membership) and accept new agreements as an Apple App Store account owner. Certificates are automatically renewed by the developers.

Why is my Premium app no longer visible in the App Store?

The disappearance of a Premium app in the App Store is usually related to lagging a payment or new terms must be accepted.

Your best bet is to log on to Google Play console or the Apple App Store.

https://play.google.com/console/

https://developer.apple.com/account

Is your question not listed?

Then send your question via ticket to Socie. You can create a ticket in the community administration.

To do so, go to community management -> Help & Support -> Add

Before creating a ticket, always make sure you have the latest update of the Socie app installed. A screenshot, if possible, is also often very helpful in understanding the problem properly.

This is a staging environment