eAdventist now auto-formats phone numbers to provide better-looking lists and to help you catch entry errors right away. For the “Mobile phone” field, it goes a step further and checks that the number is valid and belongs to a mobile phone – rather than a landline or VOIP phone.
Mobile phone numbers
eAdventist tracks “Mobile phone” for people (members/nonmembers), contacts (interests/visitors) and users (e.g. clerks, pastors). In addition to verifying that the number is valid and is assigned to a mobile phone, it also identifies the carrier. The validation and carrier information is particularly to ensure that the text messages you send to your Messaging List reach your audience. It’s also handy for trouble-shooting when a member who isn’t receiving text messages.
The validation automatically strips any non-digit characters from the phone number and auto-formats it in standard format (e.g. 111-222-3333).
Family phone numbers
You can enter Family phone numbers (e.g. Home, Alternate) with or without separators. eAdventist will strip any non-digit characters and auto-format the number in one of 3 standard formats:
| Format | If you enter… | Auto-formats to… |
| Normal | 3216549876 | 321-654-9876 |
| With extension | 3216549876 123 | 321-654-9876 x123 |
| International | +1 44 123 56 7890 | +1 44 123 56 7890 |
The Family phone numbers are shared by the entire family. If you change a Family phone number for one person, it is changed for the entire family.
If the family has a landline, enter it as the “Home” phone. If the family does not have a landline, enter the mobile phone number of one of the adults as the “Home” phone. This will provide a default phone number for any family members (e.g. children) that don’t have their own “Mobile phone” entered.
Work phone numbers
When you enter a “Work phone”, it belongs to the person – rather than the family. Auto-formatting for Work phone numbers is coming soon.
Organization phone numbers
Auto-formatting will also be coming soon for Organization phone numbers.
The eAdventist team
thanks
We have some that the area code (787) which is a Puerto Rico area code and we have it for a few of our members. eAdventist puts a red X by that number which people may think that is a bad number but it is a correct mobile number. Is there a way to maybe show (Puerto Rico) instead of X by the number so people know that it may be a correct number just not a local US phone number?
Good question. The red X indicates that it was validated with the Google Phone validator before August. On August 4, we switched to a new validator that works for international numbers – including Puerto Rico. You can re-validate any “Mobile phone” number by making a small change – for example, delete one of the hyphens. When you save, eAdventist will validate the number and should give you a green check mark and the carrier name.
Thank you! Once I took out one of the hyphens and saved it it shows up with a green check mark.
Thank You!!
Pingback: 10 Things for Churches – eAdventist News