Knowledgebase

Target audience: Church administrators setting up parish directories with map integration and location services

The Parish Directory and Geocoding features provide powerful tools for creating searchable parish listings with interactive maps. These systems work together to help visitors find parishes geographically while providing comprehensive information about each community in your directory.

Understanding Directory Display Options

Parish Listing Tables

Display parishes in sortable tables with clickable column headers. Visitors can sort by parish name, city, state, diocese, deanery, or country. The system automatically shows only columns that contain data across your parishes.

Interactive Maps with Clustering

Show parish locations on Google Maps with automatic marker clustering for areas with multiple parishes. Maps include popup information windows and synchronized searching between table and map views.

Combined Directory Views

Create pages that include both table listings and maps, with search functionality that updates both displays simultaneously for a complete parish finder experience.

Advanced Filtering System

Generate shareable URLs for specific directory views like /listings/filter/diocese/Diocese-of-Canada or /listings/filter/state/NY/type/Cathedral that help visitors find exactly what they're looking for.

Setting Up Parish Listings

Basic Parish Directory

Navigate to your Site Manager pages and create a new page for your parish directory. Add a "Parish Listing" section that automatically displays all parishes in your database in a sortable table format.

Column Configuration

The system automatically detects which organizational levels you use and displays relevant columns:

• Parish name (always shown)
• Jurisdiction (if any parishes have jurisdiction data)
• Diocese (if any parishes have diocese data)
• Deanery (if any parishes have deanery data)
• City and State (always shown)
• Country (if you have international parishes)
• County (if any parishes have county data)

Search Integration

Add a "Parish Search" section to any page that provides a search box. Configure it to send results to your main parish listing page, creating a complete search and browse experience.

URL Structure

Parish listings automatically appear at /listings/ with individual parishes accessible at professional URLs like /listing/250/holy-trinity-orthodox-church/ that improve search engine optimization.

Geocoding Setup and Management

What is Geocoding

Geocoding converts parish addresses into geographic coordinates (latitude and longitude) that enable accurate map display and location-based services.

Accessing Geocoding Tools

From Components → Parishes, you'll see geocoding statistics and buttons:

• Geocode Missing - Processes only parishes without coordinates
• Geocode All - Reprocesses all parishes (useful for address updates)
• Statistics showing how many parishes need geocoding and completion percentage

Geocoding Process

Click either geocoding button to start the automated process. The system:

1. Takes parish addresses and queries mapping services for coordinates
2. Updates parish records with latitude and longitude data
3. Provides a summary of successful geocoding and any failures
4. Respects daily limits (1000 geocoding operations per day)

Address Requirements

For successful geocoding, parishes need:

• Complete street addresses
• City and state/province information
• Accurate spelling and formatting
• Real, deliverable addresses

Troubleshooting Geocoding

If parishes fail to geocode:

• Verify address accuracy and completeness
• Check for typos in street names or city names
• Ensure addresses are formatted consistently
• Use the physical location address rather than P.O. Boxes when possible

Interactive Map Configuration

Adding Maps to Pages

Create or edit any page and add a "Google Map" section. Configure the map to display parishes from your database with several options:

Location Data Sources

• Custom locations - Manually entered locations for specific maps
• Churches from parish listing - Automatically displays all parishes
• Churches with clustering - Displays parishes with marker clustering for dense areas

Map Display Options

• Map Type: Choose from Road, Satellite, Hybrid, or Terrain views
• Text Listing: Include a searchable table below the map
• Sort Order: Organize by name, location, or jurisdiction/diocese/deanery hierarchy
• Zoom Levels: Set minimum and maximum zoom constraints

Clustering Benefits When multiple parishes are close together, clustering:

• Groups nearby markers into numbered clusters
• Provides cleaner map appearance
• Allows zooming in to see individual parishes
• Maintains performance with many locations

Advanced Directory Features

Real-Time Search Integration

Maps and tables can include search functionality that:

• Updates both displays simultaneously
• Filters markers and table rows in real-time
• Creates shareable search result URLs
• Works across parish names, cities, and other fields

Geographic Filtering

Set up filtering by:

• State/Province: /listings/filter/state/NY
• Country: /listings/filter/country/Canada
• Diocese: /listings/filter/diocese/Diocese-of-Canada
• Deanery: Filter by regional groupings
• Parish Type: /listings/filter/type/Cathedral

Combined Filters

Create complex filters like /listings/filter/state/NY/type/Cathedral that narrow results by multiple criteria simultaneously.

Setting Up Complete Parish Finders

Page Structure Example

Create a comprehensive parish finder with this layout:

1. Parish Search section at the top for visitor queries
2. Parish Listing section in the middle showing sortable results
3. Google Map section at the bottom with clustering enabled

Search Configuration

Configure the Parish Search section to:

• Send results to the same page containing your listings
• Enable visitors to search and immediately see results
• Generate clean URLs for search results that can be shared

Map Synchronization

When using both tables and maps:

• Search updates both displays automatically
• Clicking table entries can highlight map markers
• Map popups show consistent information with table data

Directory Maintenance

Regular Geocoding Updates

Run geocoding periodically when:

• Adding new parishes to your database
• Updating parish addresses
• Parish locations change or are corrected
• Switching from P.O. Boxes to street addresses

Monitoring Geocoding Success

The parish list shows geocoding statistics:

• Total parishes in database
• Number needing geocoding
• Percentage successfully geocoded
• Visual indicators for parishes with coordinates

Address Quality Management

For best geocoding results:

• Use complete street addresses rather than P.O. Boxes for the physical location field
• Ensure city and state names are spelled correctly
• Include zip codes when available
• Verify addresses are deliverable locations

SEO and Sharing Benefits

Search Engine Optimization

Professional URLs and complete parish information improve search engine ranking, helping people find parishes through Google searches.

Social Media Integration

Clean directory URLs like /listings/filter/diocese/Diocese-of-Canada work well for sharing on social media platforms and in email communications.

Mobile Optimization

All directory displays work seamlessly on mobile devices with responsive layouts that adapt to different screen sizes.

Quick Start Example

Setting up a basic parish finder:

1. Create a "Find a Parish" page in your Site Manager page editor
2. Add a Parish Search section configured to show results on the same page
3. Add a Parish Listing section to display search results in a sortable table
4. Add a Google Map section set to "Churches with clustering" for geographic display
5. Run geocoding from Components → Parishes to enable accurate mapping
6. Test the complete system by searching for parishes and verifying both table and map results

Your directory now provides visitors with multiple ways to find parishes while generating professional URLs that improve search engine visibility and social media sharing.

This integrated approach creates powerful parish finder tools that serve both casual visitors looking for nearby churches and researchers needing detailed directory information about your church communities.