Integrating Planning Center with ProPresenter: Streamlining Your Worship Workflow

As churches increasingly embrace technology for worship services, integrating different tools becomes essential. Planning Center and ProPresenter are two powerful platforms that, when combined, enhance your worship experience. In this article, we’ll explore the benefits of integrating these tools and guide you through the process.

Benefits of Integration

1. Seamless Workflow:
   • Planning Center streamlines service planning, volunteer scheduling, and communication.
   • ProPresenter excels at creating and displaying multimedia presentations.
   • Integrating them ensures a seamless workflow from planning to presentation.
2. Real-Time Updates:
   • When you create a service plan in Planning Center, ProPresenter can automatically sync with it.
   • Any changes made in Planning Center—such as adding songs or adjusting the order of service—are reflected instantly in ProPresenter.
3. Efficient Media Management:
   • Attachments (lyrics, videos, images) in Planning Center are automatically downloaded into ProPresenter.
   • No more manual file transfers; everything you need is readily available.
4. Consistent Lyrics:
   • Import song arrangements from Planning Center into ProPresenter.
   • Your worship lyrics stay consistent across both platforms.
5. Historical Access:
   • Show Historical Service Plans in ProPresenter by enabling this option.
   • Easily reference past services for continuity or inspiration.
6. Automated Arrangements:
   • Make Arrangements from Sequences in ProPresenter.
   • Convert Planning Center sequences into ProPresenter arrangements effortlessly.
7. Two-Way Communication:
   • Automatically Upload Presentations and Media from ProPresenter to Planning Center.
   • Changes made in ProPresenter are reflected back in Planning Center.

Setting Up the Integration

1. Enable Integration in ProPresenter:
   • Go to ProPresenter Preferences > General.
   • Check “Show House of Worship Integrations”.
   • Navigate to the Services tab and log in to your Planning Center account.
2. Choose Your Options:
   • Automatically Check for Plan Updates: Periodically sync with Planning Center to detect changes.
   • Match Presentations in Library: Automatically link existing presentations.
   • Show Historical Service Plans: Access past plans.
   • Make Arrangements from Sequences: Create ProPresenter arrangements.
   • Automatically Upload/Download Presentations and Media: Keep both platforms in sync.
3. Import Planning Center Playlists:
   • Click the + button in ProPresenter’s library/playlist section.
   • Choose “Planning Center Service”.
   • Link or add presentations/media elements to each item:
     • Add Attachment from Planning Center
     • Create New Presentation in ProPresenter
     • Import File from Your Computer
     • Search ProPresenter to Link an Existing Presentation.
4. Collaborate and Present:
   • Customize your playlist, adjust arrangements, and hide/unhide items.
   • Sync changes back to Planning Center.
   • Download the updated playlist on other computers running ProPresenter.

Conclusion

Integrating Planning Center with ProPresenter enhances your worship experience, streamlines your workflow, and ensures consistency. Whether you’re a worship leader, tech volunteer, or pastor, this integration simplifies your tasks and allows you to focus on what truly matters: worshiping together as a community. 🙏🎶