---
title: Recommendations for the Basic Setup
description: "Every congregation is as unique as the people who belong to it. Almost all modules in ChurchTools are based on **individuals and groups**. That’s why you should carefully consider what [your congregation’s structure](https://churchtools.academy/en/help/administration/first-steps/create-congregation-organization-chart/) looks like. Sit down with others from…"
url: "https://churchtools.academy/en/help/churchtools-modules/basics-people/recommendations-for-the-basic-setup/"
updated: "2026-09-28"
category: People / Basics
tags:
  - Content outdated
---

# Recommendations for the Basic Setup

Every congregation is as unique as the people who belong to it. Almost all modules in ChurchTools are based on **individuals and groups**. That’s why you should carefully consider what [your congregation’s structure](https://churchtools.academy/en/help/administration/first-steps/create-congregation-organization-chart/) looks like. Sit down with others from your congregation to discuss this and define the structure. After that, you can map out your structure in ChurchTools and start by defining [campuses, person statuses, and departments](https://churchtools.academy/en/help/system-settings/general-system-settings/what-are-person-statuses-campuses-and-departments-in-churchtools/).

> Keep it simple—as simple as possible, as complex as necessary.

Below are our recommendations for different congregation sizes, which you can use as a guide:

## 0–50 people

- **Person status:** Friend/Member/Former Member
- **1 campus** and **1 department**
  - Campus = Name of your congregation
  - Department = Congregation list
- **Groups** do not necessarily have to have hierarchies.

## 50–100 people

- **Person status:** Also a Potential /To delete
- Here, too, we would recommend only one **campus** and one **deaprtment**.
- You can now organize **groups** into a hierarchy. For example, you can place the groups "Worship," "Technical," and "Organizers" under a group called "Category: Sunday Services."

## More than 100 people

- Another **department** may become relevant once a particular department within the congregation has its own leadership structure and roster of members.
- You should now organize **the groups** into a hierarchy by assigning superior groups and sub groups to one another.

## Multiple campuses

If your congregation has multiple campuses, it makes sense to set up multiple campuses in your ChurchTools as well. Each campus can then use its own resources (e.g., its own bus or its own rooms). If people, groups, resources, etc., are assigned to campuses, the data can be filtered by campus. This improves clarity.