⭐ Premium
Cleanup Groups is a maintenance tool that tidies up inconsistencies in your small group data. It runs automatically when you visit the screen and reports when it is done — there is no form to fill in or options to choose.
Go to Church Admin → Small Groups → Cleanup groups.
What it does
The cleanup performs two operations in sequence:
1. Removes orphaned group assignments
When a small group is deleted, any records in the database that still reference that group are left behind as orphans. These don’t cause visible problems but are unnecessary data that can accumulate over time. The cleanup finds any person-to-group assignments that point to groups which no longer exist and deletes them.
2. Ensures all adults have a group status
Every adult in the directory should have either a group assignment or an Unattached status. The cleanup checks every adult record and marks as Unattached anyone who has slipped through without any group status at all. This ensures the Unattached list and the Small Group Metrics pie chart are accurate.
When to run it
- After deleting one or more small groups
- After a large CSV import or bulk data change
- If the Small Group Metrics figures seem inaccurate — for example showing a suspiciously high or low number of unattached people
- After merging duplicate person records
- As a periodic data health check — running it every few months keeps the small group data clean
What it doesn’t do
Cleanup Groups only affects adults — people with a People Type of Adult. Teenagers and children are not included in the group status check since they are typically managed through the Age Related Groups or Classes modules rather than small groups.
It does not delete any groups, move people between groups, or change any assignments that are already correct. It is a safe operation that only removes genuinely orphaned data and fills in missing statuses.