← Back to Articles

Contact Management

July 25, 2025

By Davey Hubler

Training

Contact Management Training Guide

Overview

The Contact Management feature allows you to keep track of all your student and guardian contacts in one organized place. This feature helps schools maintain updated records, streamline communication, and ensure important data is always accessible. In Lazarus, guardians and students can be neatly organized together through our simple relationship

The Contacts section is split into two main tabs:

  • Guardians – Adult contacts who are responsible for or related to students.
  • Students – The enrolled or prospective children associated with guardians.

From this page, you can search, create, and manage your contact database.

How to Add a New Guardian

To create a new guardian record, follow these steps:

  1. Navigate to Contacts
    From the main left-hand menu, click Contacts.
    Make sure you’re on the Guardians tab.

  2. Click “New Guardian”
    On the upper right of the Guardians panel, click the gold + New Guardian button.

  3. Enter Guardian Information

    • First Name and Last Name – Required fields to identify the guardian.
    • Email – Required for system communication and login access (if applicable).
    • Phone Number – Required for contact purposes; enter in standard format.

  4. Enter Address Information

    • Street Address – Required for mailing or verification purposes.
    • City, State, and Zip Code – All required for full address records.

  5. Click “Create Guardian”
    Once all required fields are filled, click the yellow Create Guardian button in the lower right to save the contact.

🔒 All fields marked with an asterisk (*) are required.

Searching for Guardians

  • Use the search bar at the top of the Guardians panel to quickly locate an existing contact by name.
  • Results will update in real time as you type.

Notes & Best Practices

  • A guardian can be linked to multiple students.
  • Always double-check email addresses for accuracy to ensure communication is delivered correctly.
  • Address information helps with billing, mailers, and verification during applications.

Navigation

  • Access: From the main menu, select “Contacts” from the left sidebar
  • View: Shows your contacts dashboard with guardian and student management tabs

Main Interface Components

Contact Type Tabs

  • Guardians Tab: Manage parent/guardian contact information
  • Students Tab: Manage student details
  • Active Indicator: Current tab is highlighted with an underline

Guardian Management Section

Current Status Display

  • Guardian Counter: Shows “Number of Guardians” indicating how many guardian profile are currently existing
  • Visual Indicator: Blue badge with count for quick reference

Search Functionality

  • Search Bar: “Find guardians” field for locating existing contacts
  • Purpose: Quickly locate specific guardians when database grows
  • Usage: Type name, email, or phone number to filter results

New Guardian Button

  • Location: Top-right of guardians section
  • Function: Initiates the process to add a new guardian
  • Appearance: Yellow “New Guardian” button with plus icon

Adding a New Guardian

Guardian Information Section

Purpose: Collect essential contact details for primary communication

Required Fields (marked with red asterisk *)

  1. First Name

    • Example shown: “John”
    • Required for identification and personalized communication

  2. Last Name

    • Example shown: “Doe”
    • Required for proper record keeping and formal correspondence

  3. Email

    • Example shown: “john.doe@example.com”
    • Required for digital communications and platform notifications

  4. Phone Number

    • Example shown: “(555) 123-4567”
    • Required for urgent communications and emergency contact

Address Information Section

Purpose: Maintain physical address records for mailings and emergency situations

Required Address Fields

  1. Street Address

    • Example shown: “123 Main Street”
    • Required for physical location and mailing purposes

  2. City

    • Example shown: “Springfield”
    • Required for complete address verification

  3. State

    • Dropdown selection available
    • Required for proper geographic identification

  4. Zip Code

    • Example shown: “12345”
    • Required for postal services and location verification

Key Functions and Tasks

Adding a Guardian

Steps Required:

  1. Click “New Guardian” button
  2. Complete all required fields (marked with *)
  3. Enter guardian information (name, email, phone)
  4. Fill in complete address details
  5. Click “Create Guardian” button to save

What’s Needed:

  • Complete contact information
  • Valid email address format
  • Proper phone number format
  • Full physical address including zip code

Searching for Guardians

Steps Required:

  1. Use the “Find guardians” search bar
  2. Enter search criteria (name, email, or phone)
  3. Results will filter automatically

What’s Needed:

  • Partial or complete guardian information
  • Existing guardians in the system

Managing Guardian Records

Available Actions:

  • Create new guardian profiles
  • Search existing guardian database
  • Edit guardian information (implied functionality)
  • View guardian details

Form Validation and Requirements

Data Format Requirements

  • Email: Must follow standard email format (example@domain.com)
  • Phone: Accepts standard US phone format with area code
  • Names: Text fields accepting alphabetic characters
  • Address: Complete street address required
  • Zip Code: Numeric format expected

Mandatory vs Optional Fields

  • All visible fields are required (indicated by red asterisks)
  • No optional fields shown in current interface
  • Complete information necessary before guardian can be created

User Interface Features

Visual Design Elements

  • Dark Theme: Professional appearance with high contrast
  • Color Coding:
    • Yellow for primary action buttons
    • Blue for counters and indicators
    • Red asterisks for required fields
  • Form Layout: Organized in logical sections for efficient data entry

Responsive Design

  • Two-column layout for efficient space utilization
  • Clear field labeling for easy identification
  • Consistent spacing for professional appearance

Best Practices

Data Entry Guidelines

  1. Accuracy: Verify all contact information before saving
  2. Completeness: Fill all required fields to avoid errors
  3. Formatting: Use consistent phone and address formats
  4. Verification: Double-check email addresses for accuracy

System Usage Tips

  1. Regular Updates: Keep guardian information current
  2. Search Efficiency: Use specific terms for better search results
  3. Data Backup: Ensure important contacts are properly saved
  4. Quality Control: Review entries before final submission

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Form Submission Problems

  • Missing Fields: Ensure all required fields (marked with *) are completed
  • Invalid Email: Check email format includes @ symbol and domain
  • Phone Format: Verify phone number includes area code
  • Address Validation: Confirm all address fields are properly filled

Search Issues

  • No Results: Check spelling and try broader search terms
  • Too Many Results: Use more specific search criteria
  • Empty Database: Add guardians before attempting to search

Next Steps

After mastering guardian management, users should explore:

  • Student contact management (Students tab)
  • Integration with other platform features
  • Bulk import/export capabilities (if available)
  • Communication tools utilizing contact information

This training guide covers the contact management interface as shown. Additional features may be available through other menu options or advanced settings.