Overview:  This article is designed to provide a series of steps that should be taken by a volunteer to get logged into Gate Access for the first time, view and correspond with the Inmates assigned, and to record activity within Gate Access.  

How To Log In

Step 1 From your Gate Access Registration Email, click the Link next to Log in here. 

• Note: The link should take you to the URL: https://gateaccess.org. Take note of the Use this information to log in section.

Step 2 Sign into Gate Access by entering your Username (your registered email address), and the Temporary Password. You will then be directed to change your password immediately.

• Enter your new password (the one you have chosen) in both fields, New Password and Confirm Password.
• After you enter the new password in both fields, the Submit button will appear. Click the Submit button to confirm the password change.

Step 3 After changing your password, you will be directed back to the login screen. Enter your username (your registered email address) and the new password you just created, then click Login.

Step 4  If you experience issues logging into Gate Access, you can click either Forgot Password or Trouble Logging In. 

• Note:  If you click on Forgot Password, you will be prompted to enter the email address associated with your Gate Access account and you can follow the steps provided to you in the email message sent.  

• Note:  If you click on Trouble Logging In? you will be prompted to enter your email address associated with your Gate Access account and a description of the issue you are having, and this will be sent to Support who will then respond to you via email to attempt to resolve the issue with you.  

Step 4   Upon successful entry into Gate Access, in the upper right corner of the My Ministry landing page, click the Help icon, question mark with a circle around it. A drop-down menu will show with multiple support options. Select Visit Help Center to locate articles to help you with questions related to Gate Access.

Step 5   In the Support Knowledge Base, you will see several articles and videos to help you get started.  

Please take the time to go through and read these articles. You can refer to them at any time by clicking Support in the Navigation Panel.  New articles will be added periodically, so check back often.

Step 6   If you still need help after reading a knowledge base article, click on the Help Icon again in the upper right corner of the page. From the support options in the drop down menu, select Chat. 

Step 7 A support form will display in the bottom right corner of the page. Please type in your Name, Email, Phone, and what state you are in. Select the Start Chat button below the form to connect to support.

• Note: Current support hours are Sunday-Saturday 7:00 AM-11:00 PM CT.
• To close the chat form, select the large X below the form.

Step 8 If additional support is needed or an issue arises requiring you to submit a ticket, in the top right corner, click the Help Icon then Open Support Ticket.  The requestor field will have your Gate Access email address.  You will need complete the Subject and Description.  In the description, please provide a short, but detailed description with the issue.  Once complete, click Submit.  

Step 9  Once submitted a confirmation will appear on the screen.  You will also receive an email confirmation of the support ticket.  A support agent will respond to you via email in a timely manner.  

 How to Update Your Profile

This article will explain how to update your profile upon logging into Gate Access for the first time. 

Please make sure you are using one of the following, supported browsers:

• Google Chrome 
• Microsoft Edge

Step 1 After logging in, you will be on the My Ministry landing page. To update your profile, Select the User icon in the upper right corner of the page. From the drop down menu, select My Profile.

Step 2  In the My Profile Landing Page, Under the Personal tab you can add or update your Profile Photo (Avatar), Personal Info, Contact Info, Emergency Contacts and Language Fluency.

Step 3 To receive notifications from Gate Access via Text Message (SMS), click the box next to Receive Texts,  enter your Mobile Phone and select your Service Provider from the dropdown menu. 

Step 4 After updating your profile, click Save.

Step 5 Click the Theocratic tab to view your Congregation, Circuit, Region, Zone, Date of Baptism, and the position you are Currently Serving As in your congregation entered from your application.

• Note:  If any changes are needed, communicate these to your Facility Contact.

My Ministry Module  – Inmates Tab

Overview: This article is intended to provide a series of steps on how to utilize the Inmates Tab. The Inmates Tab will allow a volunteer to add and access correspondence and notes for an assigned inmate.

Step 1 From the Navigation Panel, select My Ministry.

Step 2 Click the Inmates Tab to see the list of inmates assigned to you.   The assignment can be to visit in person or correspond with the interested inmate.  The Inmates Tab landing page displays the Inmate Name, Facility in which they are located, the assigned In-Person Volunteer, and Correspondence Volunteer. 

• Note: 
  1. If the Inmates Tab does not display an inmate assigned to you or an inmate needs to be removed, please contact your Facility Contact. 
  2. If the Inmate has an incorrect facility listed because of being transferred or released, please contact your Facility Contact.

Step 3 To view the Inmate Profile, click on the appropriate record Row or the Chevron (right arrow) on the far right of the row. You can also use the Search Icon to search for a specific Inmate Name to select.  

• Note: Please note the following;
  1. Inmates that display here are those assigned to you. 
  2. You may sort by Inmate Name or Facility by clicking on the Arrow.  

Step 4 Inmate Details provides the Inmate ID Number, Inmate Location (Facility’s Physical Location), Facility Mailing (Facility’s Mailing Address) and Return Address (Congregation Mailing Address).  

Request Inmate Assignment(s) 

Only one (1) Request can be submitted at a time. Once a request has been fulfilled, additional requests may be submitted. You will receive an e-mail notification if inmates are assigned. Requests are sent to the Facility Contact or Zone Contact through e-mail notification.

Step 1 From the Navigation Panel, select My Ministry.

Step 2  From the My Ministry, click the Inmates Tab then click on the Request button.

• Note:  The Request Inmates drawer will open to the right of the page.

Step 3  To indicate the type of request you are seeking, select the radio button next to Ministry Type: In-Person, Correspondence, or Initial Contact (ICLW).

• When selecting the In-Person Ministry Type, select the number of In-Person inmates you are requesting from the Amount dropdown menu, then choose the facility(s) from the Facility Preference list. You may select multiple Facilities from the list. When finished, click on the Submit button. 

1. Note: A volunteer should make requests based on his/her availability. A new volunteer might consider a request of 1 or 2 inmates with the option of increasing the number of requests based upon availability. 

• When selecting the Correspondence Ministry Type, select the number of Correspondence Inmates you are requesting from the Amount dropdown menu, then choose the facility(s) from the Facility Preference list. You may select multiple Facilities from the list. When finished, click on the Submit button.

• When selecting the Initial Contact Ministry Type, select the number of initial contact letters that you would like to write from the Amount dropdown menu, and click on the Submit button.

Delete an Inmate Assignment Request

Once your request has been submitted, your request will show in the Request Inmates drawer. 

Step 1 From the Navigation Panel, select My Ministry.

Step 2  From My Ministry, click the Inmates Tab then click on the Request button.

• Note:  The Request Inmates drawer will open at the right of the page.

Step 3  Click on the Delete Icon. 

• Note:  A warning message will appear to confirm the request to delete. Select the Delete button to confirm. 

Inmate Correspondence

Step 1 Inmate Correspondence holds all written or electronic correspondence sent or received. 

• The Date column indicates when the correspondence was sent or received.  
• The From column indicates who wrote the piece of correspondence.  
• The Status column indicates whether correspondence is received or sent, read or unread.  
• Note: Unread Icon (closed envelope) indicates the correspondence from the Inmate has not been read. Read Icon (opened envelope) indicates the correspondence from the Inmate has been read. Sent Icon (paper plane) indicates correspondence has been sent. 

Step 2 To search correspondence for a specific month, click the Filter Icon to filter the list of correspondence displayed. Then, use the Calendar Icon to select the Year and Month.  

• Note: Click Clear Filter to remove the filter.

Step 3 To add new correspondence to Inmate Correspondence, click the Add Icon.  

• Note: The Add Correspondence Drawer will open at the right side of the page. 
  1. You can click Download Template to use as letterhead for your correspondence. This is a Microsoft Word document and is available in English.

Step 4 To upload a Document, in the Format dropdown menu, select Document. Update the Date field as needed. 

• Check the Bible Study box if correspondence to the inmate is applicable as part of the Bible study.
• Select whether the correspondence was Sent by volunteer or Received from inmate.
• Use Drag and Drop or Browse Files to attach the file.
  1. Only PDF files less than 5MB in size can be attached.

Step 5 Click Save. 

Step 6 For Digital Correspondence, select Digital from the Format dropdown menu. Update the Date field, as needed.  Check the Bible Study box if correspondence to the inmate is applicable as part of the Bible study.

Step 7 Select either Sent by volunteer or Received from inmate. Enter the Digital Correspondence details. 

Step 8 Click Save.

• Note: If an Inmate that is assigned to you is no longer responding or has moved to another facility, please contact your Facility Contact. 

View, Edit or Delete Inmate Correspondence Sent to an Inmate

Step 1 To View, Edit or Delete an uploaded correspondence, click on the Ellipsis to the right of the specific row and select either View, Edit or Delete.

• Note: 
  1. View will open the uploaded PDF to review. 
  2. Edit and Delete will open the Edit Correspondence drawer.

Step 2 To Edit, make the necessary adjustments in the Edit Correspondence drawer.  Once complete, click Save.

• Note: Delete will remove the record. 

Inmate Notes

Step 1 Inmate Notes contains notes entered by Volunteers assigned to the Inmate. Click on the Filter Icon to view notes for a specific month.   

• Note: Inmate Notes from Volunteers assigned to conduct a Bible Study with the Inmate, will display as Study. 

Step 2 To add an Inmate Note, click the Add Icon. 

• Note:  The Add Inmate Note drawer will open at the right side of the page.

Step 3 Enter the Date of the Note by selecting the Calendar Icon or entering the date in YYYY-MM-DD format.  Click the Bible Study box to indicate a note pertaining to the Bible study arrangement.   Enter any relevant Note details.  Click Save when finished. 

Step 4 To Edit or Delete, click on the Ellipsis to the right of the specific row and select either Edit or Delete.

• Note: Edit and Delete will open the Edit Inmate Note drawer.

Step 5  To Edit, make the necessary adjustments, click Save.

• Note: Delete will remove the record.

My Ministry Module – Activity Tab 

Note: All activity specific to your prison ministry is to be recorded on a monthly basis through Gate Access.  

Step 1 From the Navigation Panel, select My Ministry.

Step 2  Select the Activity Tab.

Step 3 The Activity Tab displays Current Service Year Activity card, Current Service Year Ministry Totals card, and Current Service Year Program Totals card. 

• Note: The Service Year Activity defaults to the Current Service Year, however, the previous two years can be viewed by using the left Chevron. 

Step 4 The Current Service Year Activity card will show the Month, Placements, Video Showings, In-Person Hours, Correspondence Hours, Meeting Hours, Return Visits, Bible Studies, Correspondence Sent and Received, ICLW Sent and Received, Training Hours, etc.   

• Note: 
  1. The Current Service Year Activity card will display the areas (columns) relevant to your particular assignment(s) at your assigned facility(ies). 
  2. The Sticky Note Icon identifies a comment added to the month’s activity. 

Step 5  The Current Service Year Ministry Totals card will show activity totals for the current Service Year only.

Step 6  To add or edit an Activity, click the row for the appropriate month to open the Edit Activity drawer.  

• Note: The activity for a specific month can only be recorded after the 1^st of the following month.  (e.g.   September activity can be entered on or after October 1)

Step 7 Add or edit all pertinent information in the Edit Activity drawer. 

Step 8 Click Save.

Last Updated:  June 10, 2023