This guide shows you how to configure your support schemes in Application Manager.


Jump to:

What is configuration?

Within the admin view of Application Manager, you’ll find Configuration. This section lets you manage some of your support scheme’s core settings.


  1. Log in at admin.lightningreach.org.

  2. From the left-hand menu, select Configuration.

  3. You’ll see a list of your organisation’s support schemes.


Referral links 

Custom referral links can be added to targeted marketing campaigns to track how individuals access support and measure campaign success through reporting. These links can also be converted into QR codes for easier sharing, such as for physical material.


Referral links help organisations track engagement, whether they offer support schemes or assist clients in accessing services. This provides valuable insights into outreach effectiveness and impact.


Important: Without a referral link, users won’t be linked to your organisation, meaning their activity won’t be tracked in your reporting. Referral links are fundamental for monitoring engagement and demonstrating impact of your marketing campaigns.


To learn more, take a look at the referral links & QR codes guide.


Note: A team member, such as a marketing lead, will need to have the admin role to be able to add and update referral links. 

Editing your support scheme

When you click Edit on a support scheme, you’ll see a list of features you can enable or disable.




These settings control how applicants interact with your scheme and add extra tools for managing applications.


Below is a quick overview of each option, with links to detailed guides if you’d like to learn more.





Freeze applications

Pause or reopen applications for a scheme when needed.

→ Freezing and unfreezing applications


Allow to re-apply

Lets applicants submit another application. You can also set how many months they must wait before reapplying.

→ Allowing applicants to reapply


Quick apply: Applicants and support workers

Let applicants and/or support workers skip a full profile and apply directly to your scheme. 

→ Enabling Quick apply


Custom decision reasons

Add custom reasons for awards and approved, reviewed, or declined applications. 

→ Adding custom decision reasons


Custom stages

Create custom application stages to match your organisation’s workflow. 

→ Adding custom application stages

Freezing and unfreezing applications 

This feature allows you to temporarily stop or reopen applications for a specific support scheme.


To freeze applications:

  1. Toggle Freeze applications on.

  2. Add an optional message for applicants (e.g. “Applications are closed until January 20XX”).

  3. Click Submit to stop new applications. 


To unfreeze, and re-open new applications, toggle the option off and click Submit.


Note: Applicants can still be invited to apply while the scheme is frozen.


Example: 


How schemes with applications frozen appear on the portal:

Allowing applicants to reapply 

You can define when applicants are allowed to reapply after a previous submission.


  1. Toggle Allow to re-apply on.

  2. Set the timeframe manually or choose:

    • Re-apply immediately (0 months).

    • Re-apply in a year (12 months).

  3. Add optional custom text for applicants.


Example: 

Enabling Quick apply

The Quick apply feature streamlines the application process by sending users directly to your application, bypassing the need for them to have completed a full profile.


  1. Toggle Quick apply on:
    • Applicants: A custom Quick apply link is created. Applicants who sign up or log in using this link will see the application on their dashboard. Please contact hello@lightningreach.org to receive your Quick apply link.
    • Support workers: Any support worker, regardless of organisation, will see the support scheme in the Quick apply section of their client’s dashboard.
  2. Click Submit to save.

Adding custom decision reasons

Admins can add custom decision reasons for awards, as well as for when an application’s status is set to approved, reviewed, or declined. These custom decision reasons will appear in the Notes & activity section of an application.


To set them up:

  1. Toggle Custom decision reasons on.

  2. Choose the category where you want to add reasons (Award, Review, or Decline).

  3. Start typing your reason into the box and press Enter to add it.

  4. You can keep typing and pressing Enter to add multiple reasons.

  5. Once you’ve added everything you need, click Submit to save.


Example: 

Adding custom application stages

Custom stages let you add extra milestones in your workflow beyond the default statuses. They make it easier to track application progress day to day and can align with your internal processes.


To set them up:

  1. Toggle Custom stages on.

  2. Add a stage name in the field and press Enter.

  3. You can keep typing and pressing Enter to add multiple custom stages.

  4. Once you’ve added everything you need, click Submit to save.


Example:


How stages work:

  • Stages can be updated at any time from the dropdown in the top-right corner of the application record.

  • When changing an application to Reviewed, Inactive, or Withdrawn, you can also set the stage in the side panel. If you do this, the chosen stage will be saved alongside the new status.

  • If you don’t set the stage in the side panel, it will be automatically cleared whenever the application status changes (e.g. to Reviewed, Approved, Declined, Inactive, or Withdrawn).


1. Changing stage directly at any time in the top-right dropdown:


2. Selecting a stage when updating status to Reviewed, Inactive or Withdrawn via the side panel:


3. Stage reset after a status change:



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Need help?

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact us at hello@lightningreach.org