Requesting and Managing Background Checks through CERVIS

To manage and order background checks through CERVIS, you must first enable background check integration by following the instructions HERE. Once you have set up the integration in your console, you will be able to access the main menu to manage background checks by selecting the “View / Manage Volunteer Background Checks” option under the “Volunteer Management” heading on the Main Dashboard.

Submitting a Background Check:

You can order varying levels of background checks for volunteers from within this menu. To submit a Background Check for a volunteer, follow the steps below: 

1. In the "Submit Background Check For" name lookup at the top of the page, search for and select the volunteer for whom you would like to order a background check.
• If the volunteer doesn't already have a profile with you, you can quickly create one by clicking on the Add Volunteer Profile button to the right of the field (). 
2. In the "Background Check Type" selection box, select the type of Background Check you want to perform. 
• There are four standard types of background checks available, and you can also order a custom check after configuring it through your Backgrounds Online portal. For more information about the types of background checks available, review the service information for Backgrounds Online HERE.
3. Click the Submit Background Check button.

After submitting a background check, an email is sent directly to the volunteer with a link to complete the background check form online. The content of this message can be edited in your System Configuration under the “Email Message Content” section. The link that is included in the email will be available for the volunteer for 30 days, after which it will expire. Once the volunteer completes the form, they will receive a pop-up notification that they have completed their submission as well as a general turn-around time for the results. 

Managing Submitted Background Checks:

You can see all of the pending and previously run background checks on the Background Check Management screen. The status of the background check will initially be “Pending Applicant” until the volunteer follows the prompt in the Background Check Email Message. CERVIS will automatically sync with Backgrounds Online once per day to update the status, but you can also select to manually initiate a status check whenever you would like by selecting the checkbox next to a specific request and clicking the “Check Status” button. After a background check is completed by Backgrounds Online it will either be marked as “Clear” if nothing has been found, or “Review” if something has been found that should be reviewed manually. In either case, to review a background check you can select the checkbox next to the request and click “View Report.” This will prompt a download of the PDF version of the report. You can also resend the Background Check application email to a volunteer or cancel an order by clicking the respective buttons.

Finalizing a Background Check:

After reviewing a report, or for background checks marked as “Clear,” you can finalize a background check by clicking the checkbox next to it and selecting the “Passed” or “Failed” button. This will update the background check status and date field in the volunteer’s account, as well as store a note on their profile indicating the staff member who performed the action. Background checks can be used as criteria for searches and for restrictions on events.