As Program Coordinator, Group Loops let participants connect, ask questions, and share insights with multiple people in a single Loop. This article covers how to create and manage Group Loops, including the different Loop types available to you.

For ideas on how to get the most out of Group Loops in your program, see: When and why should I use Group Loops?

What are the different Group Loop types?

There are three Group Loop types: Public, Private, and Hidden.

Once in a group loop, participants will be able to see each other's profiles regardless of the group type. 

How do I create a Group Loop?

1. Go to the Loops page via the navigation bar on the left.
2. Create a Group Loop. Include the Name, Description, and type of Group Loop.
3. Enable or disable the Mentoring Quality Score survey for participants in the Group Loop.
   

4. Select the participants you want to add from the list, or use filters to narrow by criteria, then select Add to Group Loop.

   To preview a participant's profile, click their profile picture to open their summary card.

5. Review your Group Loop details. You can also enable or disable the notification that informs participants they have been added.
6. Program Coordinators can join any Group Loop they create. Select Join to access the Group Loop chat on the left-hand side and open it from the Loops page at any time.
   

Can I save a Group Loop as a draft before launching it?

Yes. You can create a Group Loop in draft status, adding members and uploading resources, and only launch it when you're ready. Participants are not notified until you activate the Loop.

1. Follow the steps to create a Group Loop as normal.
2. Save the Loop as a draft. The Loop will be visible to you on the Loops page but will not be accessible to participants.
3. When you're ready to launch, activate the draft Group Loop. Participants will be notified and the Loop will open for chat.

Draft Group Loops are visible to Program Coordinators on the Loops page but are not accessible to participants until activated.

Can I share files in a Group Loop without notifying participants?

Yes. When uploading a file in any Loop, you can choose whether to share it in the chat (with a notification) or add it silently. This is useful for pre-loading resources before participants start engaging.

When uploading a file, toggle Share in chat and notify? to No to add the file without creating a chat message or triggering participant notifications. The default is Yes, the file appears in chat and participants are notified as usual.

Silent file sharing works in both Group Loops and 1:1 Loops.

How do I add more participants to a Group Loop?

1. Go to the Participants page and find the participants you want to add.
2. Select the participants and click the Add to Group Loop icon.
3. Choose which Group Loop and follow the prompts.

How do I remove participants from a Group Loop?

1. Go to the Loops page and find the Group Loop you want to edit.
2. Select Edit members and remove participants from the right-hand side.
3. Save your changes using the button in the bottom right.

If you remove a mentor or mentee from the Participants page, they are automatically removed from any Group Loops they belong to. The same applies when you re-add a participant.

How do Group Loop notifications work?

Group Loop participants receive in-app notifications when logged in to Mentorloop. If a participant is not logged in, a notification is sent via email.

Participants can adjust their Group Loop notifications from within the Loop, this is separate from the general email notification settings available in their account settings.

Can participants see each other's profiles in a Group Loop?

Yes. Participants who have been added to or joined a Group Loop can view each other's profiles by clicking the Group Loop name or selecting View group members.

Can participants create Group Loops?

No. Mentors and mentees cannot create Group Loops, but they can join public Group Loops.

How do I tag a Group Loop?

Tagging a Loop keeps your group of mentors and mentees together as a collective, so you can filter and report on them as a group elsewhere in the app, for example, in the dashboard report or the Participants tab to perform a bulk action like "make unavailable".

1. Go to the Loops page.
2. Update the filter to Loop Type: Group Loop.
3. Select the Group Loop(s) you want to tag.
4. Select Tag Loop.
5. Create a tag and apply.

Why tag a Loop instead of individuals? If you select Tag Participants instead, each person is tagged individually, meaning they lose their association with each other and can't be filtered as a group elsewhere in the app. Tagging the Loop is the right choice when the relationship between participants matters, not just the individuals themselves.

Why use Group Loops in your mentoring program?

We recommend defining a clear vision before creating a Group Loop, the why, the who, and the what, so participants share a sense of purpose from day one. Group Loops can be a game-changer for your mentoring program.