Tech Forum

Hi all,
A counselor in our bishopric was comparing his LDS Tools app to that of the stake clerk. The stake clerk could do more tricks than an organ grinder's monkey, upload pics, change data, etc. The bishopric counselor could do none of that. I would think bishopric counselors would have elevated permissions in LDS Tools. Is there a definitive list somewhere of positions and related permissions in LDS Tools?

in the leader.lds.org website under the Other section there is an Access Table - this table will show by calling the detailed access.

If I had to speculate, and that is all there is in regard here, the Clerks have been given responsiblity for Technology in the Stakes (particularly the Stake Clerk and the Stake Asst. Clerk - Technology Specialist). A Bishopric member has different responsibilities that a clerk can't perform.

hansg wrote:Hi all,
A counselor in our bishopric was comparing his LDS Tools app to that of the stake clerk. The stake clerk could do more tricks than an organ grinder's monkey, upload pics, change data, etc. The bishopric counselor could do none of that. I would think bishopric counselors would have elevated permissions in LDS Tools. Is there a definitive list somewhere of positions and related permissions in LDS Tools?

Note that the feature set for the iPhone version and Android version of LDS Tools is currently different. The iPhone version has more features than the released Android version. If the counselor was using Android and the Stake Clerk was using iPhone it could explain some of the differences.

Note that the feature set for the iPhone version and Android version of LDS Tools is currently different. The iPhone version has more features than the released Android version. If the counselor was using Android and the Stake Clerk was using iPhone it could explain some of the differences.

I did not realize that. I think that's it. The counselor is using a Motorola phone and I'm pretty sure the clerk is using an iphone. That seems bizzare to me that the android version would have reduced functionality. Does anyone known the reason why?

hansg wrote:That seems bizzare to me that the android version would have reduced functionality. Does anyone known the reason why?

They are developed by two different volunteer groups, and the iOS folks got started first. There is a concerted effort underway among the volunteers to match up the capabilities of the various mobile platforms. It is nothing intentional. Just a matter of time and resources to get there.

hansg wrote:I did not realize that. I think that's it. The counselor is using a Motorola phone and I'm pretty sure the clerk is using an iphone. That seems bizzare to me that the android version would have reduced functionality. Does anyone known the reason why?

Development on the iPhone version started before the Android version and is further along. I think that eventually they will be equivalent. The most recent development snapshot of the Android version has many of the leader-specific features but it hasn't been released yet.

Not unusual for a clerk to have more capabilities in administration than a bishopric member. Each calling has different responsibilities the bishopric members is not one of administration as much as a clerks is. As an assistant ward clerk I have more capabilities in MLS than the bishopric members.

How do we get bishopric councilors the same information in LDS tools that the membership clerk has?

It is not iPhone vs. Android, as the councilor has tried it on Android, iPhone and iPad. Membership clerk has an iPhone. The councilor has completely erased and reinstalled LDS Tools.

The councilor can see Birthday, phone number, MRN, and address. That's all.

The Clerk can see a section called "Leader Information" that includes ordinances, marriage, mission, prior unit and birthplace. The clerk can also see ordinance dates.

Nothing seems amiss in MLS with permissions (does that have anything to do with it?), and councilor shows up properly as a councilor in LDS tools.

Can anyone give me some help on this matter?

ranholt wrote:How do we get bishopric councilors the same information in LDS tools that the membership clerk has?

I'm not sure you can. On the Leader and Clerk Resources portion of lds.org, bishopric councilors do not have access to membership records or to the IOS. I'm not sure how that translates to permissions in LDS tools but given the restrictions in Leader resources it wouldn't be surprising if councilors couldn't access some of that information.

ranholt wrote:It is not iPhone vs. Android, as the councilor has tried it on Android, iPhone and iPad. Membership clerk has an iPhone. The councilor has completely erased and reinstalled LDS Tools.

The councilor can see Birthday, phone number, MRN, and address. That's all.

If he has access to the birth date and MRN then he has more information than a non-leader which indicates his position is correctly recorded and is recognized by LDS Tools.

ranholt wrote:The Clerk can see a section called "Leader Information" that includes ordinances, marriage, mission, prior unit and birthplace. The clerk can also see ordinance dates.

Nothing seems amiss in MLS with permissions (does that have anything to do with it?), and councilor shows up properly as a councilor in LDS tools.

MLS permissions don't affect permissions for LDS Tools or lds.org. Those permissions are determined by callings as recorded in MLS (or strictly speaking CDOL) and can't be changed individually.

ranholt wrote: Can anyone give me some help on this matter?

Although I suspect there is nothing that can be done, I don't know for certain what councilors should be able to see. Hopefully someone else can chime in on whether other bishopric councilors can see any more information.

According to Handbook 1, the only people authorized to view membership records is the Bishop and Clerk. So as a Bishopric member you are seeing everything in LDS tools or Leader and Clerk Resources you are authorized to see. What you see in LDS tools or Leader and Clerk Resources maybe different than what you can see in MLS. You maybe able to see more in MLS. If this is the case its only because you have been given the incorrect access rights in MLS.