Tech Forum

We use google docs at the stake level (stake presidency) and ward level (bishoprics) to make agendas, record meeting minutes, record assignments, callings, and a whole bunch of things.

This has made it easier to collaborate and coordinate (we aren't emailing documents around anymore).

What is the Church policy on this? Is the security in google docs considered the same as emailing documents around? (I actually think it is more secure... google docs is https and everything is stored on their server... if I send a .docx file with meeting minutes to 7 people it passes through many more servers and has a higher chance of passing unencrypted).

Thank you~!

Oh, I just found this post: http://tech.lds.org/forum/viewtopic.php ... 393c3af184

Part of the background is our Stake President wanted to go paperless for stake presidency meetings. In doing so we all look at a live document during meetings and update it (preparing the agenda for stake conference or updating a spreadsheet with calling information).

Anyhow, after seeing that other thread I'm going to go through our google docs and see about purging temple recommend information, birth dates, and other confidential items.

Thanks~!

Nathan..good question. We use(d was just released) google docs as well. Having just been released from a second calling that used and managed the collaborative efforts in google drive, it became apparent that google drive becomes a little less awesome when it comes time to transfer sharing privileges. Non-google formats cannot have ownership transferred and someone has to stay up on what is shared and with whom, it can become a real mess. We addressed this to a certain point by creating a google account just for the clerk position and that account owns most documents, but what if the next clerk or bishop doesn't want to use it?...

I propose (This is to the Forum moderators) that the church rolls out its own cloud as an alternative to these other formats. Have the folders and sharing system tie to the callings' positions (and only to callings positions, orphaned files could be defaulted back to the clerk) for seamless transition. LDS Tools would be able to open the docs and edit according to share privileges. Some other formats would be allowed (.PDF, etc,). The church could set its own policies regarding use, sharing and content.

BensMeister wrote:I propose (This is to the Forum moderators) that the church rolls out its own cloud as an alternative to these other formats.

You greatly overestimate our influence. We're more like janitors keeping things tidy and keeping people in line.

While we do have some developers visit, they just build what they're told to build. The idea has to come down from above - probably from the Priesthood department. The only way I know how to get a suggestion to them is to use "Feedback" on the main lds.org site, or ask the Stake President to talk to the Area Authority about it.

I do like the idea, and it certainly addresses a need, but I don't know what it would take to make it happen.