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Online MLS?!

Posted: Fri Jun 04, 2010 9:00 am
by sebastianfranz
Hi,

sorry that I didn't have the time to look for this somewhere in the forum so I don't know if anybody has mentioned this already ...

I was wondering if there is any way to develop a MLS version that people can logg in to online. Because here in my ward we have the problem that the church building is quite far away from my home and on Sundays the one computer that we have is always busy being used by either the financial secretary or ward clerk.

So it would be a huge help if there would be a way for me to logg in the system from home so I can do the things on there that I have to.

Thanks for your answers!

Posted: Fri Jun 04, 2010 9:27 am
by jonesrk
That work has begun. If you login at the new beta site, under the tools menu you will see some parts of MLS being developed there.

Posted: Fri Jun 04, 2010 11:54 am
by jdlessley
While the beta sites are the first step in getting MLS information online there is still a significant amount of work that has to be done to permit clerks and auxiliary presidencies to work at home. For now certain tasks still require sitting down at the computer with MLS. But as Ryan Jones has said the first modules are in the works.

Posted: Sun Jun 06, 2010 10:56 am
by sebastianfranz
that sounds great!! thank you for your answers!!

i am looking forward to see everything develop and hope that some day i will be able to enter all the home teaching stuff etc. from home. :)

thanks again!

Access to New Church Apps

Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2010 7:55 am
by natedavis
Maybe I just don't know how to search, but I have searched best I can on the Wiki...

Is there posted anywhere on the wiki or forum the access levels for the tools on the new beta site?

I am the Stake Technology Specialist, as well as the Stake Membership Clerk. I am setup proper in MLS, and am listed proper in the CDOL, yet I don't have access to the new tools. Our Stake Clerk has access, and they show up for him. Are Assistant Stake Clerks excluded from those tools?

Just would like a list so that I know what access I should expect, and make sure it is not some bug somewhere. My tools when I login on beta.lds.org, are just the standard set. I don't have the CDOL listed, and yet, when I goto cdol.lds.org I can login just fine.

Thanks!

Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2010 9:50 am
by eblood66
NateDavis wrote:Maybe I just don't know how to search, but I have searched best I can on the Wiki...

Is there posted anywhere on the wiki or forum the access levels for the tools on the new beta site?

I am the Stake Technology Specialist, as well as the Stake Membership Clerk. I am setup proper in MLS, and am listed proper in the CDOL, yet I don't have access to the new tools. Our Stake Clerk has access, and they show up for him. Are Assistant Stake Clerks excluded from those tools?

Just would like a list so that I know what access I should expect, and make sure it is not some bug somewhere. My tools when I login on beta.lds.org, are just the standard set. I don't have the CDOL listed, and yet, when I goto cdol.lds.org I can login just fine.

Thanks!
No list has been published yet. However, from various posts from users on the forums it's pretty clear that only Stake Presidents, Stake Clerks, Bishops and Ward Clerks have access to the Leadership tools currently. I'm not sure about other members of the Stake Presidency. I haven't seen any posts indicating one way or another.

I'm confident that eventually most of these tools will be available to assistant stake and ward clerks since some of the unimplemented tools really make sense most for assistant clerks.

I do have a theory about why assistant clerks don't have access right now but it's just a guess. The tools include a confidential forms module. This module seems to support an electronic workflow for reporting church discipline. It makes sense that this module is only available to the current set of allowed users. I expect that assistant clerks will need a view of the tools without that module enabled. My guess is that that view has not been created yet and that's why the tools are currently restricted like they are.

executive secretary has access to some leadership tools also

Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2010 10:36 am
by kisaac
sebastianfranz wrote: I was wondering if there is any way to develop a MLS version that people can logg in to online.
The beta online directory (accesed under www.beta.lds.org) is now fully functional, and a big help to us already from home for every member of your ward. So is the new ward calendar tool. Ward clerks and bishops can do much more already from home via internet, including the action and interview lists, recommend tasks, new member and new move-in reports, etc. I assume at some point organization leaders will be able to do their own printing of roles, class lists, home teaching rosters, from home, and this will lighten the ward clerks job.
eblood66 wrote:from various posts from users on the forums it's pretty clear that only Stake Presidents, Stake Clerks, Bishops and Ward Clerks have access to the Leadership tools currently.
I think you must now add "ward executive secretary" to the list of those who can access the "leadership" tools. I know ours can access the leader tools under the "membership" tab, including the action and interview list, temple recommends, etc., but he cannot access the "confidential" tab that is available to the bishop and ward clerk. This is great because those are the things he deals with more then myself as ward clerk.

I echo the fact that it would be nice to see a "permissions" flowchart for each tool, and what is available for each calling so we can answers the questions our ward members have about these new tools. It would make it possible for us to provide feedback and work out "permissions bugs" during the beta test phase....

(and eliminate the need for all of us to compare each others screens to see who has what neat tool)

Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2010 10:43 am
by jonesrk
kisaac wrote: I echo the fact that it would be nice to see a "permissions" flowchart for each tool, and what is available for each calling so we can answers the questions our ward members have about these new tools. It would make it possible for us to provide feedback and work out "permissions bugs" during the beta test phase....

(and eliminate the need for all of us to compare each others screens to see who has what neat tool)
I have asked that this be done for calendar, directory and mls online. I think that will be started. I am wondering what format makes sense. I think to start with they will be putting it on the wiki with the rights by application.

But I think it would be useful to have a page that for callings that lists which tools they have access to and the rights within those applications.

That would be duplication of data but I think there are times I would like to see the data each way.

Let me know if someone has a good idea of how to manage it.

Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2010 11:54 am
by russellhltn
ryan jones wrote:That would be duplication of data but I think there are times I would like to see the data each way.
What about a table with the applications along the top and a listing of the callings along the side. (I'm assuming there are more callings then apps) Each block indicates if that calling does or does not have access. (Maybe "No Access" / "view only" / "Edit")

This way you can read the chart both ways and the data is always "in sync" between the two ways of looking at it.

a table in the wiki would be good

Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2010 12:52 pm
by kisaac
kisaac wrote:
I echo the fact that it would be nice to see a "permissions" flowchart for each tool
ryan jones wrote: I think to start with they will be putting it on the wiki with the rights by application.

But I think it would be useful to have a page that for callings that lists which tools they have access to and the rights within those applications.
RussellHltn wrote:What about a table with the applications along the top and a listing of the callings along the side
I see a table as RussellHltn described as well. Eventually, I see someone in each ward council meeting handing out this table to introduce the new beta website to everyone, with a breakdown by calling giving the "special tools" and responsibilities assigned to each calling. This would need to be comprehensive, including all the sites-Meetinghouse locator, YW, YM, employment, etc.

It's becoming obvious that ward clerks must become IT techs. What if they are not in the computer generation? Is there any option to re-assign some of these tasks- say to an assistant ward clerk? For example, in the beta meetinghouse locator tool, the ward clerk verifies addresses in the ward. What if a ward bishopric chooses to re-assign that task to an assistant ward clerk- or the membership clerK?

The same for the directory. The ward clerk approves directory photo submissions. What if a ward wants to re-assign this task?