MLS a Web-app? (Over crowded Clerk's Office)

[JamesAnderson]

In about 1980 there was a Church News article about some of the 'standard plan' buildings that were then being built or about to, the general idea still exists today generally, but it is a specific thing found in at least one of the three shown in the article that was interesting regarding clerk's offices that I was reminded of by this thread.

The plans were called 'Aspen', 'Sage', and 'Code'. Aspen plan buildings, often called 'phase 1 or phase 2 depending on whether the cultural hall end was built or not, if it wasn't the chapel doubled as a cultural hall, often the stand was curtained off during activities.

A phase 3 building was a typical ward house, that was the 'Sage' plan, and the 'Cody' or phase 4, was the stake center plan.

What applies to this thread is that in the Sage and Cody plans, the clerks office was only one to a building, not one with each bishops office. The four rooms used for bishops offices were grouped together I think in one corner, and the one clerk's office served all four bishops.

I have not had a chance to look through the Deseret News archive online which would have the old Church News articles from that time, but it showed a floor plan with the scenario given for the clerk's office.

[lajackson]

. . . the clerks office was only one to a building, not one with each bishops office.

We have a small ward building right now that houses three wards, a branch, and the stake. The stake, the branch, and a ward share one clerks office. The two other wards share the other clerks office. There is one administrative computer in each clerks office.

[ggllbb]

Maybe what I need is someone from a ward/branch that doesn't even have a Clerk's Office to respond to this thread and remind me how lucky we are to have a nice little office to work in and to be thankful instead of complaining.

You got it.... be thankful. We don't have a 'clerks office'. We are lucky to have an 'Office', and a very small one at that. Gets interesting when the branch president has a bunch of interviews to do and we have a pile of donations to process.

But hey, it's all good. I love the branch. And I am thankful we have a building with an office (only 2 classrooms so you can guess the office gets a lot of use).

[phxdwl-p40]

I think this discussion may have gotten away from what I thought was the original topic of a web based access to MLS, the response by RussellHltn with the links was helpful and I am glad to see it is being developed. Yes we should be thankful for what we have, I am thankful not to have to do home teaching on the old doss system or with paper. But see two points that are important that are being over looked time with family and timely information. I am lucky that my church building is less than 2 minutes away from my house. But I do have family back east that travel over an hour to get the church building. I would have a hard time justifying traveling two hours to the building to enter information during the week. That is two hours I could spend with family or visiting members of my ward. With a web app or something like it time that would be spent traveling could be spent in other ways helping families and ward members. And second timely information, my ward leadership all have smart phones and are able to pull up ward information instantly, if a ward member has a problem we can see who is the home teacher and visiting teacher, also when they were list visited. Additionally I think home teaching information would get updated more often than once a month giving a better feel to the EQ president and the bishopric for how the ward is doing.

[atom88-p40]

I agree that one computer just isn't enough for most wards. I have lived in wards of 300 - 350 active people (700-750 on the records). And one computer per 700 people or per 300 seems minimal.

A web app would save time and money for the church and it's members. If some of the most private and sacred work is being done online (temple work) and even online banking for many years (in the commerical industry), why can't the church put up a simple MLS web app?

Already members can view, download and print the ward and stake directories and calling lists. The church just needs to start updating their existing "ward website" application.

Making the callings in sync between MLS and the website for instance seems to be the FIRST thing that is sorely lacking.

[williamjackson]

A web app would save time and money for the church and it's members. If some of the most private and sacred work is being done online (temple work) and even online banking for many years (in the commerical industry), why can't the church put up a simple MLS web app?

...

Making the callings in sync between MLS and the website for instance seems to be the FIRST thing that is sorely lacking.

They are working on it. Right now we can only view membership records and reports at http://new.lds.org/leader

MLS callings sync to the new directory right now: https://new.lds.org/directory/

[atom88-p40]

I am the ward website administrator and also assistant ward clerk in my ward.

Yet when I go to the new.lds.org leader website it says "access denied" How do I get admin access to this? I have admin access on the old lds.org ward website?

Thanks,

-- Adam

[jbh001]

I am the ward website administrator and also assistant ward clerk in my ward.

Yet when I go to the new.lds.org leader website it says "access denied" How do I get admin access to this? I have admin access on the old lds.org ward website?

Access to the website is based on your calling listed in MLS. You need to have a standard calling in MLS that has administrative rights. Examples of this include, stake president, stake clerk, bishop, ward clerk. Ward Website Administrator is not a calling that would allow access to those leadership areas of the new website.

[eblood66]

I am the ward website administrator and also assistant ward clerk in my ward.

Yet when I go to the new.lds.org leader website it says "access denied" How do I get admin access to this? I have admin access on the old lds.org ward website?

Thanks,

-- Adam

Access to the new web sites is determined by your callings as listed in MLS. Being website administrator on the old web site doesn't provide access on the new one.

The Website Administrator calling in MLS does not provide access to new.lds.org/leader. However, if you are listed as Ward Assistant Clerk or Ward Assistant Clerk--Membership in MLS you should have access. If you are the finance clerk you'll have to wait a while still because they haven't enabled access for finance clerks yet.

If you're not the finance clerk and you don't have access then you need to make sure you're listed in MLS using the correct standardized position. You'll also want to check (or have your ward clerk check) in CDOL to make sure you're listed there with a standard position.

[jonesrk]

I am the ward website administrator and also assistant ward clerk in my ward.

Yet when I go to the new.lds.org leader website it says "access denied" How do I get admin access to this? I have admin access on the old lds.org ward website?

Thanks,

-- Adam

From what I see you are listed as the 'website administrator' (standard calling) and as 'Executive Secretary (Assistant)' (custom calling).

The website administrator calling will give you admin rights in the new calendar.