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MLS Export Deficiencies

Posted: Tue Jul 31, 2007 8:36 am
by mbsteed
It would be useful for more information to be included in the export files from MLS. For instance, the name and membership numbers of an individual's parents is not included. This information is necessary for living ordinance recommends. If this information were included it would be quite valuable. Bishops using my companion database don't have access to this information because it is not exported. Another valuable piece of information that is not exported is the previous ward. That information is useful for temple recommends - the previous ward is important if the person has not been in the ward for a length of time and the Bishop needs to contact the previous Bishop.

Also custom categories for callings are not exported - I had to delete all those and put them into the miscellaneous category for those to be exported.

Would it be possible to include more information in the export file?

Here is a link to the companion database web site, designed for Bishops, eBulletin mail out person, and YSA FHE coordinators:

http://web.mac.com/marlo.steed/MemDbase/

MLS Export Deficiencies

Posted: Wed Aug 01, 2007 10:40 am
by SmithGW
Having information in MLS on the stake or ward computer in a somewhat secure environment is quite different than having it on a PDA or other device where it may be manipulated and shared. There are legal and privacy issues that must be considered. We are currently including the downloadable information that Church policy and legal advice tells us we safely can.

Posted: Thu Aug 02, 2007 5:12 pm
by Mr. M-p40
If it's a concern? Why is the Palm format an export option.

Ordinance performed by

Posted: Fri Aug 31, 2007 11:24 pm
by fraserredmond
Another example field that would be useful to have exported (and low-risk from legal/privacy point of view) is the person who performed the ordinance (particularly baptism, confirmation, ordinations).

Our stake recently asked us to fill in this information for our members, and on looking in MLS it looks like only 10% still have this information intact. I've made a spreadsheet of all the other info (including the ordinance date) but the only way to know who we need to update is to go through person by person in MLS and mark it manually on the spreadsheet/printout. It doesn't appear in custom reports either :(