Tech Forum

I am new to MLS (just called as the Ward Clerk). I know I can export membership data to .csv files that I can later import into Excel etc., but I would like to know if it is possible to use the "Print to a file" feature for any of the canned MLS reports the same way? What other programs (besides MLS itself) can read files with that file extension? For instance, I created an organizational chart for the entire ward and I want to be able to print the Members with calling (or without) and import those lists into Excel to make sure I have everyone slotted. The only way I can figure out to do that today is to scan in a printed list and use OCR software to convert the printed text to Word and then copy and paste it into Excel.

I believe as it stands there is no direct access into MLS, so you have to export the csv and then import it into excel (spreadsheet) or access (database) and then create queries to get the information you want and then you can create a report that displays it as you want.

Bfolker wrote:I am new to MLS (just called as the Ward Clerk). I know I can export membership data to .csv files that I can later import into Excel etc., but I would like to know if it is possible to use the "Print to a file" feature for any of the canned MLS reports the same way? What other programs (besides MLS itself) can read files with that file extension? For instance, I created an organizational chart for the entire ward and I want to be able to print the Members with calling (or without) and import those lists into Excel to make sure I have everyone slotted. The only way I can figure out to do that today is to scan in a printed list and use OCR software to convert the printed text to Word and then copy and paste it into Excel.

In any of the MLS reports (canned and custom), if you click in the body of the report and do a control-shift-c, MLS places a delimited copy of the report data into the Windows clipboard. You can then paste the data directly into your spreadsheet.

danpass wrote:In any of the MLS reports (canned and custom), if you click in the body of the report and do a control-shift-c, MLS places a delimited copy of the report data into the Windows clipboard. You can then paste the data directly into your spreadsheet.

This is one of the great mysteries of MLS that is worth its weight in gold. All stake clerks and computer specialists should spread this word to all ward clerks and assistant clerks. I learned about this by calling SLC and complaining that I couldn't export any list, and they told me about the CNTL-SHIFT-C combination. I use it all the time.

Jerry