Tech Forum

All membership data, including contact information, is maintained in the CMIS (Church Membership Information System) database. Calling and unit information for LDS.org applications is provided by CDOL (Church Directory of Organizations and Leaders). Any changes that are made online that back-flow to MLS are synchronizations between the Church databases and MLS.

I am looking for an accurate and descriptive diagram, model, or graphic organizer that teaches a basic understanding of how data moves from CMIS, MLS, CDOL, & LDS.ORG. (please include others if I have missed something) I am doing a training in the coming weeks and would appreciate any help in how, why, what, who etc. of the back and forth flow to these data bases/servers. I feel like that if our presidencies could understand the concepts of this process their vision of what you guys are working for would be greatly increased. I really could not decide where to put this post. the ideas on the previous post may need updating. Please help me if you think this post needs to be elsewhere Thank you,
Thayne Larsen

Admin note: I've split this new topic off and moved it to a more appropriate section. There are many sections that could cover this, but "calendar" didn't quite cut it.

I've never seen a diagram, but I think it goes something like this:

• MLS syncs membership information to CMIS.
• MLS syncs calling information to CDOL (This might not be completely accurate. I'm not sure how Stake MIS and Ward MIS communicates. But this should work as a simplification.)
• MLS (at least in the US) syncs financial information to CUBS
• LDS.org (the directory) pulls it's information from CMIS and CDOL.
• Likewise, I believe the leadership portal also talks to CMIS and CDOL.

russellhltn wrote:MLS syncs calling information to CDOL (This might not be completely accurate. I'm not sure how Stake MIS and Ward MIS communicates. But this should work as a simplification.)

That's a bit too simple. It's essential to note that MLS also syncs calling information from CDOL. This is the only way certain information comes to MLS (since it starts in CDOL, such as a stake president), and lots of other information flows this way (such as a unit data refresh, or some callings that might have started with a LUCR or a Patriarch Recommendation form, or callings transmitted from ward to stake or from stake to ward).

russellhltn wrote:MLS (at least in the US) syncs financial information to CUBS

And again, don't forget the very important flow from CUBS to MLS.

Finally, note that there are other databases that are important pieces of the puzzle. There's a database that hold the photos and other extra information about members that is not in CMIS itself, and there's FMAT that holds data about buildings that gets used in Calendar and Maps.

aebrown wrote:Finally, note that there are other databases that are important pieces of the puzzle. There's a database that hold the photos and other extra information about members that is not in CMIS itself, and there's FMAT that holds data about buildings that gets used in Calendar and Maps.

There's also a database that holds LDS Account information which also has a copy of standard callings from CDOL. But those callings only get copied from CDOL periodically (it used to be once a day but it seems like Ryan Jones said it may be more frequently now).

Ane there's the Calendar database that holds calendar events, individual calendar subscriptions and individual notification preferences. Some of these (subscriptions and notifications) only get updated (after a member moving to a new unit) when the user logs in and uses the calendar after the move.

aebrown wrote:

russellhltn wrote:MLS syncs calling information to CDOL (This might not be completely accurate. I'm not sure how Stake MIS and Ward MIS communicates. But this should work as a simplification.)

That's a bit too simple. It's essential to note that MLS also syncs calling information from CDOL.

russellhltn wrote:MLS (at least in the US) syncs financial information to CUBS

And again, don't forget the very important flow from CUBS to MLS.

Sorry, to me, "sync" implies a two-way process. But I did not explicitly say that.

aebrown wrote:

russellhltn wrote:MLS syncs calling information to CDOL (This might not be completely accurate. I'm not sure how Stake MIS and Ward MIS communicates. But this should work as a simplification.)

That's a bit too simple. It's essential to note that MLS also syncs calling information from CDOL. This is the only way certain information comes to MLS (since it starts in CDOL, such as a stake president), and lots of other information flows this way (such as a unit data refresh, or some callings that might have started with a LUCR or a Patriarch Recommendation form, or callings transmitted from ward to stake or from stake to ward).

Stake presidents can also be initiated from the Local Unit Change Request within MLS.

There is some data that the Stake and Ward MLS send 'directly' to each other. As far as the callings, when CDOL receives callings from a Ward it sends them to the Stake, and when it receives them from the Stake it sends them to all the Wards

aebrown wrote:

russellhltn wrote:MLS (at least in the US) syncs financial information to CUBS

And again, don't forget the very important flow from CUBS to MLS.

Finally, note that there are other databases that are important pieces of the puzzle. There's a database that hold the photos and other extra information about members that is not in CMIS itself, and there's FMAT that holds data about buildings that gets used in Calendar and Maps.

And others, including Missionary info for the Directory.

The attachment is my creation of a simple diagram of the flow of data to and from the church data bases/servers to lds.org and MLS. I realize that this could be an over simplification. My audience is my ward leaders with counselors and secretaries. I felt like we need not get to specific, only general concepts to teach them a basis of how it all works etc. I am interested in a critique of my representation. do you think that it is ok in its message? I just do not want to teach any gross errors. Only a simple explanation of how it can work and why it is important to keep data up to date and current.

All membership data, including contact information, is maintained in the CMIS (Church Membership Information System) database. Calling and unit information for LDS.org applications is provided by CDOL (Church Directory of Organizations and Leaders). Any changes that are made online that back-flow to MLS are synchronizations between the Church databases and MLS.