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Quarterly Reports

Posted: Tue Mar 15, 2011 9:04 am
by colbyj
1) Due dates: The 1st Qrtr, 2011 report is due April 15th, correct? This report covers data from Jan-March 2011, correct?
2) What attendance numbers should a unit report? An average sacrament mtg attendance for the entire quarter? Or, only the last month's attendance numbers?
3) We understand that budget allocations are based off a unit's quarterly reporting data. Is this correct?
4) What happens if a unit misses the due date for reporting? Is there a grace period? If a unit submits the data a week or so late, will it still count?

thank you

Posted: Tue Mar 15, 2011 9:29 am
by aebrown
colbyj wrote:1) Due dates: The 1st Qrtr, 2011 report is due April 15th, correct? This report covers data from Jan-March 2011, correct?
Correct.
colbyj wrote:2) What attendance numbers should a unit report? An average sacrament mtg attendance for the entire quarter? Or, only the last month's attendance numbers?
All attendance figures are based on the last month of the quarter. You can click on the blue question mark icon by any item on the quarterly report screen in MLS to see the exact definition of what is to be reported. In those definitions you will almost always see the phrase "the last month of the quarter."
colbyj wrote:3) We understand that budget allocations are based off a unit's quarterly reporting data. Is this correct?
Yes. It's based on the report submitted in the previous quarter. So the figures you will report on April 15 will cover the month of March, and will then affect the 3rd Quarter allocation, which will arrive in July.
colbyj wrote:4) What happens if a unit misses the due date for reporting? Is there a grace period? If a unit submits the data a week or so late, will it still count?

Nothing happens if you're only a week late. There is definitely a grace period, although I've never seen it documented. However, at the beginning of June, the notifications of the upcoming Q3 budget allocation will be sent out. If the Q1 Quarterly Report has not yet been submitted, then that unit's contribution to the proposed allocation will be 0. Then if the report has still not been submitted by the end of June, the actual allocation for that unit will be 0.

The stake is most likely trying to gather the reporting data from all the wards and branches (which is transmitted to stake MLS automatically from each ward's MLS) for its own reporting and analysis purposes, so you may get some "encouragement" from the stake if you are late.

Posted: Tue Mar 15, 2011 9:32 am
by colbyj
perfect, thank you very much.

Posted: Tue Mar 15, 2011 11:22 am
by davesudweeks
Also, you can update the data throughout the month. For example, if the HT numbers are missing a HT District report, you can enter what you have so you can transmit the report on time. As long as the month has not passed, you can open the current Quarterly report and Update the numbers, then re-transmit.

I don't know how this works from a budget standpoint, but there have been times when I submitted the report on time (knowing that I was missing some of the most correct information) and then updated the report before the end of the month. Once the report "locks" at the start of the next month, my updated data showed from then on.

Posted: Wed Mar 16, 2011 1:37 am
by hooson
The name can be slightly misleading if you're not familiar with the definitions. All that's "quarterly" about the report is the frequency with which it's submitted.

The data itself will only ever relate to the last month in the quarter and not the entire quarter (except for a few one-offs like convert callings, convert priesthood ordinations etc).

Posted: Wed Mar 16, 2011 11:11 am
by davesudweeks
Correct. I have to remind the Organizational Leaders and Secretaries almost every time that their attendance data is only for the last month of the Quarter.

Posted: Fri Apr 08, 2011 11:47 pm
by jonejam2
Can anyone tell me WHY the church data is only submitted for the last month of the quarter? I have had people tell me that they should report a child in primary as active as attending primary if they attended ONE primary meeting in the quarter - which is inflating numbers and not helpful for tracking inactive/less active children, but the quarterly report clearly wants only the last month reported which is DEFLATING numbers and does not help for tracking less active / inactive children.

I need to explain to my Bishop and leadership what is really happening (not only that the Church Handbook says so, but try to help them understand the WHY of it).

Thanks
Jim Jones

Posted: Sat Apr 09, 2011 6:35 am
by aebrown
jonejam2 wrote:Can anyone tell me WHY the church data is only submitted for the last month of the quarter?

Since the Handbook does not mention a reason, we could only speculate. Clearly it is important to have standardization so that all units are using the same guidelines for reporting. It seems logical to me that what is wanted is a monthly snapshot -- a report of the activity levels for a time period of one month. But so that the burden of reporting these monthly statistics is not too great, we are only asked to submit these monthly statistics for one month per quarter; the month chosen is the last month of the quarter.
jonejam2 wrote:I have had people tell me that they should report a child in primary as active as attending primary if they attended ONE primary meeting in the quarter - which is inflating numbers and not helpful for tracking inactive/less active children, but the quarterly report clearly wants only the last month reported which is DEFLATING numbers and does not help for tracking less active / inactive children.

Using one month of statistics does not deflate the numbers. If what is wanted is a monthly statistic (and that is clearly what is requested), then counting attendance for one month is exactly correct. Doing anything else is inaccurate and inconsistent.

But in any case, the responsibility to minister to those who are less active is independent of the statistics on the Quarterly Report. Those with stewardship over other members should be vigilant in noticing when there are activity challenges as quickly as possible. Waiting for a Quarterly Report, or even a monthly report, may well delay needed ministry. The Quarterly Report contains only numbers; active ministry will require focus on individuals by name and consideration of more information than one simple fact of monthly attendance.

I would also note that any leaders may choose to maintain reports at any frequency that will be helpful; the requirement to submit a Quarterly Report does not preclude any other record keeping or reporting that will facilitate ministry to individuals.

Posted: Sat Apr 09, 2011 11:14 am
by jonejam2
I'm not sure I agree. If you have fairly high sacrament attendance for the first 2 months of a quarter then attendance drops off in the last month then you are not getting an accurate picture of that wards sacrament attendance and that correlates to a possible drop in budget doesnt it? I would think that is why some would choose to use an average of the quarter for their quarterly report. I am not a Primary President so I wouldn't pretend to understand her concerns over budget issues. But I do know that there are concerns that counting the children who attend only in the last month of a quarter might affect their budget. I'm going to scan the CHI to see if I can figure out what information is used to make budget decisions and try to alleviate concerns as they arise by having that information handy.

I agree with the frequency of reports being a leadership decision and that the MOST important use of these reports is not to obtain a budget but to ensure fellowship and help others magnify their callings.

Thanks again
Jim

Posted: Sat Apr 09, 2011 12:40 pm
by aebrown
jonejam2 wrote:I'm not sure I agree. If you have fairly high sacrament attendance for the first 2 months of a quarter then attendance drops off in the last month then you are not getting an accurate picture of that wards sacrament attendance and that correlates to a possible drop in budget doesnt it?

Yes, sacrament meeting attendance is a major component of the Budget Allowance, so if indeed attendance drops off in the last month of a quarter, the budget allowance will be less than if an average of all months were used. But then again, if attendance increases in the last month of a quarter, the budget allowance will be greater.

Unless there is a particular seasonal reason why attendance is less in the last month of a quarter, it should all even out statistically over time. In our stake, every single ward has its best attendance in December. Since that's a reporting month, my guess is that we come out slightly ahead through the procedure of using the last month of each quarter.
jonejam2 wrote: I would think that is why some would choose to use an average of the quarter for their quarterly report.

Some may wish that the Church requested an average for the quarter, but they may not choose to use an average.
jonejam2 wrote:I am not a Primary President so I wouldn't pretend to understand her concerns over budget issues. But I do know that there are concerns that counting the children who attend only in the last month of a quarter might affect their budget. I'm going to scan the CHI to see if I can figure out what information is used to make budget decisions and try to alleviate concerns as they arise by having that information handy.
The Basis for the budget allowance is documented in the wiki. That should give you the basic procedure; the actual dollar amounts for each component of the allowance will be available on the quarterly budget allowance statement that each ward receives each quarter (this is in MLS under Finance Statements).

However, the basis for the budget allowance may or may not affect actual budgets for each organization. The stake president decides what percentage of each element of the basis is sent to each ward, and then the bishop decides how the net ward allowance is subdivided among the organizations. Although the Primary attendance as reported on the Quarterly Report will very likely affect the total amount of Budget the ward receives, it may not have any effect on the Primary organization's budget. I don't know of any wards in my stake that factor that into their calculations of the Primary organization's budget -- it is based on the Primary's needs as determined in the budgeting process that is followed prior to the beginning of the year. But a bishop may choose to factor Primary attendance as reported on the Quarterly Report in his determination of the actual budget for Primary if he so chooses.