use and retention of MLS printouts

[opee]

When I was trying to find the answer to this very question, I came across a wonderful document that can be downloaded directly from the Distribution Services site. It's called "Use and Retention of Records and Reports-2006". I'm sure it is still valid because there is no other document that says "2007", nor does it say it is only valid for 2006.

That document is a great resource, but it does not specifically indicate what to do with the MLS printouts. These posts have been a helpful direction--it would be nice to see the MLS printouts to be included on those documents for 2007 and beyond so that others don't question it.

[SmithGW]

The use and retention of reports is based on local laws. These gentlemen are correct that for the United States the law is 3 years plus the current year and that for Canada it is 5 years plus the current year. If you are not from either of these places, your administration office can tell you what the law requires in your location.

[opee]

A clerk asked today if it was NECESSARY to the Transaction Report (when you send information to SLC) and the membership process report (when SLC sends the units information). The Clerk is given the option to print, preview or cancel. In addition, on the report from SLC, they can print an additional copy for the Bishop.

He has found that the printouts (especially the report from SLC about processing) do not show a lot of essential details other than confirm that the transaction occurred. He sees a lot paper being wasted because the clerk or the Bishop will look at the paper and then shred it or store it in the filing cabinet--never to be looked at again.

(a) Is it ESSENTIAL to print these "status" documents?
(b) Is there a way that we could lessen the amount of paper that gets printed to reduce our costs and waste?
(c) Can MLS have an electronic report that can show that status of Membership Transactions? For example:

Member Transaction Status
************************************
1. John Doe address change, STATUS: Submitted, pending reply from HQ
2. Jane Smith endowment, STATUS: Received from HQ
3. Jack Jones moved to First Ward, Somewhere, USA, STATUS: Record received by First Ward

This electronic report could allow a clerk to see when items have been sent and returned from SLC, saving the need for printing a lot of papers. The status report could clear every month or so...

[russellhltn]

On the Member Transaction Status - when receiving new records, you most certainly want to at least preview the new record. This will be the only place you'll see that a new member may be disfellowshipped or have some other status attached to their record.

[BarryHill-p40]

First let me say I am so thankful for this site and the help to be found here. Hopefully I will someday be able to help answer a few questions rather than just ask them.

I am a stickler for UNDERSTANDING what I am doing and not just doing it. I also need rules rather than hunches. It is a sickness .

It seems that no one is sure of this answer and that they deduce that the MLS printouts should be kept because of standard record keeping guidelines. I understand that financial records (receipts, signed deposits, signed check authorizations) would have to be kept for the mandated 3 years. As I understand it however, MLS printouts only reflect what is electronically maintained in: our local PC, on disk back-up, and in SLC, UT. If you do not keep the printed copy, you are still complying with record retention because you have several electronic copies. I maintain my income tax filings electronically. In fact the MLS actually gives you the option to print it or just view the transaction. How can you be mandated to keep a printed copy that you are not even mandated to print in the first place?

I can certainly understand printing these merely for easy verification during an audit, but I see no point beyond that time frame. I have no clue how you would even file these so you could reference them (chronologically, alphabetically by member name). Maintaining a printout of a membership record as long as the member is in the Ward, defeats the entire point of setting up an electronic record system.

I have to believe that the need to printout (or not), and to maintain the MLS printouts must be clearly, directly, and specifically addressed in some instructions.

I guess I am hoping for a clear church rule rather than hunches or opinions. If not I guess I will have to assemble all opinions, add my own, and fly.

Thanks for the patience

Barry

[russellhltn]

If not I guess I will have to assemble all opinions, add my own, and fly.

I think that's what you are going to end up going with. The paperwork on the membership side is mostly for comfort. What's your comfort level? MLS can loose things.

MLS also lacks an "audit trail" that lets you know when things were changed, by whom and who reported the new information. There will be times that you'll wish you had that when someone asks comments that "the Browns moved 9 months ago - is that the new or the old phone number?" "Who told you that?"

[BarryHill-p40]

MLS can loose things...

MLS also lacks an "audit trail" that lets you know when things were changed, by whom and who reported the new information.

Thanks Russell. That leaves me with a big hmmmmmmmmmm!

I guess I will make piles of the existing printouts (that I inherited). I may send a message asking if they want any ordination information. From there I think I will keep transaction reports back to the last audit and file them chronologically.

I will look at the membership record update just to see what is on them of value. My guess is "not much" since it is safely in the MLS and on the back-up. Quite frankly the volume of this stuff has given me a bit of a fog at assessing the point of these print outs. I also know no one has ever referred to them. I think one or two nice large 3 ring binders should do it.

I also will see if there is anything on these yellow Baptism & Conformation Records that is not in MLS that would be a reason to keep them. Finally, I have a call into my stake clerk plus one into a ex member of the Stake Presidency. I think they use him to do audits and maybe he has some guidelines.

Thanks for the input.

[grantw]

In my ward, I have had a number of talks with the bishop about this issue. He perfers to have paper copies of the membership records for two reasons:
1) Temple recommend interviews with new members of the ward - He likes to have the records for the record number and additional information on the record.
2) Members that have annotations on the record he wants to be able to see without having to go into MLS and print the actual record. The records are locked up and only he and the clerks have access to the print copies.

Basically, you don't need paper copies of the records, but I would have the clerk and bishop decide what would work best for them. This is one area where the spirit can direct what will work best for the unit and not have to have a church wide policy directing it.

For the MLS transactions, this has more to do with your style of management. As ward clerk, I had a membership clerk that would take care of the membership records (move in/out, baptism, priesthood ordination, etc). There have been times we needed to look up information about members that moved out or when, or even an ordination that doesn't show up in MLS but we thought was recorded. It was very helpful to have the prinouts that I could go back through to find the information.

For this to work, we would have two binders. One for transactions we originated, and one for MLS transactions. Once the binders would get full, we would shred several months worth of transactions down to about a years history. This rotation was helpful in keeping track of the most recent information. Sometimes I would need to go back over several months to get the information I wanted, but it was there.

I know this doesn't address the concerns about all the paper generated, but having the paper trail saved a lot of time. Hope this helps with the questions.

[jkarras-p40]

I believe the record retention pages say you have to keep a paper copy of the membership records. All the other MLS transaction records are only kept as long as needed. My ward we had two binders locked up with the membership records. It was pretty handy for the bishop during interviews etc..

The second thing that helped with temple recommends was a custom report with baptism (could have been birthday), confirmation, record number, and name. I would print one of these out and put them in the front of the temple recommend binders. I guess there was an old MIS report that worked for that purpose. I just copied what was on that report. Then the Bishop or counselors didn't have to do any extra looking to fill out the limited use or regular recommends.