CUBS - lessons learned and critique
Posted: Thu Oct 28, 2010 5:33 am
I am STS of Macon Georgia Stake. I have been a software programmer/analyst/engineer for almost 40 years. I started as an applications programmer using Cobol and RPG. I now work as a defense contractor putting together Air Force trainers and simulators using C++.
I have been in different stake and ward clerk positions for over 30 years.
I have a group of very upset unit financial clerks. The "training' for CUBS consisted of two MLS messages dated 08OCT(Friday). Because stake presidency meeting is Wednesday evening, I didn't see them until 13OCT. Access to financial information was cut off at 11:59PM on 17OCT. If an email had been sent to the stake clerk stating that 2 time critical MLS messages were available, I would have had more time to react.
From my past experiences, I knew CUBS was not going to be a smooth and uneventful switch. On 17OCT I went around to my various units and copied the 17OCT MLS backups to a flash drive. I have had to visit all my units in a single trip a few times before, so I now have my itinerary down to 5 hours of travel time. If I had not created a stand-alone system with 17OCT data, many of my units would be left high and dry because they did not print the required reports. Also this stand-alone laptop can be used to help resolve conversion problems. Many thanks to LDSTech Forum members for explaining how to do that - even though LUS refused to provide that information and said I should not do that.
A 30 min financial training satellite broadcast or webcast would have prevented a lot of frustration and confusion. The program should have consisted of a short explanation of how the CUBS will work, how the conversion amounts were accumulated, and an example of how to adjust a category using the transfer function. Instead I have spent 3 days talking
to various LUS people and trolling the LDSTech forums. Once I learned the information listed below, rereading the 2 MLS messages made more sense and I could understand what was being done.
1. The financial clerk job now consists of making deposits and writing checks. Reconciliation of CUFS has been removed. All corrections will be done at CHQ. CUFS has been replaced with a status report.
2. There is now a single set of accounts controlled by CHQ. Local sub-sub-categories may be created, but their existance is not known to CHQ.
3. The swept accounts (tithing, fast offering, etc) information is sent to CHQ on the first transmission. A second transmission will clear those accounts.
4. On 24OCT, budget accounts must start at zero. Use the transfer function to move amounts until that happens. Any income entries since 2007 remain with the subcategories, and any expense entries are combined in Budget:Budget Administration. Budget will now be real money to be watched over, and end of year balances will carry over to the next year. The stake will determine amounts by percentages, and money will be sent to each unit in Budget:Budget Allocations via MLS. If a unit wants to track budget at a finer level, the amounts must be transferred to the appropriate subcategories each quarter. The initial budget allocation will be a check from the stake for any remaining 2010 allocation and will be deposited into Budgt:Budget Allocations.
5. On 24OCT Ward missionary must be balanced. Missionary Department will now send information so that MLS will create a separate subcategory for each single missionary from the ward. MLS will automatically deduct monthly expenses from those accounts.
6. On 24OCt, Other accounts must be reconciled with the 17OCT Income and Expense report. Any unused Other accounts have been deleted. Any income entries since 2007 remain with the subcategories, and any expense entries are combined in Other:Payable to Local Unit. Transfers must be done to bring subcategory account balances back to 17OCT amounts.
7. A backup reminder is no longer displayed when exiting MLS. The clerks must now remember to use File->Backup to a file. Stake guidelines of keeping a backup on removable storage locked in the file cabinet, and taking a copy home for off-site protection continue. Since all data is now a reflection of what is maintained at CHQ, a financial refresh can be requested but any local additions will be lost.
8. MLS donation records will now contain only the name the record is linked to in membership. Husband and wife names will no longer be used for a single record.
9. Other instructions and clarifications will be forth coming as needed.
I have been in different stake and ward clerk positions for over 30 years.
I have a group of very upset unit financial clerks. The "training' for CUBS consisted of two MLS messages dated 08OCT(Friday). Because stake presidency meeting is Wednesday evening, I didn't see them until 13OCT. Access to financial information was cut off at 11:59PM on 17OCT. If an email had been sent to the stake clerk stating that 2 time critical MLS messages were available, I would have had more time to react.
From my past experiences, I knew CUBS was not going to be a smooth and uneventful switch. On 17OCT I went around to my various units and copied the 17OCT MLS backups to a flash drive. I have had to visit all my units in a single trip a few times before, so I now have my itinerary down to 5 hours of travel time. If I had not created a stand-alone system with 17OCT data, many of my units would be left high and dry because they did not print the required reports. Also this stand-alone laptop can be used to help resolve conversion problems. Many thanks to LDSTech Forum members for explaining how to do that - even though LUS refused to provide that information and said I should not do that.
A 30 min financial training satellite broadcast or webcast would have prevented a lot of frustration and confusion. The program should have consisted of a short explanation of how the CUBS will work, how the conversion amounts were accumulated, and an example of how to adjust a category using the transfer function. Instead I have spent 3 days talking
to various LUS people and trolling the LDSTech forums. Once I learned the information listed below, rereading the 2 MLS messages made more sense and I could understand what was being done.
1. The financial clerk job now consists of making deposits and writing checks. Reconciliation of CUFS has been removed. All corrections will be done at CHQ. CUFS has been replaced with a status report.
2. There is now a single set of accounts controlled by CHQ. Local sub-sub-categories may be created, but their existance is not known to CHQ.
3. The swept accounts (tithing, fast offering, etc) information is sent to CHQ on the first transmission. A second transmission will clear those accounts.
4. On 24OCT, budget accounts must start at zero. Use the transfer function to move amounts until that happens. Any income entries since 2007 remain with the subcategories, and any expense entries are combined in Budget:Budget Administration. Budget will now be real money to be watched over, and end of year balances will carry over to the next year. The stake will determine amounts by percentages, and money will be sent to each unit in Budget:Budget Allocations via MLS. If a unit wants to track budget at a finer level, the amounts must be transferred to the appropriate subcategories each quarter. The initial budget allocation will be a check from the stake for any remaining 2010 allocation and will be deposited into Budgt:Budget Allocations.
5. On 24OCT Ward missionary must be balanced. Missionary Department will now send information so that MLS will create a separate subcategory for each single missionary from the ward. MLS will automatically deduct monthly expenses from those accounts.
6. On 24OCt, Other accounts must be reconciled with the 17OCT Income and Expense report. Any unused Other accounts have been deleted. Any income entries since 2007 remain with the subcategories, and any expense entries are combined in Other:Payable to Local Unit. Transfers must be done to bring subcategory account balances back to 17OCT amounts.
7. A backup reminder is no longer displayed when exiting MLS. The clerks must now remember to use File->Backup to a file. Stake guidelines of keeping a backup on removable storage locked in the file cabinet, and taking a copy home for off-site protection continue. Since all data is now a reflection of what is maintained at CHQ, a financial refresh can be requested but any local additions will be lost.
8. MLS donation records will now contain only the name the record is linked to in membership. Husband and wife names will no longer be used for a single record.
9. Other instructions and clarifications will be forth coming as needed.