Tech Forum

During a boundary reorganization, if one ward is disolving, with half of its members going into a different ward, and the other half going into a different ward... who pushes/pulls the member records of those members who are going to new wards?

Does Church HQ push the records to the gaining wards? Or does the gaining ward need to initiate an action to get control of the records?

Does the disolving ward need to do anything to push records prior?

thanks

I think that's covered in the Wiki

While it's possible to do it in other ways, I think it's simpler to have the dissolving ward use the boundary realignment process. The reason is with boundary realignment, the address and contact information does not change. It's just moved to a new unit as-is.

All other moves require supplying the "new" address and phone numbers - far more work then is necessary.

A helpful WIKI article for additional items is here

https://tech.lds.org/wiki/index.php/Dis ... _or_branch

Thank you, both of these references are very helpful. I remain a little concerned in that the ward being dissolved will not know it's being discontinued until the Sunday of our special meeting. The Bishop is already tracking, but I will not be able to work with the clerks until after the fact. So I assume there will be a few weeks of in-between time when the clerk of the dissolved unit works to push out records, and close accounts, etc... before actually transitioning to his new ward. That is, the dissolving ward will in fact remain open administratively for a brief period in order to facilitate close-out of all necessary items. Is this correct?
thanks

That is what I'd expect.

I'd emphasize that the stake is going to need a copy of the last backup of MLS. It's mentioned in the wiki, but I wanted that out there a little stronger.

colbyj wrote:I remain a little concerned in that the ward being dissolved will not know it's being discontinued until the Sunday of our special meeting. . . . So I assume . . . the dissolving ward will in fact remain open administratively for a brief period in order to facilitate close-out of all necessary items. Is this correct?

In my experience, the disolving ward will disappear fairly quickly once the stake reports to CHQ that the change has actually taken place.

As far as membership records go, it should be a fairly easy matter to sit down with the clerk after the meeting and run through the boundary realignment process in MLS and send out the records. The process is very simple if you know the new ward to which the member records should be sent.

Pick one ward, check off all of the families that go to that ward and send it. Pick the other ward, check off all the remaining families, and send it.

Presto. Your records are gone and the new wards have the membership records the same day.

colbyj wrote:Thank you, both of these references are very helpful. I remain a little concerned in that the ward being dissolved will not know it's being discontinued until the Sunday of our special meeting. The Bishop is already tracking, but I will not be able to work with the clerks until after the fact. So I assume there will be a few weeks of in-between time when the clerk of the dissolved unit works to push out records, and close accounts, etc... before actually transitioning to his new ward. That is, the dissolving ward will in fact remain open administratively for a brief period in order to facilitate close-out of all necessary items. Is this correct?
thanks

The moving of membership records is probably the simplest of all the tasks that have to be undertaken when a ward is dissolved. The most difficult is the closure of the financial accounts and getting all the records correct before the accounts are ultimately closed.

We had one ward in our stake disappear this past November due to a boundary alignment and the stake clerk worked for 2-3 months to finalize all the financial records before complete closure.

One thing I'd recommend is that a complete backup of the dissolving ward MLS database be saved and not disturbed.

RussellHltn wrote:I'd emphasize that the stake is going to need a copy of the last backup of MLS. It's mentioned in the wiki, but I wanted that out there a little stronger.

The reason I put that in is that I believe it's up to the stake to distribute the tax forms come January. A member might also need a re-print. So my advice is to have the stake load the last MLS backup on their machine and insure that they have at least one working login to take care of those issues.

RussellHltn wrote:The reason I put that in is that I believe it's up to the stake to distribute the tax forms come January. A member might also need a re-print. So my advice is to have the stake load the last MLS backup on their machine and insure that they have at least one working login to take care of those issues.

Although your other reasons are valid and excellent advice, the tax forms are to be printed by the unit that is being dissolved at the time of the reorganization. So the stake shouldn't have to print them. See the very first step and the last note in the wiki under Discontinuing a ward or branch.

Thanks to all, this is very helpful. You all as a resource truly helps me fullfill my calling. thank you