MLS 3.0 Standard Names for Callings

[russellhltn]

Let me ask a different question: Why are any of the stake callings available at the ward level? Why aren't they entered at the stake level and the wards just view them?

To me it's contrary to the order of the church to have wards entering stake-level callings. That is, unless it's just as a "placeholder" in the ward system.

And in answer to your point, I can't see the church granting me access to STS resources because my ward lists me as a STS. It would be because the stake has me as a STS.

So again the question, why would have wards have any of them?

[RossEvans]

Let me ask a different question: Why are any of the stake callings available at the ward level? Why aren't they entered at the stake level and the wards just view them?

I'll bet that is basically because MLS and its parent systems at CHQ are simply not smart enough to interact that intelligently, and the central systems historically have lacked the data to determine reliably who has what calling.

Perhaps that could be remedied in the future. Standardizing callings in MLS and harvesting that data centrally, which begins with MLS 3.0, seems like the first logical step in any improved system.

[russellhltn]

I'll bet that is basically because MLS and its parent systems at CHQ are simply not smart enough to interact that intelligently, and the central systems historically have lacked the data to determine reliably who has what calling.

That would be the technical reason behind the placeholder theory. Since the stake calling didn't flow to the ward, the wards were allowed to enter things on their end so they wouldn't try to over-extend callings.

[lajackson]

Why are any of the stake callings available at the ward level? Why aren't they entered at the stake level and the wards just view them?

Until now, this was the only way a ward could know that a member had a stake calling.

With the advent of MLS 3.0 and the extinguishing of its bugs, I think the ward will no longer need to record a stake calling. They will all flow from the stake.

And this is as it should be, when the software finally catches up with reality, as it appears it is about to do.

[jdlessley]

So I guess this brings us back to the question as to why any stake callings are listed in the ward standardized positions list? The ward will receive the stake list of callings as will the stake receive each ward's. The MLS Release Notes state:

Transfer of position (calling) information between stake and ward. Wards will now be able to view stake leadership positions (callings) on their copy of MLS. The stake will be able to view each ward’s callings. When a stake updates position (calling) information, it is transmitted to the administration office and the administration office then transmits that information to a ward when that ward does a Send/Receive Changes. The same will be true for transmitting the ward positions (callings) to the stake.

What will happen when a ward associates a stake calling to a member and the stake has another member listed in that same calling in their MLS? To me the answer is probably nothing. The ward will see the stake callings list with the correct members listed for each position. The use of the 'out of unit' callings in the ward list of standard positions serves no purpose.

[atticusewig]

All I can say is that you must all come from some
Stakes with some really on-top-of-it-clerks.

In my Stake, it can be weeks or even months before
a Stake Clerk will enter in Stake Callings.

Without the Out of Unit Callings function left in MLS, the
ward's Members with Callings report is only as accurate as
the Stake Clerks - who are probably quite overloaded as is.

Using "placeholders" at the local level can allow wards to
keep stake calling holders out of the "Members without Callings"
list until the Stake updates the person's stake calling and it
flows down to the ward.

Once we see where these Stake Callings
flow into (probably will be the Out-of-Unit group), a seperate group
could be created by the ward called Ward-says-out-of-unit group or something like that. Then once a month, you reconcile the two lists and remove callings from the "ward-says" group as it appears in the Out-of-Unit group flowed down from the Stake. If the calling doesn't appear in a reasonable amount of time, then the ward clerk can send a polite message to the Stake using the MLS message function with the sustaining date.

Is reconciling callings in this way extra work? You bet it is. But from
my experience, with all that stake clerks have to do, it is far too easy
for them to forget to record a calling here or there. Reconciliation
of Stake Callings on a ward level just helps to make sure records are accurate.


- Atticus Ewig

[jdlessley]

If the 'out of unit' callings do serve a purpose similar to what atticusewig describes then don't you think the list should have all the positions from the stake instead of just a portion? (30 out of 69)

[edwardlalone]

Let me ask a different question: Why are any of the stake callings available at the ward level? Why aren't they entered at the stake level and the wards just view them?

To me it's contrary to the order of the church to have wards entering stake-level callings. That is, unless it's just as a "placeholder" in the ward system.

And in answer to your point, I can't see the church granting me access to STS resources because my ward lists me as a STS. It would be because the stake has me as a STS.

So again the question, why would have wards have any of them?

Because Wards need to know who is serving in callings outside of their unit because they still retain priesthood responsibility for them. Some out of unit callings are standard and can be entered as a standard calling while others are custom position and will need to be entered separately.

[edwardlalone]

If the 'out of unit' callings do serve a purpose similar to what atticusewig describes then don't you think the list should have all the positions from the stake instead of just a portion? (30 out of 69)

No because those are custom out of unit callings and not standard callings. MLS could take into account every potential calling on the stake level that a member may be serving in or it could populate MLS with the most commonly used ones while allowing flexibility in other callings. I also suspect that the ones that are being standardized at this point are the ones who will be given special access to certain websites or parts of websites (in their stake and wards) in the near future (30 of the 69) and will need to be standardized while the other 39 don't.

[edwardlalone]

Until now, this was the only way a ward could know that a member had a stake calling.

With the advent of MLS 3.0 and the extinguishing of its bugs, I think the ward will no longer need to record a stake calling. They will all flow from the stake.

And this is as it should be, when the software finally catches up with reality, as it appears it is about to do.

But there will still need to be an out of unit calling for those members of wards or stakes that serve in other wards or stakes. For example Mission Presidents, Church Service Missionaries and Temple Workers. This data isn't likely to and should probably not populate to their home wards and stake.