Record Request - Ward Geocode doesn't stick

mkmurray · #1

When I request records, I fill in a bunch of fields, among which are the Stake and Ward Geocodes. When the record actually comes in, I notice that all of the information I entered is there, except for the Ward Geocode. The Stake Geocode remains populated, but the Ward Geocode does not.

Am I the only one noticing this?

mkmurray · #2

mkmurray wrote:Am I the only one noticing this?

No one else...?

WelchTC · #3

Is this with 2.9? I was talking to the Program Manager over MLS today. He said that the GEOCodes is used a lot when stakes are doing "what if's" when restructuring or dividing wards. So you can put geocodes in to signify neighborhoods, for example, and then run reports to see if you have the right mix of individuals, families, priesthood holders, etc.

Don't know if this is helping you or not.

Tom

RossEvans · #4

I didn't realize that MLS even gave the option of importing the ward GEO Code field in requesting a record from another unit. (I'm just spitballing here, because I am not in front of MLS.)

It really makes no sense to do so, since the GEO Code is just something made up by the original ward. There is no reason to expect it to be meaningful to anyone else, so it seems to make good sense that it would not transfer. Does the stake GEO Code field transfer across stakes? That also would seem to make little sense.

mkmurray · #5

boomerbubba wrote:I didn't realize that MLS even gave the option of importing the ward GEO Code field in requesting a record from another unit. (I'm just spitballing here, because I am not in front of MLS.)

It really makes no sense to do so, since the GEO Code is just something made up by the original ward. There is no reason to expect it to be meaningful to anyone else, so it seems to make good sense that it would not transfer. Does the stake GEO Code field transfer across stakes? That also would seem to make little sense.

No, you are misunderstanding my statements.

When you request a record, you can fill in the Phone Number, Email Address, Address, and Geocode fields. Then when you actually receive the record(s), almost all of those fields are populated with the values I put in upon request. The problem is the Ward Geocode field. It seems like I always have to go back into the record after receiving it and retype in the Ward Geocode field.

mkmurray · #6

tomw wrote:Is this with 2.9? I was talking to the Program Manager over MLS today. He said that the GEOCodes is used a lot when stakes are doing "what if's" when restructuring or dividing wards. So you can put geocodes in to signify neighborhoods, for example, and then run reports to see if you have the right mix of individuals, families, priesthood holders, etc.

Don't know if this is helping you or not.

Tom

No, I believe this has been happening before 2.9 as well.

I understand the fields are typically used by the Stake for boundry realignment, splitting units, etc. But we use them in our ward so that we can do reports to see how many priesthood brethren we have in each subdivision of our ward, etc.

RossEvans · #7

mkmurray wrote:No, you are misunderstanding my statements.

Yes, I was. Sorry. (We don't populate either field in my ward and stake.)

In that case, it does seem that the behavior you describe in MLS needs attention.

russellhltn · #8

mkmurray wrote:When I request records, I fill in a bunch of fields, among which are the Stake and Ward Geocodes. When the record actually comes in, I notice that all of the information I entered is there, except for the Ward Geocode. The Stake Geocode remains populated, but the Ward Geocode does not.

I haven't heard of that. It sounds like a bug.

mkmurray · #9

An interesting follow up on this...I just noticed that the Stake Geocode is the only Geocode listed on the Transaction Report after doing a Send/Receive. The Ward Geocode is not there, but all of the rest of the address and contact information are (including email address).

It kind of makes sense...CHQ wants to know addresses and possibly phone numbers (email addresses allude me though). The Stake wants to know Stake Geocodes and probably the other information that CHQ gets. The Ward Geocode would only be local to our install of MLS. However, couldn't MLS be designed in a way to remember that Ward Geocode when doing a record request?

olveracn · #10

I understand the question and agree with the observation. Filling in member information to request records saves time but is not necessary. The record recieved will have what is current plus what you have entered. But extra info like Geo codes is not useful to retrieve records and is now left blank as unique to the ward. I don't think it is a bug, but it would save a step. Don't see why not. Isn't it like requesting a college student's record back home with all the correct information and yet you still have to add it to the family?

cno ...