MLS Finance Cannot Delete Returned Missionaries

Discussions around using and interfacing with the Church MLS program.
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JackChristensen
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Joined: Tue Mar 18, 2008 6:28 am

MLS Finance Cannot Delete Returned Missionaries

#1

Post by JackChristensen »

I have a bunch of returned missionaries that I'd like to remove from my system. Some have moved out of the ward. I can set them to inactive, but would like to delete the category completely. When trying to delete the missionary, I get an error message, "You cannot delete this category because it is currently being used." What gives? The balance forward is $0, Donations $0, Expenses $0, Transfers $0, and Balance is $0. What am I missing that prevents me from deleting them?

Thanks.

Jack Christensen
Ward Finance Clerk
Monument Park 20th Ward
Monument Park North Stake
Salt Lake City, UT
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aebrown
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Location: Draper, Utah

#2

Post by aebrown »

JackChristensen wrote:I have a bunch of returned missionaries that I'd like to remove from my system. Some have moved out of the ward. I can set them to inactive, but would like to delete the category completely. When trying to delete the missionary, I get an error message, "You cannot delete this category because it is currently being used." What gives? The balance forward is $0, Donations $0, Expenses $0, Transfers $0, and Balance is $0. What am I missing that prevents me from deleting them?

What you are missing is the fact that MLS stores three years plus the current year of data (in the US -- it is 5 years in Canada, and may be different in other countries). Thus you cannot delete subcategories of the Ward Missionary category until three years have passed since the last transaction.

So you are doing the right thing by making sure that they have a balance of $0, and deactivating them. Then once three full years have passed, as MLS moves to the new year on January 1, those subcategories will be automatically deleted.
SmithGW
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Joined: Thu Feb 08, 2007 6:42 am

Delete Returned Missionaries

#3

Post by SmithGW »

JackChristensen said:
I have a bunch of returned missionaries that I'd like to remove from my system.

I presume by this you mean you have a bunch of missionary subcategories named after missionaries that you would like to remove.

Alan_Brown is correct. If you live in the United States, the last financial transaction in a subcategory must remain for three years before it can be deleted (this is law). In Canada it is five. Some other countries are as high as ten years. I'm afraid making these subcategories inactive is the best you can do.
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Mikerowaved
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#4

Post by Mikerowaved »

Unfortunately, even after making these subcategories inactive, they still show up on some reports, so I also put a "z" in front of their name so they fall to the bottom of the list.
So we can better help you, please edit your Profile to include your general location.
JackChristensen
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Joined: Tue Mar 18, 2008 6:28 am

#5

Post by JackChristensen »

Thanks for reading between the lines and figuring out my meaning. That explains it. I guess I just won't be so compulsive and just let things take care of themselves in January.
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aebrown
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#6

Post by aebrown »

Mikerowaved wrote:Unfortunately, even after making these subcategories inactive, they still show up on some reports, so I also put a "z" in front of their name so they fall to the bottom of the list.

Are you sure this is still an issue? I don't recall seeing inactive categories with no balance and no activity for the year show up on Income and Expense Reports since MLS 2.8. I haven't seen such categories show up on the pick lists for expenses or donations, either.

I guess that even within the year that the category is inactivated, you could prefer not to have them show up, so the "z" trick might be helpful. But I really don't think there is a problem anymore with categories with 0 balance and no transactions in the year.
Wayne Roberts-p40
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#7

Post by Wayne Roberts-p40 »

I've had this issue come up in several of the Wards in our Stake.

The data only appears when you chose a report period that includes transactions for the sub-category in question.

Let's say for example that one of the returned missionaries returned in November 2006 and you recorded the last missionary payment in that same month. If you make that sub-category (ie.
Ward Missionary - Doe, John) inactive, it will not appear in any reports for 2007 or 2008 but it will appear in reports for 2006 and any prior years that have transactions recorded against the sub-category.

The only reason the missionary's name would appear on reports from 2007 or 2008 is if you recorded an entry in MLS against that missionary's name in one of those years.

Hope that helps.


Wayne Roberts
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
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