Stake callings and automatic import into ward MLS records (new feature)

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ericb
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Stake callings and automatic import into ward MLS records (new feature)

#1

Post by ericb »

A few weeks ago, I read about the new feature of stake calling info being automatically imported into the wards' MLS records. I looked in MLS through the Organizations info and never saw it. Recently, I ran the Household Report and noticed what I thought were duplicate stake calling entries on members with those callings. I realized I was seeing the imported stake version of the calling, as well as our ward version of the calling (like most units, we have been recording these as Out-of-Unit callings).

So, my thought was I could now remove the Out-of-Unit stake callings since the official stake info is being imported. However, there doesn't appear to be a way to view a listing or summary of the imported stake callings for members of our ward...am I missing something? These callings also do not appear on the ever-important Callings by Organization report. This means if we remove our Out-of-Unit information of stake callings (currently 20 of them), it appears we'll no longer be able to easily identify members serving in the stake.

Anyone else notice this?
atticusewig
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Only in the Mem w/Callings report

#2

Post by atticusewig »

I thought it too was odd that the Stake
Callings don't show up in Callings by Organization.

They do, however, show up in the Members with
Callings report. They appear in black text instead
of the standard blue, and cannot be changed.

There may be underlying reasons why they don't appear
in the Callings by Organization report, but I suspect
that the developers had a deadline they needed to
meet, and the next version of MLS will fix this. Or
this could just have been an oversight, or low in the
priority list.

- Atticus
russellhltn
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#3

Post by russellhltn »

ericb wrote:These callings also do not appear on the ever-important Callings by Organization report.
I'm mildly curious as to why it's important that they show up in that list? After all, it's an organization that's "out of reach" of the local leadership to be making changes.

I'd think it's more important that they are not on the "Members with out callings" list.
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jbh001
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#4

Post by jbh001 »

RussellHltn wrote:I'm mildly curious as to why it's important that they show up in that list?
If for nothing else, the convenience of only having to print one report instead of two.
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aebrown
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#5

Post by aebrown »

ericb wrote:I realized I was seeing the imported stake version of the calling, as well as our ward version of the calling (like most units, we have been recording these as Out-of-Unit callings).
What organization do these callings appear in? I know you first saw these imported callings in the Household Report, which does not show the organization. But if you go to the person's Individual Record, you should see the Callings section, which lists "Group" and "Position" for each calling.

In MLS, every calling (even an imported stake calling) has to be in an Organization (which for some odd reason is called "Group" on the Individual Record). I only have access to the test database at this moment, so I can't be certain, but I would think that this would be the "Out of Unit" organization for imported stake callings. If so, that would imply that these callings would appear on the Callings by Organization and Members with Callings reports.

The reason I surmise that the imported callings would be in the Out of Unit organization is that the standard stake callings included in Ward MLS are all in that Organization.
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ericb
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#6

Post by ericb »

Alan_Brown wrote:The reason I surmise that the imported callings would be in the Out of Unit organization is that the standard stake callings included in Ward MLS are all in that Organization.

Alan, I was expecting the exact behavior you describe, but this is not what I'm seeing in our ward instance of MLS...the imported stake callings do not appear anywhere as an 'organization' or group.
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ericb
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#7

Post by ericb »

RussellHltn wrote:I'm mildly curious as to why it's important that they show up in that list? After all, it's an organization that's "out of reach" of the local leadership to be making changes.

One benefit is being able to easily identify fellow ward members that could be contacted regarding stake items -- for example, those serving as stake name extraction workers or stake activities committee members. I guess I can't think of a reason why the info shouldn't be included on the report.
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aebrown
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#8

Post by aebrown »

Alan_Brown wrote:In MLS, every calling (even an imported stake calling) has to be in an Organization (which for some odd reason is called "Group" on the Individual Record). I only have access to the test database at this moment, so I can't be certain, but I would think that this would be the "Out of Unit" organization for imported stake callings. If so, that would imply that these callings would appear on the Callings by Organization and Members with Callings reports.

Well, I got a look at MLS for one of the wards in our stake, and I see what is happening.

As atticusewig mentioned, the callings that are imported from stake MLS do appear on the Members with Callings list in black letters (meaning you can't click on them to do anything further) as opposed to ward callings, which are blue links.

What is interesting to me is that the Organization for these callings is the stake organization name, not "Out of Unit". So the Stake President is in the Stake Presidency organization, a Stake Relief Society Secretary is in the Stake Relief Society organization, etc.

But it is indeed true that these callings and people do not show up in the Callings by Organization report; the only organization report they appear on is the Members with Callings report.
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