Enhance MLS to Distribute Stake Materials

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Bryce Fifield-p40
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Enhance MLS to Distribute Stake Materials

#1

Post by Bryce Fifield-p40 »

I'd like to see MLS enhanced to distribute items from our Stake. As it is now, I receive a lot of items from our Stake via email (calendar, leadership roster, HC speaking assignments, emergency preparedness reports, etc.). Some of these are available via the Stake and Ward online calendar, but they aren't available at the Chapel where I need them, because the Ward PC is not online. Moving them from my home or office PC is hit and miss and when I do hit, it's often with an out of date version. It would be swell if I could pull them up on the Ward PC and print them at the building. MLS seems like a logical place for a means to distribute Stake info to the Wards.
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thedqs
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#2

Post by thedqs »

If I remember correctly MLS has a messaging system that could be used for distributing that information, though it would be in an e-mail like way.
- David
russellhltn
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#3

Post by russellhltn »

thedqs wrote:If I remember correctly MLS has a messaging system that could be used for distributing that information, though it would be in an e-mail like way.
Does it support attachments? I don't remember that it does. If it could, then I think that would do the job. Just make sure attachment is sized appropriately for dial up users or you'll have some really ticked off clerks. :D
wadeburt
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Enhance MLS to Distribute Stake Materials

#4

Post by wadeburt »

Wouldn't it be cool to be able to capture weekly MLS backups via this method?

Have the unit clerk send last week's MLS backup to the Stake, then we would fullfill the offsite backup requirement?
Wade E. Burt
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thedqs
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#5

Post by thedqs »

RussellHltn wrote:Does it support attachments? I don't remember that it does. If it could, then I think that would do the job. Just make sure attachment is sized appropriately for dial up users or you'll have some really ticked off clerks. :D

I was just thinking plain text for the information that he wanted to send to the wards, but I also believe that it doesn't support attachments.
- David
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#6

Post by russellhltn »

wadeburt wrote:Wouldn't it be cool to be able to capture weekly MLS backups via this method?
Monthly backups are already done to CHQ. I think there would be some loud complaints if it was done weekly given that most units are still on dial-up.
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Enhance MLS to Distribute

#7

Post by wadeburt »

So what is the point of MLS asking us to do a backup to the local drive each time a change is made? We have all of our units on a monthly backup rotation using USB drives that the High Councilor checks in at the Stake each week. This gives us file rotation plus offsite backups for the units.
Wade E. Burt
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rmrichesjr
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#8

Post by rmrichesjr »

thedqs wrote:If I remember correctly MLS has a messaging system that could be used for distributing that information, though it would be in an e-mail like way.
The other issue is that getting a message through requires transfer calls in the right order. To get a message from the stake to a ward, the sender in stake MLS must send the message. Then, there must be a transfer call by the stake's computer. Then, there must be a transfer call by the ward's computer. Only then is the message available to the ward MLS users. If a message is sent (queued, actually) by someone on the stake computer who does not do a transfer call himself, it might be a couple of weeks before the message is visible to someone on a ward computer.
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Skyhawk-p40
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#9

Post by Skyhawk-p40 »

wadeburt wrote:So what is the point of MLS asking us to do a backup to the local drive each time a change is made? We have all of our units on a monthly backup rotation using USB drives that the High Councilor checks in at the Stake each week. This gives us file rotation plus offsite backups for the units.
In the handbook, it says backups must be stored at the local wardhouse in a very secure location. The only reason Church HQ pulls in backups is in case the building burns down (like my friend's stake center in Arizona) or something tragic like that. I can imagine that it would be quite a hassle to pull down a backup via modem, and then to maybe lose 3-4 weeks worth of data and have to re-enter it? It makes sense to me to keep the backups local.
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#10

Post by russellhltn »

wadeburt wrote:So what is the point of MLS asking us to do a backup to the local drive each time a change is made?
Well, if the financial clerk and membership clerks don't mind re-entering the past month of transactions in the event of a crash ......

(And Murphy's law says it will go in the middle of tithing settlement. :eek:)
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