lds.org and MLS data out-of-sync (preferred name)

Discussions around using and interfacing with the Church MLS program.
nwtaylor
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lds.org and MLS data out-of-sync (preferred name)

#1

Post by nwtaylor »

Brother Bob Jones' first wife passed away. A couple years later Bob marrried Sister Jane Smith, her first marriage. Her record was already in the ward MLS system for a few months prior to their marriage. Once married, her record was changed to reflect that she was now married to Bob Jones. I failed to change her preferred name to Jane Jones at that time, but weeks later made the change.

The MLS data on the computer at the church correctly shows her Maiden name as Jane Smith and her preferred name as Jane Jones. However, in the household section of lds.org her name shows as Jane Smith instead of Jane Jones. Records of all other married women in the ward show the preferred name in that view on lds.org.

Also, she shows up as Jane Smith in the Clerk Resource/Member List on lds.org. So, I believe that her master record is still Jane Smith while the data on the clerk's computer is simply out-of-sync (even though the data on the clerk's computer is the correct instance).

I am willing to test whatever process caused this out-of-sync data to occur. Perhaps it is just a glitch or is something that has been fixed.

What should I do at this point?

Thanks!
Neil
russellhltn
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#2

Post by russellhltn »

I'm not in front of MLS right now, but I thought that under the individual record there were three names: Full (Legal), maiden, and preferred. I'd check all three slots. The important part is the difference between full and preferred. Some tools use full and some use preferred.
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MerrillDL
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#3

Post by MerrillDL »

nwtaylor wrote:Brother Bob Jones' first wife passed away. A couple years later Bob marrried Sister Jane Smith, her first marriage. Her record was already in the ward MLS system for a few months prior to their marriage. Once married, her record was changed to reflect that she was now married to Bob Jones. I failed to change her preferred name to Jane Jones at that time, but weeks later made the change.

The MLS data on the computer at the church correctly shows her Maiden name as Jane Smith and her preferred name as Jane Jones. However, in the household section of lds.org her name shows as Jane Smith instead of Jane Jones. Records of all other married women in the ward show the preferred name in that view on lds.org.

Also, she shows up as Jane Smith in the Clerk Resource/Member List on lds.org. So, I believe that her master record is still Jane Smith while the data on the clerk's computer is simply out-of-sync (even though the data on the clerk's computer is the correct instance).

I am willing to test whatever process caused this out-of-sync data to occur. Perhaps it is just a glitch or is something that has been fixed.

What should I do at this point?

Thanks!
Neil
Neil,
The membership record has been updated. The LDS Account username comes from a different database and doesn't synchronize from a membership record. If a member's name changes or for any other reason, they can simply login to the LDS Account Profile Manager website ldsaccount.lds.org and edit their profile. Fields they can change are 'Username', First and/or Last Name', 'Display Name', 'Primary Email address' and others.

If a member's last name changes, they need to edit their LDS Account profile and update their Display Name and any other attribute as necessary.
russellhltn
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#4

Post by russellhltn »

MerrillDL wrote:The membership record has been updated. The LDS Account username comes from a different database and doesn't synchronize from a membership record.
True, but I don't see any mention of the LDS Account login name.

MerrillDL wrote:If a member's name changes or for any other reason, they can simply login to the LDS Account Profile Manager website ldsaccount.lds.org and edit their profile. Fields they can change are 'Username', First and/or Last Name', 'Display Name', 'Primary Email address' and others.

If a member's last name changes, they need to edit their LDS Account profile and update their Display Name and any other attribute as necessary.

The last name as shown in my lds account doesn't appear anywhere. So I don't think that's going to fix the reported problem.
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nwtaylor
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Location: Springville, UT, USA

#5

Post by nwtaylor »

RussellHltn wrote:I'm not in front of MLS right now, but I thought that under the individual record there were three names: Full (Legal), maiden, and preferred. I'd check all three slots. The important part is the difference between full and preferred. Some tools use full and some use preferred.

Yes, there are 3 (as I recall): full/legal, maiden, and preferred.

These 3 show the same for Sister Jones as they show for my wife and a handful of others I looked at last night while in the clerk's office. i.e. Full = Preferred != Maiden

Full: Jones, Jane
Maiden: Smith, Jane
Preferred: Jones, Jane

There are probably a couple of options to fix:

1) One would seem a kind of kludge: change the preferred name twice, once back to Smith and then again to Jones. This might work with a single Send/Receive, but would more likely work with a Send/Receive after each change.

2) Another option might be to force a sync from the MLS record currently in the clerk's database to the church's central/master databse. I don't know if such a facility exists, though. This would be a friendlier workaround, but option 1 above would, in essence, accomplish the same thing.

3) Call clerk support and request directly over the phone. I'm not sure if this is allowed or how that works, though. I am new at this.

If there is a bug, I doubt if I would ever see it again. However, I am more than willing to help determine if there is one, and if so, how to re-create it and what the real fix is.

I wish I could edit the "Preferred" name online. Sure will be nice when complete online secure editing capabilities for MLS data are available. I understand the security and auditing issues at a high level.

Neil
russellhltn
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#6

Post by russellhltn »

nwtaylor wrote:Yes, there are 3 (as I recall): full/legal, maiden, and preferred.

These 3 show the same for Sister Jones as they show for my wife and a handful of others I looked at last night while in the clerk's office. i.e. Full = Preferred != Maiden

Full: Jones, Jane
Maiden: Smith, Jane
Preferred: Jones, Jane
There's actually one more: The "household name" in the Household section. However, assuming that she's in the same household as her husband and he's showing correctly, I wouldn't think that would be an issue here.

nwtaylor wrote:change the preferred name twice, once back to Smith and then again to Jones. This might work with a single Send/Receive, but would more likely work with a Send/Receive after each change.
That was going to be my next suggestion.
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nwtaylor
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Location: Springville, UT, USA

#7

Post by nwtaylor »

RussellHltn wrote:


Image Originally Posted by nwtaylor Image
change the preferred name twice, once back to Smith and then again to Jones. This might work with a single Send/Receive, but would more likely work with a Send/Receive after each change.


That was going to be my next suggestion.

Thanks, Russell.

Well, I tried that last night - changing the preferred name to something else (without a send), and then changing it back to what it is supposed to be (followed by a send). The short of it - that did not work. I don't think a send was even attempted.

Then I tried an option under the File menu (can't remember it now) that allows you to send all info. First I thought it would allow a "push individual member data." After I ran it, it seemed to be an option for updating ALL MLS data for the ward - not certain at that point whether it was a push or a pull. However, after thinking about it, a "push" would not be a good idea - to, in effect, overwrite the "master" data with the "local" MLS data.

I am hopeful that the next time I bring up MLS the data for Sister Jones will be in a state where I can finally make a change and have it sync back to the master data correctly.

If not, I will change her preferred name followed by a send, then wait a day, then change it to the correct name.

I will report my findings.

Neil
russellhltn
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#8

Post by russellhltn »

nwtaylor wrote:Then I tried an option under the File menu (can't remember it now) that allows you to send all info.

I think you're talking about a Unit data refresh. It will make MLS match what's at CHQ.
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nwtaylor
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Posts: 19
Joined: Thu Aug 30, 2012 11:45 am
Location: Springville, UT, USA

#9

Post by nwtaylor »

RussellHltn wrote:I think you're talking about a Unit data refresh. It will make MLS match what's at CHQ.

Yes, got the membership refresh and sure enough the sister's preferred and maiden names are the same. So, I changed her preferred name to her full/legal name and sent to CHQ. I am confident that all will be good tomorrow.

Thanks for all of your help and suggestions.

Neil
nwtaylor
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Posts: 19
Joined: Thu Aug 30, 2012 11:45 am
Location: Springville, UT, USA

#10

Post by nwtaylor »

nwtaylor wrote:Yes, got the membership refresh and sure enough the sister's preferred and maiden names are the same. So, I changed her preferred name to her full/legal name and sent to CHQ. I am confident that all will be good tomorrow.

24+ hours and it looks like things are back to the way they were originally: preferred name is correct in the local MLS data, but CHQ data still has preferred = maiden :(

Now I don't believe the change was even sent. Perhaps an individual's record requires more than a change to the preferred name in MLS to trigger or flag a send. ??? I know other data has sent and updated correctly - we had a record pulled in from one ward and then sent to another YSA ward this morning, both transactions completing and our MLS updated as well as data visible on lds.org.

I am starting to appreciate the challenges of IT @ CHQ in their efforts to unify the data and the views and interfaces to it.

If CHQ data doesn't reflect the local MLS data as far as this 1 record is concerned by Tuesday, then I will need to call someone in Support who can update it on the backend. Link or phone for that would be appreciated.

Minor bug ."Send" not occurring if/when a preferred name is changed.

Good night
Neil
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