Interview scheduling app for ward/stake executive secretaries

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deane
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Interview scheduling app for ward/stake executive secretaries

#1

Post by deane »

As a stake executive secretary, I would love to have an app for scheduling interviews for the stake presidency. Ideally, the app would allow online access by all members of the stake presidency plus stake clerks and stake exec sec.
jdlessley
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#2

Post by jdlessley »

The Calendar can be used for scheduling interviews. By making it a private calendar you can add each of the stake leaders as editors/viewers and keep it restricted to those individuals.

What situation is it that having an application would be the best solution? Is it because most or all the stake leaders primarily use smart phones or other mobile devices where a browser is not available or because an internet connection is not always available? Are there some features needed in the application that are not available on the Calendar for scheduling interviews?
JD Lessley
Have you tried finding your answer on the ChurchofJesusChrist.org Help Center or Tech Wiki?
deane
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Using the Calendar in LDS.org for scheduling interviews

#3

Post by deane »

Thanks for your input!

The main reason I don't use individual calendars on LDS.org to schedule appointments for the stake presidency is because it is so slow and cumbersome to use--especially on Sundays. Don't know if the "Sunday slowdown" is because LDS.org's servers are especially overburdened then or what, but even at other times it is painfully slow and quirky (dropping input data, etc.).

For me, using pre-printed (paper) appointment scheduling forms is actually easier than using the LDS.org calendar function, especially since I can see all three presidency member's schedules on one page rather than having to (slowly) jump back and forth between three separate/individual calendars.

As an iCal user on my Mac Mini, Macbook Pro, and iPad, I guess I'm spoiled by the fast, dependable, and accurate UI that iCal manifests on those devices, to include repeating scheduling events and drag & drop functionality. In general, using the calendar feature on LDS.org is cumbersome and painful by comparison.

I did create a calendar on LDS.org to display "absences" (out of town travel, unavailability, etc.) for the stake presidency, and that works acceptably because we don't have to access it very often or make many changes to it.
TinMan
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#4

Post by TinMan »

Our Stake Presidency tried the calendar system and had the same difficulties, deane. They switched to google calendar. I don't know how it works for them, but I know I get reminders from them for my PPI's.
dannykos
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#5

Post by dannykos »

Surely the answer is just to be able to add calendar dates from the LDS Tools app. Wouldn't need all the bells and whistles of the web app - but just some simple options like sharing the event with a contact etc.
Gary_Miller
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#6

Post by Gary_Miller »

deane wrote:For me, using pre-printed (paper) appointment scheduling forms is actually easier than using the LDS.org calendar function, especially since I can see all three presidency member's schedules on one page rather than having to (slowly) jump back and forth between three separate/individual calendars.
There is no need to jump back and forth. If you select the three separate calendars at the same time you can see all the appointments at the same time. When you need to add an appointment you would just select the proper calendar for that member of the presidency when booking the appointment.

I think if you really gave it a try you would find out that its much easier than you think.
deane
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#7

Post by deane »

Thanks for the responses, Gentlemen! As Gary suggests, I'll try the "3 separate private calendars" technique, but I must admit to skepticism that it'll work as smoothly/quickly as I'd like. I didn't realize that I could display multiple calendars simultaneously on the same screen without having to constantly re-size them to fit, etc. Sounds like a make-do "work-around" at best, but I'll give it a try. I'd still like to see a dedicated "ward/stake executive secretary scheduling tool" added to the Calendar function--but then again, I'd also like to find a jumbo low-cal combination pizza for $2 .... :o
kirtkennedy
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#8

Post by kirtkennedy »

I'm a ward exec sec and have set up a private Google Calendar that only he and I have access to. I schedule all his appointments that way and he has the ability to schedule appointments as well. This system works great. Changes can be made by either of up is real time.
Gary_Miller
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#9

Post by Gary_Miller »

kirtkennedy wrote:I'm a ward exec sec and have set up a private Google Calendar that only he and I have access to. I schedule all his appointments that way and he has the ability to schedule appointments as well. This system works great. Changes can be made by either of up is real time.
Why not use the church calendar it is basiclly Google Calendar on a secured church server.
Gary_Miller
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#10

Post by Gary_Miller »

deane wrote:I didn't realize that I could display multiple calendars simultaneously on the same screen without having to constantly re-size them to fit, etc. Sounds like a make-do "work-around" at best, but I'll give it a try.

Its not multiple calendars on the same screen. Its calendar layers on one calendar that you can see at the same time.
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