Tech Forum

Thanks Russell for leading me to the latest posts. Thank you to those who are working so diligently to get the Lesson Manual information!

GayWhited wrote:Mstauff: Thank you so very much for your efforts to to get the lesson manuals up and running. I think I speak for the others using this forum when I say, "We appreciate your time and efforts."
Do you think we should go ahead and type up our lesson schedules by hand if we want them available to teachers by mid-December?

I unfortunately, can't give you a very good timeline. I'm hopeful that we'll have the new manuals in place by early next week, but I'm not the one doing the manual portion of the process, so that's just an estimate on my part based on the emails that I've seen. As soon as the data is available to me I'll run the process in lesson schedules to update the manuals. If it were me, I would probably wait until Wed. of next week before I started doing something up by hand. It may not be available by then, but there is a chance it could be.

I'm sorry for the delay. I know it's frustrating for all of you trying to use the app. I don't know all the reasons that the process isn't more automated, but for whatever reasons it's not, and so it is subject to issues like it's seeing this year.

And just for the record, I'm not actually a church employee (despite what the forum system shows). I am a contractor for the church. I don't work on lesson schedules any more, but since I did back when it was first developed, I'm the person most familiar with the curriculum update process (at least from the lesson schedule app side). So I help out each year at this time just to try and help the process go more smoothly. Some years it's less smooth than others.

Things happened faster than I had expected (that's always a pleasant surprise). The 2015 manuals should now be available.

mstauff wrote:And just for the record, I'm not actually a church employee (despite what the forum system shows). I am a contractor for the church.

Speaking as a forum administrator, I would note that we don't have a very granular way to identify those who have inside information. So we use the "Church Employee" badge for employees, missionaries, or contractors who have some position in the Church organization that allows them to speak with some authority on a topic. That helps forum users distinguish between those who can provide authoritative information, and those who are just regular community forum users who may be sharing their personal experiences or opinions.

So I think that the Church Employee forum badge is appropriate, but if you disagree, feel free to contact me by private message and I will adjust that. I'm posting this response publicly to help other users understand for whom we use that forum badge and why.

mstauff wrote:Things happened faster than I had expected (that's always a pleasant surprise). The 2015 manuals should now be available.

Excellent! I have verified that this is indeed the case. Many people will be very happy with this news. Thanks for letting us know so promptly.

I had made a 2015 R.S. lesson schedule previously and have the first week and last week filled in and was just waiting for the manual weeks so I didn't have to self imbed the links, but I still don't see anything available for the 2nd, 3rd weeks. Do I have to re-make another schedule in order to have access to this feature, now that it is supposedly available? My 2nd and 3rd week lesson slots still say, "New Lesson".

rachbloo wrote:I had made a 2015 R.S. lesson schedule previously and have the first week and last week filled in and was just waiting for the manual weeks so I didn't have to self imbed the links, but I still don't see anything available for the 2nd, 3rd weeks. Do I have to re-make another schedule in order to have access to this feature, now that it is supposedly available? My 2nd and 3rd week lesson slots still say, "New Lesson".

You have to edit the class to select the manual.

aebrown wrote: Speaking as a forum administrator, I would note that we don't have a very granular way to identify those who have inside information. So we use the "Church Employee" badge for employees, missionaries, or contractors who have some position in the Church organization that allows them to speak with some authority on a topic. That helps forum users distinguish between those who can provide authoritative information, and those who are just regular community forum users who may be sharing their personal experiences or opinions.

That would cover me, so that's fine.

rachbloo wrote:I had made a 2015 R.S. lesson schedule previously and have the first week and last week filled in and was just waiting for the manual weeks so I didn't have to self imbed the links, but I still don't see anything available for the 2nd, 3rd weeks. Do I have to re-make another schedule in order to have access to this feature, now that it is supposedly available? My 2nd and 3rd week lesson slots still say, "New Lesson".

In addition to selecting the manual as was mentioned you'll also need to use the "insert missing lessons" link on the year view to get the manual chapters added for the year.

I can't seem to find the "insert missing lessons" link. Can you be more specific? When I click on "view year" it takes me to the template that I have set up, but the manual lessons just say "New Lesson" and when I click on the edit icon beside those, the only options available are:
Topic (Custom)
Leadership
Teachings For Our Times
Bishopric or Branch Presidency
No Class

I can find no manual to select. I'm not especially tech savvy, so I need a little extra help. =)

First, you have to edit the class to add the manual:

Go into Administration. On the line listing the class, click on the far left edit icon. (Looks like a pencil writing in a book.) Update the manual and save.

On the line listing the class, click on "view year". Below the header line, but above the calendar listing, there is some text that ends with "Insert missing lessons". Click on that text.

That was so helpful. Thank you!

This is a shot in the dark and off topic, but if you, by some unlikely chance, happen to be the Russ Hill that has a "notepad" blog, your posts are inspiring and uplifting. If not, have a great day anyway! =)