Retention of Membership Record printouts.

I don't know if you can still get a copy of the "Use and Retention of Records and Reports - 2004" form #35944. This is the most recent that I know of and it dose not cover MLS Transition reports. However all membership records and reports have a 1 year life. Your bishop may want to keep 2 to 3 years just in case you have to back track some information, ie. members moved in/out for tithing statements and the like. I have found this to be a help from time to time.

jbh001 wrote:When membership records come into MLS or changes are made to a membership record, MLS by default prints a new membership record as part of Send / Receive Changes under most circumstances.

I have an old binder in the clerks office full of these printouts.

I have yet to locate the policy on retention of these hardcopies. It makes sense to compare the hardcopy with the corresponding Membership Record Transaction Report to make sure all changes were correctly recorded. But what next? Are we (or the bishop) supposed to be maintaining these printouts in a filing cabinet or 3-ring binder somewhere, or do we just shred them?

The IOS's that print out get delivered to the corresponding member (or head of house). But I am specifically referring to the membership record, the one that states For Bishop and Membership Clerk Use Only at the top. If the instructions are in the help system of MLS, they are very effectively buried. If they are in the online training, they didn't whack me on the head with a skillet to draw attention to themselves. If they are in the Handbook, I haven't found them yet (but I haven't had much time to look for it either in the last 3 years; for better or for worse, it has been a low priority).

Can one of you that know more than I direct me to the policy on this?

This was discussed at length in another thread: http://tech.lds.org/forum/showthread.php?t=823

I think the ultimate answer boils down to "as long as you feel you need to". Trust me when I tell you it comes in handy to look up information on move in/move outs. Especially the move outs because once they are gone, you have NO information in MLS's membership.

The biggest issue to be aware of is that sensitive information such as disfellowshipment is only exposed when you print the record. It's not easily visible anywhere else in MLS.

DJC wrote:The new policy is as follows, "The ward or branch should have one in the Member and Leader Services (MLS) program for each member living in the ward or branch." This is in the new Record Use and Retention policy that is currently being given to distribution from what I understand. It is up to each priesthood leader to determine if they would also like a printed copy on file. I know it is not an exact answer, but that is the best I can do for now.

Actually, I think it's a great answer. We sometimes look for policy when there is no policy. If there is no policy, local priesthood leaders do what they choose under inspiration to fit their local unit's needs.

Some wards don't print out membership records at all, others maintain extensive printed records for years. As long as they do what is necessary to keep accurate records in MLS, and they properly secure electronic and printed records, and securely dispose of printed records that are no longer needed, the local leaders can do as they see fit. The foregoing is subject, of course, to any actual written policy on the subject which may be issued.

[quote="RussellHltn"]Trust me when I tell you it comes in handy to look up information on move in/move outs. Especially the move outs because once they are gone, you have NO information in MLS's membership.[/quote]I agree wholeheartedly, but this was not my question. I am not asking about retention of the Membership Record Transaction Report, Individual Ordinance Summaries (IOS), or the transaction confirmation report from CHQ. I am asking about membership records only.[quote="DJC"]The new policy is as follows, "The ward or branch should have one in the Member and Leader Services (MLS) program for each member living in the ward or branch."[/quote]More precise wording would be along the lines of: "The ward or branch should have a membership record in the Member and Leader Services (MLS) program for each member living within the ward or branch boundaries." This agrees with the Handbook (page 45 of book 1) that the ward should have a membership record for each member living within the ward boundaries. But the handbook does not specify whether that record must be a hardcopy or if electronic is acceptable for most circumstances.

I have read the pages I was lead to in the Handbook and the instruction there is that records are kept for as long as they are needed for administrative and legal purposes (see page 151 of book1). "Administrative purposes" would seem to apply primarily to the membership side of things, while "legal purposes" would seem to apply primarily to the financial side of things.

Additionally I finally found the following in the Help section of MLS under Receiving Membership Records.

When you receive a membership record over the modem from the administration office:
1. Check the accuracy of the records for converts and children.
2. Give the bishop the records with confidential information (such as a disfellowshipment).

The bishop should file the records with confidential information in his confidential files. He can use the records of converts and members moving in for fellowshipping purposes.

Printed membership records that are not needed should be destroyed in a manner that makes it impossible to reconstruct them.

From the lack of specific policy to the contrary, I feel free to read all of this as:

1. If it shows disciplinary action or other annotations, give a hardcopy to the bishop for his confidential files.

2. If they are new converts, give a hardcopy to the bishop so they can be discussed at the next bishopric, PEC, or ward council meeting. Then shred the hardcopy when it is no longer needed for this purpose.

3. Shred all other hardcopies of the membership record. They can be re-printed for the bishop as needed prior to interviews (see page 145 of book 1) and then promptly shredded afterward.

jbh001 wrote:From the lack of specific policy to the contrary, I feel free to read all of this as:

1. If it shows disciplinary action or other annotations, give a hardcopy to the bishop for his confidential files.

2. If they are new converts, give a hardcopy to the bishop so they can be discussed at the next bishopric, PEC, or ward council meeting. Then shred the hardcopy when it is no longer needed for this purpose.

3. Shred all other hardcopies of the membership record. They can be re-printed for the bishop as needed prior to interviews (see page 145 of book 1) and then promptly shredded afterward.

I would agree with #1 and #3.

#2 would be fine if that's how the local leadership wants to handle it.

RussellHltn wrote:#2 would be fine if that's how the local leadership wants to handle it.

This very thing is encouraged in the Receiving and Using Membership Records online training. The only part I added to that training was about shredding the hardcopy when it is no longer needed (page 151 of Book 1).

Okay everyone, here's the scoop.

I have been a Membership Clerk for 14 years now. (Don't ask I've tried everything.... )

Anyway, back in the mid 90's we were sent instructions telling us to print "membership records" as needed for Bishopric use. These instructions also stated that no paper copies of "membership records" were to be kept outside of the system. These instructions coincided with the introduction of the individual ordinance summary (IOS).

As for trasmission send and received reports we are supposed to keep those copies until the next annual membership audit with the stake.

With this being said I need to insert some clarifications here. While people in the forums here offer opinion and conjecture.....it is by no means a substitute for obtaining official answers from the church. To do so call 800-453-3860 x23500

Membership Tip of the Day: When a family moves out of the ward give their new address to the finance clerk so he can send them a tithing report for use next year. It saves a lot of work trying to findout where they moved to a year later.

jbh001 wrote:The ward or branch should have a membership record in the Member and Leader Services (MLS) program for each member living within the ward or branch boundaries.

You obviously don't live in an area with a high student/ethnic population. Our ward boundaries overlap with two married student wards, two single student wards, one YSA ward, and three language specific wards. A membership record can only be in ONE ward or branch at a time.

rpyne wrote:You obviously don't live in an area with a high student/ethnic population. Our ward boundaries overlap with two married student wards, two single student wards, one YSA ward, and three language specific wards. A membership record can only be in ONE ward or branch at a time.

Correct. But I have lived in such an area in the past. The other units you mention are exception units, and are mostly operated on an "opt-in" basis for the particular cohort for which the exception was created (i.e. YSA, language, student, etc). And since you probably know how to appropriately handle the exceptions applicable to your area, I am not sure what point you were trying to make.

I guess I read "boundaries" as being both geographical boundaries and cohort boundaries. For example, you can only attend the Single Adult ward if you:

1. Live withing the geographic boundaries of the SA ward (which overlap many residential wards);
2. Are single;
3. Are at least 31 years old;
4. Have the SA ward request your records from the default residential ward (i.e. opt-in).

By that model, the SA ward has 4 boundaries one must qualify for, whereas residential wards only have one boundary (geographic).

Additionally, MLS has the ability to track "out-of-unit records". This is specifically for the cases like when someone is called as the bishop (or a counselor in the bishopric) of a student ward. The bishop's records remain in his residential ward. However, they are also created in the student ward's MLS database as an "out-of-unit member" so that the bishop's information will be available in the student ward's MLS database for printouts, ordinances, and such. But if you have so many wards overlapping yours, you already knew about this.

jbh001 wrote:Are at least 30 years old

SA starts at 31.

Reference

jbh001 wrote:When membership records come into MLS or changes are made to a membership record, MLS by default prints a new membership record as part of Send / Receive Changes under most circumstances.

I have an old binder in the clerks office full of these printouts.

I have yet to locate the policy on retention of these hardcopies. It makes sense to compare the hardcopy with the corresponding Membership Record Transaction Report to make sure all changes were correctly recorded. But what next? Are we (or the bishop) supposed to be maintaining these printouts in a filing cabinet or 3-ring binder somewhere, or do we just shred them?

The IOS's that print out get delivered to the corresponding member (or head of house). But I am specifically referring to the membership record, the one that states For Bishop and Membership Clerk Use Only at the top. If the instructions are in the help system of MLS, they are very effectively buried. If they are in the online training, they didn't whack me on the head with a skillet to draw attention to themselves. If they are in the Handbook, I haven't found them yet (but I haven't had much time to look for it either in the last 3 years; for better or for worse, it has been a low priority).

Can one of you that know more than I direct me to the policy on this?

Maintaining hard copies of membership records is time consuming and requires a place to store the confidential information. In order for the hard copy to be of value to the Bishop it has to be replaced any time there is a change.

I suggest the following (understanding the Bishop has the final word):
When new members move in give the membership record hard copy to the Bishop for his use.
Request he shred it when he no longer needs it.
If he needs a hard copy at a future date, print one for his use.

Znauga

jbh001 wrote:I agree wholeheartedly, but this was not my question. I am not asking about retention of the Membership Record Transaction Report, Individual Ordinance Summaries (IOS), or the transaction confirmation report from CHQ. I am asking about membership records only.More precise wording would be along the lines of: "The ward or branch should have a membership record in the Member and Leader Services (MLS) program for each member living within the ward or branch boundaries." This agrees with the Handbook (page 45 of book 1) that the ward should have a membership record for each member living within the ward boundaries. But the handbook does not specify whether that record must be a hardcopy or if electronic is acceptable for most circumstances.

I have read the pages I was lead to in the Handbook and the instruction there is that records are kept for as long as they are needed for administrative and legal purposes (see page 151 of book1). "Administrative purposes" would seem to apply primarily to the membership side of things, while "legal purposes" would seem to apply primarily to the financial side of things.

Additionally I finally found the following in the Help section of MLS under Receiving Membership Records.
From the lack of specific policy to the contrary, I feel free to read all of this as:

1. If it shows disciplinary action or other annotations, give a hardcopy to the bishop for his confidential files.

2. If they are new converts, give a hardcopy to the bishop so they can be discussed at the next bishopric, PEC, or ward council meeting. Then shred the hardcopy when it is no longer needed for this purpose.

3. Shred all other hardcopies of the membership record. They can be re-printed for the bishop as needed prior to interviews (see page 145 of book 1) and then promptly shredded afterward.

Excellent! I have always discouraged retaining printed copies of membership records for all ward members. It just places an extra and unnecessary burden on the clerk to keep the printed copies up to date. In addition it requires secure space for storage. I have been fortunate in that most Bishops have been in agreement with my reasoning.

znauga

znauga wrote:Excellent! I have always discouraged retaining printed copies of membership records for all ward members. It just places an extra and unnecessary burden on the clerk to keep the printed copies up to date. In addition it requires secure space for storage. I have been fortunate in that most Bishops have been in agreement with my reasoning.

I disagree somewhat with your statement. While it does place some extra responsibility on the clerk, I wouldn't consider it a "burden" to keep hard copies of the membership records.

For me, it is easier to find omissions or errors on one's record when I have a hard copy to read. it is also a convenient way to add a note for future updates and follow-up items. Of course, I don't like to waste paper either, so if the change isn't significant (like just a phone number change), I would just make a written correction without printing a new one.