Directory Emails Don't Match Clerk/Leadership Emails

When I go to "Clerk and Leadership Resources", the Email addresses aren't updated to match the email addresses entered by members under the "Directory" section. They must be in 2 different systems, MLS and something else? I'm a bit confused. Could you explain to me all of the various databases the church uses and how they relate to the ward websites? Also, how do I sync the data so it matches?

I'm aware of at least 4 different "e-mail" listings:

The LDS Account of an individual lists at least 3: Primary, Alternate and Ward Directory.

In the Directory and MLS, there are two emails: Household and Individual. It appears the "Individual" is the same as the LDS Account "Ward Directory".

I don't have access to "Leader" to see which email it's displaying.

Can you check to see if the email addresses in the clerk resources match up with the email addresses members can input themselves under "directory?" I've been telling ward members that if they change their contact information in the directory on the website, then their information is automatically changed in the church's system. I believe this is the purpose of letting members edit their own information. If it's not updated in the rest of the church's systems, then what's the point? It just makes it super-confusing and adds another place for inconsistent information.

There are various "church systems" and databases. Changing information in Directory does change some church databases but not all of them. Please work with your ward clerk to update the MLS system.

There is also an email that's listed as part of the lds account. It does not show in the directory nor MLS.

mmarx wrote:I've been telling ward members that if they change their contact information in the directory on the website, then their information is automatically changed in the church's system.

This is an over simplification that is just not accurate. There is more than one church 'system' that utilizes email address(es). Some of them are interconnected and share email addresses and some have their own database of email addresses.

We do know that email address(es) in LDS Account are not used to feed or update MLS, CDOL, or the Directory. And likewise MLS, CDOL, and the Directory email addresses do not update LDS Account. But there is a relationship to the email addresses in MLS, CDOL, and the Directory. CDOL is the link between MLS and the Directory. Because of this link any email address changes made in MLS updates CDOL which then updates the Directory. And likewise any email address changes made in the Directory updates CDOL which then updates MLS on the next MLS send/receive.

We have discussed in other threads in these forums whether the LDS Account email addresses should be similarly linked for updating. There are points made for and against this. The decision to link LDS Account email addresses with the MLS/CDOL/Directory email addresses is not up to the programmers. It is at a higher decision making level.

jdlessley wrote:But there is a relationship to the email addresses in MLS, CDOL, and the Directory. CDOL is the link between MLS and the Directory. Because of this link any email address changes made in MLS updates CDOL which then updates the Directory. And likewise any email address changes made in the Directory updates CDOL which then updates MLS on the next MLS send/receive.

I think you're confusing calling data with email addresses. CDOL is not involved in the process of moving updated email addresses between MLS and the Directory.

jdlessley wrote:CDOL is the link between MLS and the Directory. Because of this link any email address changes made in MLS updates CDOL which then updates the Directory. And likewise any email address changes made in the Directory updates CDOL which then updates MLS on the next MLS send/receive.

I'm pretty sure that part isn't correct. I'm pretty sure that MLS exchanges email information directly with the CMIS (the CHQ membership system) rather than with CDOL (which is just callings and unit information). The Directory for it's part gets its email information directly (in real time) from CMIS. It doesn't have it's own data store for this information, it just shows what's in CMIS. Any updates in the Directory go directly to CMIS.

I'm not sure if CDOL has it's own email addresses stored or whether it reads them directly from CMIS. Hopefully JonesRK will pipe in and clarify how email address in CDOL are related to MLS and CMIS.

eblood66 wrote:I'm not sure if CDOL has it's own email addresses stored or whether it reads them directly from CMIS. Hopefully JonesRK will pipe in and clarify how email address in CDOL are related to MLS and CMIS.

For positions on the organization summary page we do store the email address. It is a copy of what CMIS has at the time the position is created. For positions only on the org details page the contact info is looked up from CMIS each time it is displayed.

On our roadmap is better integration with the CMIS contact info. We intend to not store any of it, but have an option to say just use the CMIS data or store something different related to your position.

aebrown wrote:I think you're confusing calling data with email addresses. CDOL is not involved in the process of moving updated email addresses between MLS and the Directory.

You're right for general membership data, which was the intended discussion of this thread. For general membership it would be CMIS for email address data. Sorry for the added confusion.

Just as an FYI, Directory has no database; it pings CDOL, MLS and CMIS for information and then turns around and puts it on the web page. This means that Directory stays current with whatever is in those databases.

LisaAn wrote:Just as an FYI, Directory has no database; it pings CDOL, MLS and CMIS for information and then turns around and puts it on the web page. This means that Directory stays current with whatever is in those databases.

I'm sure you did not mean to include MLS as it is not online and constantly in communication with any outside source. An MLS user must initiate a send/receive for any data transfer to occur. MLS does provide data updates to both CDOL and CMIS which then feed the Directory, correct?