General access question

I have recently been called to be the Asst Stake Clerk in Technology. I have worked as a Java Software Developer and other tech related fields so I am excited this calling.

It seems that my calling has been updated correctly in MLS. I was trying to compile a list of URL resources that help with my calling. Is there a thread that already exists that contains this info?

Second, I don't have access to clerk.lds.org. Is this normal for my calling?

If you were properly given the correct standard calling (Assistant Stake Clerk -- Technology Specialist) then you should have rights to Clerk Resources. Those rights take a business day or so to be granted after the standard calling is transmitted to CHQ.

As for your responsibilities, I'd start with the Record Keeping and Technology Support site (which you won't have access to until you also have access to Clerk Resources). Review the Meetinghouse Technology section of that site.

aebrown wrote:If you were properly given the correct standard calling (Assistant Stake Clerk -- Technology Specialist) then you should have rights to Clerk Resources. Those rights take a business day or so to be granted after the standard calling is transmitted to CHQ.

I don't see STS on the access table for Clerk Resources, but the STS does get access to Leader Resources and that has several good links for a new STS in addtion to the Record Keeping and Technology Support that aebrown referred you to.

JonesRK wrote:I don't see STS on the access table for Clerk Resources, but the STS does get access to Leader Resources and that has several good links for a new STS...

Thanks for the clarification -- I confused Clerk Resources with Leader Resources when I responded regarding what the STS could see.

Where is this access table that you speak of? I assume you are speaking of documentation and not a database table.

eanderson wrote:Where is this access table that you speak of? I assume you are speaking of documentation and not a database table.

It's available on the Other menu under Clerk Resources or Leader Resources on LDS.org. See this screen shot:

The irony with this table is that only those with access to the site can view the table. All others must ask someone who has access to tell them who should have access and what parts are accessable by each calling.

jdlessley wrote:The irony with this table is that only those with access to the site can view the table. All others must ask someone who has access to tell them who should have access and what parts are accessable by each calling.

And as a STS, I'm one of those who can't access the site. I really don't need any of the functions listed, but it seems that I should be able to answer the question of who has access.

Another calling that may need to know the information in this table is the website administrator. In some units the website administrator is expected to know these things as well as the functions of other LDS.org tools applications.

jdlessley wrote:Another calling that may need to know the information in this table is the website administrator. In some units the website administrator is expected to know these things as well as the functions of other LDS.org tools applications.

We're talking about Leader and Clerk resources here. I don't see why people who are neither clerks nor leaders need to know what specific things they can't access on a site that they have absolutely no access to. This seems to me to be clearly in the responsibility of the ward and stake clerks -- a website administrator has no need to know any details about this site.

The one oddity is probably the STS, which is indeed a clerk, but has no access to Clerk Resources. But for anyone else, I don't see the argument. You could say the same thing about CDOL, or the Online Missionary Recommendation System, or any number of other sites that are restricted to clerks and leaders.

aebrown wrote:We're talking about Leader and Clerk resources here. I don't see why people who are neither clerks nor leaders need to know what specific things they can't access on a site that they have absolutely no access to.

Yes, I know what site or tool we are talking about. And My comment was not focusing on access to the site but rather having access to the table of access. The information in that table is information that has a broader applicability to more than just those who have access to the site.

It is common in many units that the website administrator is given the responsibility to train others, to include unit leaders, on church websites. The tools on LDS.org typically are included. Just providing the information in the table of access goes a long way in adding to providing better trainging, even if it is just to let a new leader know what is available on leader and clerk resources.

There is no policy I have found that solely gives responsibility for training other unit leaders on websites and online tools to the clerks. In fact there is no mention about training for those tools in any documentation that I can find. There may be an assumption that because much of the information on LDS.org tools is an extension of MLS capabilities that the training responsibility belongs to the clerks. My bishop, and I guess many other bishops and branch presidents, see the website administrator as a logical choice in filling this training need for various reasons.

aebrown wrote: This seems to me to be clearly in the responsibility of the ward and stake clerks -- a website administrator has no need to know any details about this site.

I agree there is no need to know how to use those tools. But there is a need for some leaders who do not have access to the tools there to know who does have access. We're only talking about having some of the information in the table.

Fortunately, the list of who has access seems to be in the Wiki.

jdlessley wrote:Another calling that may need to know the information in this table is the website administrator. In some units the website administrator is expected to know these things as well as the functions of other LDS.org tools applications.

I don't see why the website administrator would be expected to know anything about Leader or Clerk Resources. They are not expected to know anything about the MLS program of which leade and clerk resources is just an internet based extension of.

aebrown wrote:The one oddity is probably the STS, which is indeed a clerk, but has no access to Clerk Resources.

While the STS calling is indeed a clerk their responsibility is totally different than the other clerks and therefor don't have a need to access the data in MLS or Leader and Clerk resources.

jdlessley wrote:There may be an assumption that because much of the information on LDS.org tools is an extension of MLS capabilities that the training responsibility belongs to the clerks.

While there may be an assumption the assumption is incorrect. It is not the training on LDS.org where the responsibility fall under the clerk but the training in Leader and Clerk Resources where the training fall under the clerk the same as in MLS.

jdlessley wrote:My bishop, and I guess many other bishops and branch presidents, see the website administrator as a logical choice in filling this training need for various reasons.

The training for LDS.Org yes. But the training for Leader and Clerk Resources no. Even though Leader and Clerk Resource (L&CR) are a part of LDS.Org the responsibility for training users of L&CR clearly must be separated to fall under the clerks.

Gary_Miller wrote:

aebrown wrote:The one oddity is probably the STS, which is indeed a clerk, but has no access to Clerk Resources.

While the STS calling is indeed a clerk their responsibility is totally different than the other clerks and therefor don't have a need to access the data in MLS or Leader and Clerk resources.

But an STS does have access to Leader Resources, which contains a lot of helpful information specific to the STS calling. It's only Clerk Resources that an STS doesn't need access to, since it deals mostly with membership issues.

aebrown wrote:But an STS does have access to Leader Resources, which contains a lot of helpful information specific to the STS calling. It's only Clerk Resources that an STS doesn't need access to, since it deals mostly with membership issues.

Do they currently have access?

The WIKI page russellhltn linked to shows that "Assistant Clerk - Technology Specialist, do not currently have access but will have access in the near future." the page was last updated in March 2012. When I look at the access list through Leader Resources it only shows Clerk Resources access list which does not have the Assistant Clerk - Technology Specialist listed.

Is the Access table for the Leader Resources and Clerk Resources the same?

Gary_Miller wrote:Do they currently have access?

Yes we do.

However, I'm not sure how useful it is. I see 4 links that seem applicable to the calling. The first is a video on "Information Security Awareness". The other three point to the Wiki. Two of those land on pages that announce that the content is now on Clerksupport.

Meanwhile there are a number of other links that look to be good for someone in a spiritual leadership position (Serving Young Single Adults, Helping members plan to overcome pronography, etc.), but not so great for someone in a technical position.

Gary_Miller wrote:I don't see why the website administrator would be expected to know anything about Leader or Clerk Resources.

Not as a general rule. But we are not talking about knowing the details of how each tools works, just what is available and where it is available. A former clerk and STS with extensive technology expertise called as a website administrator and given the additional task to train leaders needs to have current information about what has changed.

Gary_Miller wrote:

jdlessley wrote:My bishop, and I guess many other bishops and branch presidents, see the website administrator as a logical choice in filling this training need for various reasons.

The training for LDS.Org yes. But the training for Leader and Clerk Resources no.

In making this statement you have made an assumption. The assumption made is the website administrator would be training those leaders how to use the leader and clerk resources. That was never stated. My statement was about the need to have access to the information available in the table of access. There is no need for the website administrator to train how to use the leader and clerk resources. But it is important to have an idea of what is available on leader and clerk resources so these capabilities can be point out during the general training.

I wonder if it would be possible to have a sandbox ward or stake that would allow technology specialists to be able to login and gain experience with the tools.