How long to have permissions set?

It is now going on two weeks that I was called to be an Assistant Clerk. The Ward Clerk updated my calling status in MLS on the day I was called.

I still don't have access in LDS Tools and other places to get the information I need to perform some of my primary duties. How long does it take before my calling permissions will be set properly?

A couple of days at best.

However, the question is what are you expecting to see? There's currently no finical tools on-line. LDS Tools may give you a little more information, but it's still quite limited.

I'd also ask that the clerk check your status in the CDOL. Based on your screen name and email address, I guessed at your name, but I'm not finding it in the CDOL. That makes me wonder if the update processed at all. The CDOL updates almost immediately after the MLS send/receive.

russellhltn wrote:Based on your screen name and email address...

Just to be clear to those in the forum, only an Admin (such as russellhltn) can view a user's registered email address.

One bit of information I need to see are membership numbers. My bishop has asked that I help the ward members learn to use lds.org more often. Many do not have an account setup. In order to help them create an account, I need to tell them their membership number. The LDS Tools app should allow me to see their numbers, but it does not, yet.

russellhltn wrote:I'd also ask that the clerk check your status in the CDOL. Based on your screen name and email address, I guessed at your name, but I'm not finding it in the CDOL. That makes me wonder if the update processed at all. The CDOL updates almost immediately after the MLS send/receive.

I will ask the clerk about this. Thank you.

alandd wrote:One bit of information I need to see are membership numbers.

May need to check with others to see if you will get access. The MRN is pretty tightly controlled.

Updates to a new calling take but a few seconds, maybe fifteen minutes at the most. You can see this as a general member in the directory generally within fifteen minutes of an MLS update and send/receive. Permissions may take a day, or maybe two, after the update to CDOL as russellhltn stated.

If the calling is an assistant ward clerk then additional tools will be available on the LDS.org tools menu. The four most obvious new tools for an assistant ward clerk are Clerk Resources, Leader Resources, Missionary Recommendation, Church Directory of Organizations and Leaders, and Facility Issue and Reporting. An assistant ward clerk - membership will see the same things as an assistant ward clerk. An assistant ward clerk - finance will see no changes at all because that position has not been granted any rights beyond general membership rights on LDS.org yet.

So if you see the additional tools then the calling has been processed. If there are no additional tools then the calling has not been processed.

In LDS Tools you must do a sync to get an update to the database. If you have not been prompted to enter a pin after a sync then the position has not been updated in the database for LDS Tools. I would make sure the calling position is reflected on LDS.org, the tools, and in the Directory, before concerning yourself about LDS Tools issues.

The MRN is visible in the Directory, in any display of membership data in Leader and Clerk Resources, and in membership data displays in LDS Tools for the assistant ward clerk and the assistant ward clerk - membership.

Great information, thank you!

I fully understand the need to be careful with member record numbers!

I checked MLS with the Ward Clerk today. Everything was as expected. Therefore, it looks like I need to be setup as Ward Assistant Clerk--Membership in order for me to do what we had planned. I am currently setup as Ward Assistant Clerk--Technology, which evidently does not give me the permissions we expected.

I'll talk with the Ward Clerk and the Bishop to figure how to accomplish what we need. Maybe I'll just pair-up with the membership clerk to get members their record numbers.

alandd wrote:I am currently setup as Ward Assistant Clerk--Technology, which evidently does not give me the permissions we expected.

I have not checked the list of standard positions recently, but I think the ward assistant clerk - technology position is a custom position. There are no access rights for custom positions.

alandd wrote:Great information, thank you!

I fully understand the need to be careful with member record numbers!

I checked MLS with the Ward Clerk today. Everything was as expected. Therefore, it looks like I need to be setup as Ward Assistant Clerk--Membership in order for me to do what we had planned. I am currently setup as Ward Assistant Clerk--Technology, which evidently does not give me the permissions we expected.

Ward Assistant Clerk--Technology is a custom position and custom positions never grant any rights. Your bishop should decide whether to add the standard calling Ward Assistant Clerk--Membership or the standard calling Ward Assistant Clerk. If you already have a clerk who is primarily responsible for membership then I'd suggest just adding the Ward Assistant Clerk calling so that people don't get confused and come to you with membership issues. If the bishop desires you can leave the custom calling to clarify what your specific responsibilities are when people look in the lds.org Directory.

I'm just wondering: Isn't an assistant ward clerk of any "flavor" supposed to be called by the Stake leadership? So maybe the ward can't just fix this without getting the stake's okay.

mrrad wrote:I'm just wondering: Isn't an assistant ward clerk of any "flavor" supposed to be called by the Stake leadership? So maybe the ward can't just fix this without getting the stake's okay.

I assume the stake extended the calling in the first place. Adjusting MLS to grant the rights necessary to to perform the calling seems reasonable especially since it sounds like Assistant Ward Clerk is the closest standard calling available. But it never hurts to check with the Stake President to make sure.

Now that you mention it, I'm pretty sure it is a custom calling title. That explains it.

Thanks for the help, everyone. Knowing a few things allows me to proceed.