A few questions about ordering supplies

I've looked through the online training already and haven't found the answers to these questions.

My first question is, is there a form that should be completed when ordering either office supplies or church supplies such as sacrament cups, toner, pens, etc? I don't even fully know all the items that I'm responsible for ordering yet. That's a topic for another post.

Here are 3 real scenarios.

Scenario 1: My bishop asked me to order 12 duty to god booklets. I just order them online and bill them to the ward? Does anything else need to be done? Nothing signed? No further permissions?

Scenario 2: The clerks office doesn't have any pens, pencils, pencil sharpener, etc. As the clerk, do I just order those items or should I fill something out? Ask permission from the bishop?

Scenario 3: The financial clerk requested some expandable file folders to replace our standard file folders. Papers are spewing out the sides of the existing ones. Again, do I just order them or does someone else need to approve them first?

My unrelated question: I went into the lds.store web site to order the aforementioned Duty to God booklets. I billed it to the ward but then it asked me where to have them shipped. The only option was to ship them to the ward building but that didn't seem to make sense because the building is empty all week. Where should items that I order get shipped?

Mr_Dove wrote:I've looked through the online training already and haven't found the answers to these questions.

My first question is, is there a form that should be completed when ordering either office supplies or church supplies such as sacrament cups, toner, pens, etc? I don't even fully know all the items that I'm responsible for ordering yet. That's a topic for another post.

Here are 3 real scenarios.

Scenario 1: My bishop asked me to order 12 duty to god booklets. I just order them online and bill them to the ward? Does anything else need to be done? Nothing signed? No further permissions?

According to policy the bishop needs to approve all expenditures before they are made. But that can be a verbal approval. If he asks you to do it, I think you can assume he approves. However, at some point the bishop does also need to record his approval. There are a couple ways this can be done. If your ward has created a reimbursement request form (which should be the case) then you can fill that out and have the bishop sign it. Or you can print the purchase statement that gets sent to MLS (in the Financial Statements area) and just have the bishop sign that. Those should then be filed with other documentation for other expenses like checks.

Mr_Dove wrote:Scenario 2: The clerks office doesn't have any pens, pencils, pencil sharpener, etc. As the clerk, do I just order those items or should I fill something out? Ask permission from the bishop?

Again the bishop needs to approve of the purchase beforehand but that can be verbal. And then at some point he needs to sign something. The same options apply.

Mr_Dove wrote: Scenario 3: The financial clerk requested some expandable file folders to replace our standard file folders. Papers are spewing out the sides of the existing ones. Again, do I just order them or does someone else need to approve them first?

Basically the same situation as 2.

Mr_Dove wrote: My unrelated question: I went into the lds.store web site to order the aforementioned Duty to God booklets. I billed it to the ward but then it asked me where to have them shipped. The only option was to ship them to the ward building but that didn't seem to make sense because the building is empty all week. Where should items that I order get shipped?

I've never had the option to ship to the ward building. The option has always been to ship to either myself (which isn't always allowed) or to the bishop's address. I wonder if the bishop's address is not recorded correctly. You might want to call LUS and have them check.

Mr_Dove wrote:Scenario 2: The clerks office doesn't have any pens, pencils, pencil sharpener, etc. As the clerk, do I just order those items or should I fill something out? Ask permission from the bishop?

Scenario 3: The financial clerk requested some expandable file folders to replace our standard file folders. Papers are spewing out the sides of the existing ones. Again, do I just order them or does someone else need to approve them first?

Once you have the bishop's approval, I'd head to the local office supply store and get what you need, and then apply for a reimbursement using the receipts. I don't think the lds on-line store goes much into common office supply.

russellhltn wrote:Once you have the bishop's approval, I'd head to the local office supply store and get what you need, and then apply for a reimbursement using the receipts. I don't think the lds on-line store goes much into common office supply.

Although it's certainly an option to purchase such items at the local office supply store, it's very convenient and cost-effective to use the LDS online store (store.lds.org). If you sign in as a clerk, then go to the "Unit Materials" area, you'll see the "Office Supplies and Other Materials Available from Staples". You'll find that Staples supplies everything you need (for example, it has 158 different pencil sharpeners!), at discounted prices because of the Church's contract with them, and free (and quick) shipping to the bishop's home.

I used to go to the local office supply store, but the discounts at Staples are great and the convenience of a huge online store is tough to beat. Make sure you go to the Staples online store through the Unit Materials portal at store.lds.org so that you'll get the discounts and have the option for direct billing to the ward.

Im new to the calling as well, but can i order supllies from Stables if Im in Australia?

georgemasiasomua wrote:Im new to the calling as well, but can i order supllies from Stables if Im in Australia?

I don't think so. I just experimented with changing my country on store.lds.org to Australia, and the option for ordering from Staples disappeared.

I am a new clerk and tried to order through Staples. It asks for a customer # (which I don't have) and a 7 digit ward # (our number has 5 digits) and a password (and I have no idea what password to use...I have used all the passwords that I use to get into MLS). So, I dispute that it is easy to order through Staples. Is is permissible for me to order through Amazon and then submit a bill to get reimbursed?

Have you tried this?
- Login to lds.org
- Go to Leader and Clerk Resources
- Applications, Order Office Supplies
- Follow the procedures here:
https://www.lds.org/help/support/order- ... s?lang=eng

Yes, I tried those things, but I do not have a customer number that I know of. Our ward number is a 5 digit number, not a 7-digit number as directed, and none of the passwords work that get me into MLS. Is it permissible for me to use Amazon and get reimbursed? It seems much easier.

MLS passwords have NOTHING to do with passwords found anywhere else.

I'd follow the instructions found here.

jmower wrote:Yes, I tried those things, but I do not have a customer number that I know of. Our ward number is a 5 digit number, not a 7-digit number as directed

The instructions on store.lds.org under Unit Materials give the customer ID (the same for all Church units), and also explain that your user ID is LDS#######, where ######## is your 7-digit unit number. If your unit has fewer than 7 digits, then pad on the left with zeroes, e.g., if your unit number is 12345, then your user ID is LDS0012345.

jmower wrote:...and none of the passwords work that get me into MLS.

The password is listed on that same page.

jmower wrote:Is it permissible for me to use Amazon and get reimbursed? It seems much easier.

Yes, it's permissible; you can purchase supplies anywhere and get reimbursed, as long as you are being prudent with costs and you have proper receipts. However, using Staples via store.lds.org is much easier once you figure it out. Your ward's checking account gets charged automatically, so you don't have to submit as much paperwork, the clerk doesn't have to write a check, and you don't have to deposit it. It really does save time and hassle every time you buy, and with the Church's volume discounts, you will be hard pressed to beat the Staples prices in most cases.

jmower wrote:Yes, I tried those things, but I do not have a customer number that I know of. Our ward number is a 5 digit number, not a 7-digit number as directed, and none of the passwords work that get me into MLS. Is it permissible for me to use Amazon and get reimbursed? It seems much easier.

The link I gave (and Russell gave as well) contains the customer number and the password. As others have explained, format your unit number as directed by those instructions.

It is now 2023 and using the staples link to order office supplies does not work. The labels of the respective Customer ID, User ID and Password do not work on the staples site using the link provided. Maybe things have changed but the current instructions don't work. I have tried every combination of the information on the church website on the staple website. Still does not work. Any help would be appreciated..

jwunsch300 wrote: Sun Dec 03, 2023 11:39 pm It is now 2023 and using the staples link to order office supplies does not work.

Is the link not working as in it does not take you to the site or that when clicked you get an error message? If I read the post correctly you actually get to the site but run into problems with the sign in procedures. Does that correctly define the issue?

I just went through the steps to order office supplies from Staples Advantage. As a disclaimer, I have been going to the site for a number of years. And over those years the procedures have changed several times - or rather the website has changed and the step by step instructions have not kept up with the changes. All the information for IDs and passwords are in the instructions but not all are needed. Pay attention to what the website asks for and look for that information in the LCR instructions page. Do not blindly follow the LCR instruction steps. Following the instructions exactly will most certainly end in failure if you do not enter what the website is asking you to provide.

My unit is in the United States so I am not familiar with what the units in Canada may see on their eway page. But the changes I have experienced on staples advantage may be echoed in the eway page.

The first ID in step 2 of the instructions states you should provide the Customer ID. Currently the website does not ask for this. The first ID the site needs is the User ID. Pay attention to the instructions about your unit number as used in the User ID needing to be seven digits. Our unit number is six digits so we have to add a leading zero. This is followed by the Default Password. If you run into an error message after entering the password then first make sure you used seven digits for your unit ID. If that was done correctly then the most likely cause is someone has changed the default password. From the LCR instructions: "Note: It is highly recommended that you do not change the default password since other approved users in your unit will also sign in with it." If the password was changed and you do not know it, then you may need to call the Global Services Department (GSD) for assistance in getting it changed back to the default.

jmower wrote: Tue Sep 02, 2014 3:14 am I am a new clerk and tried to order through Staples. It asks for a customer # (which I don't have) and a 7 digit ward # (our number has 5 digits) and a password (and I have no idea what password to use...I have used all the passwords that I use to get into MLS). So, I dispute that it is easy to order through Staples. Is is permissible for me to order through Amazon and then submit a bill to get reimbursed?

[Moderator Note: Sensitive information deleted. This is a public forum.
All of the information you will need to order from Staples is in this link so kindly provided by alfonsoscudiero]

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/too ... s?lang=eng for reference...