WardPlan (New software) and data privacy

Hi

Do anyone have any idea about the new software/app WardPlan? I don't see that this is a Church approved software. I'm a little concerned that the suggested features of the WardPlan go against Church policy for data protection and privacy. For example, one can use WardPlan to report Home Teaching or write details about the families you are visiting. Where is the information you type in WardPlan stored and how secure is it? One the other hand, is gmail or other email services as secure as WardPlan or even approved by the Church? I ask this question because I know members report their home teaching via email. I would really like to hear your views on this matter.

What I think, is that in the end it comes down to what is Church approved or not, as Church policies explicitly state, when it comes to sharing sensitive data online. If you are to use WardPlan, as a leader, you have to be explicit and explain to the members what data could be shared or not, what is sensitive and what is not.

Links:
https://www.wardplan.com/
http://www.gregtrimble.com/report-home- ... -teaching/


Regards,

Mike, (STS)

It seems like it would have to be stored on a hosted server somewhere. And I can't see how it would be useful unless some leader loads ward membership data into that 3rd party server - which is against policy.

Is there a way to turn them in for not using Church Authorized or approved software. Maybe you could call the Area President or something.

Brethren -

The app is as secure as any other type of communication we employ for keeping track of our ecclesiastical tasks. Wardplan was built to help ward leaders stay on the same page and to minimize important things from slipping through the cracks. There is no other task management software out there that we know of that is built specifically with the LDS church in mind.

Consider the ways that leaders currently keep track of and transmit data for their respective assignments. They use hotmail accounts that get hacked daily. They use Google docs and spreadsheets that are also hacked on occasion. They carry lists in their binders and then leave them around church and in their cars that can be broken into. They send text messages and post on Facebook groups.

We'll gladly give the code over to the church at the drop of a hat. We love the church and what's ours is theirs. But I personally would rather use an app developed by people that love the church rather than from the Google's of the world.

Blessings,

Greg

But the question remains, how does it work? If it requires uploading any kind of MLS or membership information, there's a policy problem regardless of how good the security is.

But if it's more like a task manager, and doesn't require personal information about members, then that would be less problematic.

I gave a look to it and it seems that is not using personal information but Names.
I agree about using more LDS tools as possible. I'm not thinking of digital "Cosher" certificate. Instead an LDS market as Movies and Music already have.
(Sorry for my English).

The creators of this software obviously don't read dilbert.

dpenrod75 wrote:The creators of this software obviously don't read dilbert.

Who is he, pray?

A US Comic Strip that pokes fun at US business in general (and managers and engineers in particular).

http://dilbert.com/

marianomarini wrote:

dpenrod75 wrote:The creators of this software obviously don't read dilbert.

Who is he, pray?

A popular cartoon strip about a tech worker and the clueless management he works under. I read Dilbert, but I'm not sure as I understand the reference.

russellhltn wrote:

marianomarini wrote:

dpenrod75 wrote:The creators of this software obviously don't read dilbert.

Who is he, pray?

A popular cartoon strip about a tech worker and the clueless management he works under. I read Dilbert, but I'm not sure as I understand the reference.

Sorry, what I meant was that Dilbert's not a fan of project management. The creators of this "WardPlan" obviously are.

One of many examples why:
http://dilbert.com/strip/2015-04-26

I see. I love Dilbert now. It seem an Italian man. Very funny.

russellhltn wrote:If it requires uploading any kind of MLS or membership information, there's a policy problem regardless of how good the security is.

I'd like to know more about these policies. I looked for them and this thread came up.

Specifically, I'm from a YSA ward. Many of the membership records on LDS Tools are wrong. So I maintain my own database (!) with everyone's information. I use this database to plan home teaching routes and send announcements via mass text message.

I'd like to share this database with other leaders in my ward. I'd like to do this by hosting it on a secure server. I can't find any church policies related to data sharing (FIPS 199 classifications, NIST 800-53 policies). The closest thing I found (https://tech.lds.org/wiki/Church_Applic ... quirements) gave no information on any of this.

fdisk wrote:

russellhltn wrote:If it requires uploading any kind of MLS or membership information, there's a policy problem regardless of how good the security is.

I'd like to know more about these policies. I looked for them and this thread came up.

Specifically, I'm from a YSA ward. Many of the membership records on LDS Tools are wrong. So I maintain my own database (!) with everyone's information. I use this database to plan home teaching routes and send announcements via mass text message.

I'll point you to Meetinghouse Technology Policy 4.9.3-4

However, since exports have been removed from MLS, and LCR doesn't export, that may largely be a moot point. Having to manually enter new people and sync the move-ins/move-outs is likely to kill most of those efforts.

Note that with LCR 3.0, HT routes are already on-line for authorized ward leaders. It also allows the bishopric to send messages via email (as long as everyone has their privacy set to "stake" - a long-standing bug).

fdisk wrote:Many of the membership records on LDS Tools are wrong.

If the membership records are wrong and you have the correct information, why don't you just update the records (in MLS or LCR) if you are a clerk or provide them to your ward clerk so he can update them? Using a separate database for HT/VT assignments/results is one thing but membership data on the official church records should be kept as accurately as possible.

fdisk wrote:Many of the membership records on LDS Tools are wrong.

I missed this the first time around. The information on LDS Tools is pulled from the official records of the church - subject to the privacy settings and user's calling. If someone appears in LDS Tools that shouldn't, then their records are in the ward and the ward should be working on moving them out.

If someone doesn't appear in LDS Tools that should, then either their privacy settings are not set to "stake", or their membership records are not in the ward.

Things such as move in/move out and contact information can be updated by the clerk either in MLS or on-line in LCR. At bare minimum the move in/move outs have to be done anyway or you're really not part of the church and setting yourself up for bigger problems.

Thanks, this helps a lot. Looks like we have a lot of work to do!

I'm in a Young Single Adult ward as well (a student Young Single Adult ward with many move-ins and -outs) and it's tempting to use an external database, or spreadsheet (more commonly), and ignore the online tools. With the release of Leader and Clerk Resources 3.0, my stake recommitted to that meetinghouse technology policy about not storing membership information in the cloud or in third-party software. It's still a sacrifice, but much less of a sacrifice than before because the Church-provided tools are getting so much better. And I believe we will be blessed for following the policy, even if we think we have a better way.

One of the downsides of only updating contact information in an external spreadsheet and not diligently updating the membership records, is that only the leadership tends to benefit from external spreadsheets and databases; whereas with the directory and other tools the Church has in place, everyone whose records are in the ward can automatically benefit. By using external spreadsheets and databases we often exclude the common member.

And then there's the scriptural mandate to keep the Lord's records in order, not just our own.

First off you can still export from MLS. I just did it last night so I know it was working as of last night.

Second. As for records being out of date if you have the information get with your ward clerk and get some of it fixed. Some can't be fixed because it violates policy. For example listing cell phone contacts in the information without permission. Others like legal name changes and marriages and divorces are a real headache for clerks. If they follow the policy to the letter the ward records will be in terrible shape. If every death, marriage, divorce and any other name change requires the bishop to see the legal document that made it happen then the 3/4 of the ward that is inactive will have their records complete behind the times. I wish MLS or LCR had a way to label information as secondary sources and not necessarily legal document level so that we could do a better. As ward clerk I try prayerfully to walk the line between ward records that are garbage and following policy. For example say you have 30 people in the ward who are inactive and want no contact from the church but who are married but the records lists them as single. You have spouse's names because someone attending WC knows them. What do you do with these records?(rhetorical question)

MLS 3.8.1 is due to be released this week. This version removes the export function, according to the release notes in the Help Centre.

jirp wrote:First off you can still export from MLS. I just did it last night so I know it was working as of last night.

I was a bit off on the timing. From the Release Notes it suggests that it will be rolled out on the 15th - this week. Certainly not a good idea to plan on the export being available.

jirp wrote:If they follow the policy to the letter the ward records will be in terrible shape. If every death, marriage, divorce and any other name change requires the bishop to see the legal document that made it happen then the 3/4 of the ward that is inactive will have their records complete behind the times.

I'm unaware of a requirement to see the legal document. Handbook 1: 13.6.22 says "if" and "may". My personal interpretation is that as long as the bishop is satisfied that it's legitimate, then it can be done. But if he's suspicious, he's within church protocol to ask for legal documentation.

jirp wrote:For example say you have 30 people in the ward who are inactive and want no contact from the church but who are married but the records lists them as single. You have spouse's names because someone attending WC knows them. What do you do with these records?(rhetorical question)

I believe it's possible to mark a person as married without specifying the spouse's name. Is that correct?

sbradshaw wrote:I believe it's possible to mark a person as married without specifying the spouse's name. Is that correct?

No, you have to put something. Mrs. Smith, Mr. Jones. Something.

A long time ago you needed the spouse's birthdate - something that didn't make me very happy. But I don't think that's required anymore.

I have not needed it under LCR so I haven't needed to go looking for a work around, but the work around to enter a marriage with minimal information in MLS was to avoid the marriage screen altogether and edit the individual's spouse information. Done there you can get away without all the other stuff that MLS wanted to make a marriage record. Full name and something else.(don't remember what) was all that was required to go around the marriage screen. The catch was that MLS will complain about missing information every time you run the membership audit report. And since there is no proper way to fix it for now when the question is asked when it will be fixed by on the end of the audit I simply answer "unknown". As for full name since maiden name may not be known there are a couple of "Unknown" maiden names in the records. I don't like this answer for for now it is the best that can be managed.