Export Custom Reports in LCR to comma delimited file

I see that the ability to design custom reports has recently been added to the LCR. The tool seems somewhat similar to the custom reports tool in the MLS. This is great that it is now available in the LCR. However, in the MLS, when you generate a custom report you can save the report output to a comma delimited (csv) file. This allowed me to then import the data into a Microsoft Access database where I can be as creative as I want in designing custom reports that aren't limited to a simple column/row format similar to a spreadsheet.

The simple table column/row format is very limiting in that you can fit only so many columns/fields on one sheet of paper. Once I have the data in an Access database I can design reports where I arrange fields in a free-form manner to allow a large number of fields to display between the left and right margins of an 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of paper.

Is there any chance that eventually, in LCR, we will be able to do at least one of the following:

1. Design custom reports in a free form format like we can in databases like Microsoft Access or the Libre Office database?
2. and/or output and save the custom report to a comma-delimited (csv) file like you can in the MLS?

I assume that eventually, the old MLS system will be discontinued and when that happens I will lose the ablity to export custom reports to a csv file.

We generally don't get much information about features planned for the future. As far as I know, nothing has been mentioned about what additional enhancements will be made to custom reports. You can certainly use the feedback link in LCR to make a suggestion. That's the official way of making requests.

However, I very much doubt that the CSV output will be added. Almost all other options to export data have been removed or not added to the equivalent portions of LCR. Although such exports are very convenient for us, I think they make it hard for the church to make sure that it is compliant with all privacy laws in all applicable jurisdictions.

Thanks for your response. I was afraid that was going to be the answer. It's going to become a lot more difficult to design custom reports that meet the needs of priesthood and auxiliary leaders.

aplucinik wrote:It's going to become a lot more difficult to design custom reports that meet the needs of priesthood and auxiliary leaders.

It may be more productive to suggest those reports, or adding some ability to the custom reports.

I also noted that the ability to include the membership record number in custom reports is missing from the online version. MLS still has this capability, so my anxiety now is to wonder when and if the MLS custom report feature will be removed, or when and if the ability to add the membership record number will be included in the online custom report function. The number is ideal to serve as a unique primary key for indexing and common reference by other tables I link using it. Creating a unique key for each record from other information available to the online custom reports function would be cumbersome, difficult, and prone to errors. Really, the folks who have access to the custom report function are the ones who have the rights/privileges to access the member record number, so why is the trust being removed in the online version?

I believe the church is trying to move away from letting clerks do their own data processing. I think you'd have more luck asking for the reports or tools to create the reports you need in LCR.

russellhltn wrote:I believe the church is trying to move away from letting clerks do their own data processing. I think you'd have more luck asking for the reports or tools to create the reports you need in LCR.

Now if we can get bishops and stake presidents to stop asking clerks for reports that require them to do their own data processing, I think we will have a winner.

Where is this "custom reports" option you speak of for LCR. I cannot find it any where. Is it based on calling?

ironhorse2004 wrote:Where is this "custom reports" option you speak of for LCR. I cannot find it any where. Is it based on calling?

Yes, only the ward clerk, bishop, stake clerk and stake president can use custom reports. See the Create Report right in the Access Table in LCR.

Ahh I see it greyed out now!! Why do Stake Executive Secretaries not have access to custom reports??? Thanks for the info!!

ironhorse2004 wrote:Why do Stake Executive Secretaries not have access to custom reports???

I'd imagine it has to do with only the ward clerk and bishop having access to the full membership record. (Handbook 1: 13.6, 5th paragraph) Custom reports may not have adequate security to prevent inappropriate access to other callings.

Custom reports still work in good old MLS (though data that has been migrated to LCR is no longer available for an MLS custom report since it doesn't reside in MLS any longer). MLS still has the ability to export to a CSV, though that may disappear at some point.

Yes, thanks. I know it can be done in MLS but I don't have MLS at my home

I started this thread. That was my point in my original post that the LCR custom reports doesn't have the same capabilities as the MLS custom reports, particularly the ability to export to a CSV file and also that the MLS will eventually go away.

Based on my reading the tea leaves, and the heightened concern over privacy and personal information, I think the odds of any export are nil.

I think the effort would be best spent on requesting the type of reports you need rather than trying to convince the powers that be that you need a export.

ironhorse2004 wrote:Why do Stake Executive Secretaries not have access to custom reports???

I've seen this pattern through each feature rolled out... For the past 10 years!
It's a continual fine-tuning of which callings have access. Your feedback within the "send feedback" link will help shape the future....

Yes, those assigned to do the work need the access to accomplish it...
Send feedback....

I am a programmer, and I have seen this battle between us programmers and our users for 22 years. Our users love their ability to create ad hoc queries and reports against the database. We programmers constantly beg the users to tell us which standard reports they need, and we will gladly create them as standard features of our software at all the locations where it is used. When you have thousands of users creating custom ad hoc reports at thousands of locations, you lose the ability to easily move users from place to place, as they have to learn the local flavor where ever they go. Freedom to create unique reports is useful at times, but having a standard look, feel, and suite of applications across all your user locations really helps training.

ironhorse2004 wrote:Yes, thanks. I know it can be done in MLS but I don't have MLS at my home

Someone must have been listening... it shows now that Stake (and Ward) Executive Secretaries can now access the create reports function on LCR. Doesn't help with .csv export, but...

Oh wow this is fantastic and so badly needed. Thank you to whomever was listening!!!!;;

This is a little off topic, but related. I'm a stake executive secretary and I want to email a custom report to my stake presidency and not print it. Is there a way to save a custom report as a PDF file? Some systems let you print to a PDF file. I understand the problem with privacy, and also want to be sure to protect the privacy of our members. But, I can print the report (which is many pages for our stake) and then scan it into a PDF document and then attach it to an email. But that takes a lot of time. It will take a lot of paper if I make three copies for the presidency. I know that suggestions like this need to be submitted using the feedback link in LDS.org. Just wanted to raise it here to see if others would like this feature added.

Yes. I'm assuming you are in the "Create a Report" section of the LCR and not the old MLS. Simply generate the report then click on the PRINT icon then select portrait or landscape orientation then click on the PRINT icon below those choices. A PDF document will appear on the screen. In Microsoft EDGE left click anywhere on the screen for options including SAVE AS. Save it as a PDF document. In Firefox browser you'll see a ribbon at the top of the browser display with choices including a DOWNLOAD option. Download / Save it as a PDF document. It will be similar steps with Google Chrome browser.

Allan,
Thanks for your reply. Yes, I am working in LCR and it works just as you suggested. I was able to save the reports I've generated and just emailed them to the stake presidency. I hadn't noticed the little box for generating a PDF file. It was easy to save and email. I was afraid that if I proceeded it would go to my printer and print a very large file.

One more question you may be able to answer. Is there a way for me as an stake executive secretary generate separate reports for each ward? I can sort the report by ward and it organizes it by wards, but I'd like to be able to generate a separate report for each ward. Haven't tried very hard yet, but don't see a way to do that. Might be in the data selection menu. I can probably select a specific ward there and have the report be data from only that ward.

Alan,

I tried it and yes I can generate a report for each ward, but selecting Unit as one of the search parameters. Took a while to find that as I was looking for ward, unit is a better search parameter.

Vee Butterfield
Stake Executive Secretary
Taylorsville, Utah

Yeah, you'll have to create separate reports for each ward by specifying a specific ward in your search criteria. You only need to create one report but modify which ward is specified each time you run it.

Yes that works. I just tried it.

I miss the days of custom reports that convert to CSV files, but understand the Church's desire to keep reports and data more controlled and secure. I did find that those with permissions to create a report (custom report) can then convert the PDF to excel if they have an Acrobat subscription that allows for that.. just over $129 per year, but my company pays for and allows me to utilize that. Once set up, it's fast and easy.

davehilliard wrote: Thu Mar 02, 2023 8:30 am I miss the days of custom reports that convert to CSV files, but understand the Church's desire to keep reports and data more controlled and secure. I did find that those with permissions to create a report (custom report) can then convert the PDF to excel if they have an Acrobat subscription that allows for that.. just over $129 per year, but my company pays for and allows me to utilize that. Once set up, it's fast and easy.

Once you've generated a custom report, change the bit of the url that says "pdf=true" to "pdf=false" and you'll get a text report. It's not ideal, in that anything with multiple lines (address, household members etc) breaks the formatting, but for simple things it works well.

Thanks for the info, I'll try that. I appreciate everyone's info here, very helpful.