Records clean up task.

Hi guys,

So our goal this year is to get our records 100% correct. membership record clean up, address's,etc.

To release the presure on ward clerk, we have called a helping hand, who is going to be involved in the task.

He lives very far from the meeting house, and well to make the task possible he asked us to set up remote access to the computer. Before any of you say, i know this is a big NO NO, therefore i told him no.

My question is, How can we make it possible so he can do it at home?

My thought are....

Install MLS on his laptop, upload backup on it, and he can carry on cleaning up membership records, i see a few problem with this, but is there a way this can be possible?

Export records into a Database format, and he can correct them that way. But is there a way of importing the database back into MLS?

Any idea's please?

kinggrunt wrote:... he asked us to set up remote access to the computer. Before any of you say, i know this is a big NO NO, therefore i told him no.

That's correct.

kinggrunt wrote:Install MLS on his laptop, upload backup on it, and he can carry on cleaning up membership records, i see a few problem with this, but is there a way this can be possible?

No, this is not allowed, either. The Policies and Guidelines for Computers Used by Clerks for Church Record Keeping require the Stake Technology Specialist to "ensure that priesthood leaders and clerks do not install Church record-keeping software on their home computers." There are technical problems with this as well, but I won't even go into those, since it is clearly contrary to policy.

kinggrunt wrote:Export records into a Database format, and he can correct them that way. But is there a way of importing the database back into MLS?

A database of exported data might help you identify issues, but there is no point in making any changes to that database, since there is no way to import membership data changes back into MLS.

kinggrunt wrote:Any ideas, please?

A big part of the job is to identify all the issues. That part of the job can be done from paper records. You do need to note that actual membership records are to be seen only by the bishop or a clerk, but most of the required information can be seen on the Individual Ordinance Summary. It would also be helpful to print out the Membership Validation Report to find the issues reported there.

Then someone else at the actual administrative computer would still have to make the actual changes in MLS, but all the research could have been done ahead of time.

As Alan says, work from the Membership Validation Report to clean up the issues noted there.
Classify each household on the ward roster as either: In the Ward, Moved out, or Unknown. Attempt to get current contact info for those that have moved out, and move their records out. Determine the status of those in the Unknown group; if you can't find them, move them out.

If you have access to beta-maps.lds.org, then use it to map each household in the ward.

Verify each address on the ward roster against an internet based postal code lookup database. Correct/complete the addresses in MLS.

Verify each phone number on the ward roster. Update MLS.

Print Individual Ordinance Summaries for all members of the ward; hilite missing data blocks and either hand-deliver or mail them. Each member should have a current IOS for their personal records, and to find information required to register on church web sites.

rontilby wrote:If you have access to beta-maps.lds.org, then use it to map each household in the ward.

I like that site, it is very good. Why are there so many Unmapped location? even my house is unmapped. How do we correct it and get them mapped? I know all my details are correct.

kinggrunt wrote:Why are there so many Unmapped location? even my house is unmapped. How do we correct it and get them mapped? I know all my details are correct.

The ward clerk can login to the site and either map unmapped locations or adjust the position of incorrectly or imprecisely mapped locations.

But first you should make sure that the addresses are not only "correct" but also are in the proper format for geocoding. You can simply enter the address in Google Maps to see how it works. There are more details in the rather long thread New maps beta now available!.

As I understand it, mapping & verifying in beta-maps is currently restricted to the Ward Clerk and Assistant Clerks. If you're in one of those callings, and the calling shows correctly in your local MLS (using a 'standardized' calling) and you still can't 'move the dots' on the map, then try sending feedback from inside beta-maps, and explain the problem.

Sorry guys, Last questions.

If MLS is correct and has me down for ward clerk or asstant ward clerk, then it will automaticly reconize me on the website?

And if i edit a members address on the Map beta, will it update MLS member address.

kinggrunt wrote:Sorry guys, Last questions.

No need to apologize -- the forum is here to help you. Keep asking questions as long as you need help.

kinggrunt wrote:If MLS is correct and has me down for ward clerk or asstant ward clerk, then it will automaticly reconize me on the website?

If the information is truly correct in MLS, then when you login to the maps site with your LDS Account, it will recognize you. For that to work, you must be assigned the appropriate standard calling (ward clerk or assistant ward clerk) in MLS, and that calling information has to have been transmitted and CDOL updated (which should happen automatically).

kinggrunt wrote:And if i edit a members address on the Map beta, will it update MLS member address.

No, updates to the map only affect the map. Updated information will flow from MLS to the map, but not the other direction. That's why it is important to first make every effort to make sure that the MLS information is correct.

The way I did this was to print out the Directory of Members (NOT the Telephone Directory or the Abbreviated Directory) because it provided the most complete address in the fewest pages without having to create a custom report. I then took that directory home and verified each address by typing it in to the post office's website to get the formatting and standardization correct and consistent. For me that meant using http://zip4.usps.com/. Since you list your location as being in the UK, I'm guessing you would use http://postcode.royalmail.com. I marked up the printout using a red pen or pencil so I could easily tell what corrections needed to be made, and then the next time I was at the meetinghouse I corrected the addresses in MLS. Working off the printout allowed me to work on one page at a time so that the task didn't become too overwhelming.

Yeah thanks guys, really happy with the reply's, I have been doing some more research, and well i read on some forums remote access is a big NO, and then others saying its ok, then today i come across:

Remote-Access Software
In the past, some stakes have used PC Anywhere to access ward computers from a remote site for diagnostic purposes. If stake leaders want to continue to do this, they will be responsible to purchase their own software.\

This is from a letter to in 2005 i believe to all stakes.

It does say to take security measures when remote access software is in use. Therefore is it allowed? I really need to be made clear on it.

kinggrunt wrote:In the past, some stakes have used PC Anywhere to access ward computers from a remote site for diagnostic purposes. If stake leaders want to continue to do this, they will be responsible to purchase their own software.\

This is from a letter to in 2005 i believe to all stakes.

It does say to take security measures when remote access software is in use. Therefore is it allowed? I really need to be made clear on it.

The only allowance is "for diagnostic purposes." I don't see how the purpose you are describing could possibly be called "diagnostic purposes."

kinggrunt wrote:This is from a letter to in 2005 i believe to all stakes.

The letter you are referring to is the 2005 "Policies and Guidelines for Computers Used by Clerks for Church Record Keeping".

It has been superseded by the 2009 version which contains no such language. The 2009 version claims that remote software can be downloaded from mls.lds.org. The closest I know of is LANDesk which would allow CHQ to remote into the computer. If you wish to pursue that angle, then I'd suggest a call to clerk support to clarify what is available.