Online Sign-up

[beckyfarnsworth]

Has there been any thought of adding a sign-up option to the Ward Calendar? I am specifically interested in finding a way for members to sign up to feed the missionaries. However, it seems like there are enough other occasions that sign-up sheets are passed during priesthood and auxilliary meeting that this could be a useful tool for most wards. It would cut down on the disruption during lessons and allow for greater coordination within families. It would also allow equal access to those who serve in primary or have stake calling that require visiting other wards. I realize that the access/restiction balance could be challenging so I'm curious if something like this is on the radar. Thanks!

[aebrown]

This has been suggested by others. See these threads:

• Scheduling missionary meals by members? Is this possible?
• calendar editors

I don't know if such a feature is planned. At one time some places in the documentation (such as The missing "Submit Event" button) gave some indication that it was on the roadmap for the future. But I can't find any current references to it being planned for the future.

[kisaac]

I can see in the future that an on-line sign-up would be very helpful. I'd love to see it for not just missionary meals, but service projects, ward Pot-Luck dinners, tithing settlement, Home teaching personal priesthood interviews, perhaps even temple recommend renewal appointments. Similar technology is already out there on other sites. Some of these would need to be private, of course....

[nathangg]

Various organizations in our ward have started using Signupgenius.com (literally, two orgs just sent emails asking people to sign up within the past week).

However, I haven't been able to find guidance if this is okay or not. They aren't using the name of the Church and it mostly complies with HB 2 21.1.22. [1]

I guess as long as it follows HB 2 21.1.22 then it is probably okay (although signupgenius.com does show ads... it is kind of weird to see an ad for a non-LDS Christian website when I'm trying to sign up for a Primary activity

Do other people use a site like this? What about using Google Spreadsheets and making the document visible to anyone with the link and editable without having to log in?

Thanks~!


[1] I say "mostly" because the sign up list does not have the name of the member who created it (but there is a form you can use to email the person) and the list does not say, "This is not an official Web site of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints". Those can be easily remedied, though.

[lajackson]

it is kind of weird to see an ad for a non-LDS Christian website when I'm trying to sign up for a Primary activity

This is why our local priesthood leaders have asked us to be very careful and not use sites with ads because the ads are not under local control. The ward did not do this, but one of our active members used a different invitation service for a gathering of mostly members who all wound up with an ad to drink responsibly, along with a photo of a non-Word of Wisdom compliant drink that was not available at the party.

And a year or so ago, without counseling with priesthood leaders, one of our organizations tried to set up a site that quickly added advertisements and links for immoral activities and apostate organizations.

The Handbook is your friend. I would be hesitant to use any site or service with features that I did not control.

[ivanlnelson]

Please consider this for future development.
The lists passed around at church is such an inefficient solution with the technology we have today.
Implement a signupgenius type app on the web site and mobile tool.

[lajackson]

Please consider this for future development.

If you read earlier in the topic, you will see that this is an idea that this has been suggested by others. Since the developers rarely visit this forum, I suggest you make your excellent suggestion using one of the Feedback links at the LDS.org website. Although you may not receive an answer, Feedback is always sent to the proper development team for consideration and presentation to those who make the decisions concerning what will be developed in the future.

[ehacker]

I was curious if anything was in the works pertaining to sign sheets at this point in LDS tools. In my view, the historical threads do not provide me with much hope on this but the lack of enthusiasm to champion an idea like this seems strange to me. If those at church HQ are seeking measures to reduce and simplify, I think this may be a ripe area of exploration. A feature on LDS tools for this that could streamline and save potential time, energy and resources that so many, and I emphasize "many," expend in there callings getting volunteers to sign up for things, would be tremendous. The person who began this thread could be considered a case in point. I just received two sign up sheets today to pass around for tomorrow. I see them week after week, month after month, I think this is ubiquitous in most wards throughout the church, at least where computers and paper resources are somewhat accessible. I don't think the "list" tool is a sufficient substitute in the least for this. Its limited in the ability to save information and track who has signed up for what. It's a communication tool and not a means to efficiently gather, track and remind volunteers. It's an email or text blast. Something was mentioned about how this online sign up option hasn't been mentioned often in these online forums but I argue these forums are a poor measure whether a project should be undertaken. I would argue that the facts are overwhelming that much time and resources are devoted to seeking and getting volunteers via paper and pen/pencil each week. I would also propose that streamlining this process would save members time and out of pocket expenses (printing) and the church resources (paper & ink at least). If a reasonable tool was assembled I could imagine it would be groundbreaking in terms of time savings for so many and much less paper. To have a sign up of sorts to come on my phone, well organized and consolidated with a calendar reminder for those who sign up to boot seems feasible to me. But yes, someone has to convince those with positional authority with access to the resources and strategic vision to make this happen. I'm certainly for investing resources to reduce and simplify the workload of members in this way. In a similar way my employer invested resources to develop tools for financial administrators to discontinue using paper for such routine tasks as journal entries, HR approvals and so forth. The upfront investment has saved our employer potentially millions while increasing efficiency enormously for administators. In a closely related fashion I see this for sign up sheets. It's an opportunity and challenge awaiting for it's champion. I see RS/EQ, and Sunday School rolls folded in this idea, including perhaps tithing settlement or any signup related task. In fact a third party website exists just to meet this unattended need called signupgenius which should provide some further evidence that this is a real need. Please consider or reconsider this if possible. This in no way diminishes the great work that has already been accomplished via LDS tools. Thank you.

[schmarvin]

During Coronavirus physical separation, we still need to feed missionaries, have meetings, schedule virtual teaching appointments, etc....
Seems like the church providing ward signupgenius accounts, or providing similar functionality on ward calendars would be more valuable than ever. Instead, each unit has to subscribe on their own and reinvent the wheel.

Why isn't this happening?

[lajackson]

Why isn't this happening?

Since this is a user-to-user help forum, there is no one here who has any clue why the Church has not established a standardized calendar appointment system for the worldwide membership. My guess, and totally my own, is that there is not a system that would work worldwide. Each ward and branch has different needs and circumstances that would make a worldwide solution very difficult to identify. For example, the one you mentioned would not work in our ward.

That said, suggestions provided through Feedback at the Church website are reviewed by those who give developers their instructions. In addition, a bishop or stake president is able to submit suggestions to the general authorities who make these decisions. If you think they may not be aware of the system you suggested, you certainly may suggest it through either of those channels.