Tech Forum

Just downloaded a tap counter for my smart phone. This should aid in getting a count during meetings.

Are there any tactile counter apps that allow you to use physical buttons – for example, the volume up/down buttons – to increment count?

While I'm all for tactile feedback, having worn out the power button on one phone, I'm not sure as I'd want to do that.

What I used to do was to do a headcount on a "section" and then add them up. So something that worked like a super simple spreadsheet would work for me.

Tactile is great but in my experience you either run the risk of wearing out a button or generating unwanted noise. We once had a clerk that used a metal line counter (clicker) to do the count. It was so disruptive that he was asked to stop. For awhile after that he was counting the sacrement cups that went out vs the cups that came back to do the count but eventually went back to the manual walking around method. I just think the tap counter might make things easier and silent.

Good points. The thing I'd be worried about with a touch-screen tap counter is, if my finger is too close to the screen sometimes I'd worry about accidentally registering taps by lightly touching it as I'm walking around. Especially if I'm not looking at the counter app while I'm counting...

I am using the android app "tap counter" from Wizzbang. It is a fre app and has excellent feedback in the form of vibration when a tap is counted. I can turn the screen brightness way down and just walk up the isle discretely tapping the screen. I like it mostly because it has a large tap area covering most of the center of the screen.

wrigjef wrote:For awhile after that he was counting the sacrement cups that went out vs the cups that came back to do the count

Problem with this method is that you do have attendees who do not partake for varying reasons. Also, you have latecomers who miss the sacrament.

When do most wards seem to count? We have instructed our ward clerk to count as the final speaker begins their talk.

I've always counted during the intermediate hymn, when there is one, because it seems like the least distracting time.