Familysearch Helper Resources, FHAR and Messages Questions
Q1. Until a few days ago, as a T&FHC I could "Add Someone" (in the Planner under Helper Resources) so that I became their Familysearch Helper in at least two good ways. One was via sending the new patron an email from me (via Familysearch) and the other was to get the new patron's Familysearch User name and their 5-digit Helper Number. This last way (user name and 5-digit Helper Number) seems to no longer be an option. What happened - that was a great way to become a new patron's Familysearch Helper??
Q2. Our first January 2022 FHAR report says our 4- Generations YTD numbers dropped by 30-40% (this happened to the other wards in our stake too). How can that be?? In all previous reports our 4-Generatins number remained mostly constant.
Q3. Often when I first login to Familysearch there is a small red dot within the "Messages" function. That red dot is supposed to indicate that I have a new message from someone. But when I open my messages (after seeing the red dot) I rarely have a new message. Why is the red dot even showing??
Thanks in advance!!
Comments
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Q2: There has been a change in the way this particular statistic is calculated. Apparently there was supposed to have been a note included with the January FHAR, but that somehow didn't happen. Here is the note that was supposed to have been included:
The “Family History Activity Report” found in Leader and Clerk Resources (LCR) has been adjusted to represent only the Family Trees of members who have a FamilySearch account. This change will result in a lower number of “First Four Generation Trees” reported. This adjustment should give leaders more accurate information about member family history activity in their unit.
So basically there were members who never created a FamilySearch account, but a 4-gen tree was create for them anyway, and their numbers were part of the numerator in the calculation of the percentage of 4-generation ancestors. Now they are no longer part of the numerator, but the denominator is the same. If your ward has a large number of people who have no FamilySearch account, the drop in the percentage could be significant.
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Thanks Alan!!
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@robertleelathen1 Asking around in FS Support to see if anyone can answer Q1. I noticed the same things when I was training a newly called consultant in my stake yesterday. Hope we'll get answers soon. Stay tuned.
Q3 I've never seen the red dot unless there was a new message, so can't suggest what sort of gremlins are at work there.
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Thanks N Tychonievich!
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@robertleelathen1 Have confirmed that the change in options for adding to the Planner was intentional. Whether a reason will be forthcoming is less certain. Lots of times changes come without reasons being provided, as you well know.
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Thanks! That is too bad, I wish they would ask us users first, I have had many patron's who for one reason or or another the "Send an Email' invite method did not work but the "Username and 5-digit Helper Number" invite method did work!
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@robertleelathen1 Yes, I have had the same problem. I made that clear to some of the folks who might have some influence.
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@robertleelathen1 You might be interested to know that you can still add someone to your planner using either the birthdate or username if you do it from the Family Tree mobile app on an Android or iOS device.
Support has put in a formal request that the option be added back to the web interface too.
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Thanks again! I hope it it does get back to the web interface since I mostly use my computer (too hard for me to see things on my phone :) !
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Robert
I am just another 'lowly' User/Patron ...
[ And, I happen to be a Member of the Church ... ]
[ And, I have been a Staff Member, of Family History Centres", of the Church, for many Years ... ]
Just in passing ...
Further to what has already been proffered ...
In relation to your FIRST ''Question' ...
You are not alone ...
This matter has been RECENTLY raised in this "Community.FamilySearch" Forum alone on three occasions.
[ 1 ]
FamilySearch Help
'Category' = General Questions
HOME > FAMILYSEARCH HELP > GENERAL QUESTIONS
Has FamilySearch done away with helper numbers?
[ 2 ]
FamilySearch Help
'Category' = FamilySearch Account
HOME > FAMILYSEARCH HELP > FAMILYSEARCH ACCOUNT
Disappearance of "Helper" feature
https://community.familysearch.org/en/discussion/115738/disappearance-of-helper-feature
[ 3 ]
FamilySearch Help
'Category' = Family Tree
HOME > FAMILYSEARCH HELP > FAMILY TREE
helper resources
https://community.familysearch.org/en/discussion/115899/helper-resources
As I suggested in those posts ...
We can NO LONGER "Add", just ANYONE, to Our "(Consultant) Planner", through "Helper Resources", with either, the "Help Number"; or, the "Date of Birth", depending on the OLD "Method" used.
We can now ONLY "Add", those from our Ward/Branch/Stake, via/through "Helper Resources"; and, the "(Consultant) Planner" feature/function/facility, using the aforementioned methods.
And, thus, we now can ONLY "Add" those, NOT from Our Ward/Branch/Stake, via/through "Helper Resources"; and, the "(Consultant) Planner" feature/function/facility, by "Email", or, another method, sending them, the appropriate "Link".
So ...
That Said ...
'YES' ...
The "Removal", of being able to "ADD" those, NOT from one' Ward/Branch/Stake, through "Helper Resources"; and, the "(Consultant) Planner" feature/function/facility via either, the "Help Number"; or, "Date of Birth", depending on the OLD "Method" used, is a "Definite" DOWNGRADE ...
[ WHAT about EXTENDED Family and Friends ... ]
That is TRULY unfortunate ...
As, I often add, Users/Patrons, who are NOT from my Ward/Branch/Stake, to my "(Consultant) Planner".
[ And, some, that are not even members of the Church ... ]
And, I often, DO NOT need (nor, want), to have to send them an, "Invite"; or, "Copy" of a "Link".
[ Especially, when they are there with me ... ]
This is "Definitely" NOT an IMPROVEMENT ... this "Definitely" a DOWNGRADE ...
This is a real shame ...
This is a "Definite" FAILURE ...
This should NOT, have happened ...
[ WHAT were they thinking ... ]
[ This is RIDICULOUS ... ]
That ability, SHOULD be, IMMEDIATLY reinstated ...
I truly hope, that 'FamilySearch', reconsiders, this UNFORTNATE "Change".
Hopefully ...
A "Moderator" [ ie. 'FamilySearch' "Support" ], in this "Community.FamilySearch" Forum, will EVENTAULLY take NOTICE, of this and the OTHER post, on the matter; and, refer to matter onwards, for 'FamilySearch' to (consider; and) CORRECT.
[ Sooner, rather than later ... ]
We can but live in hope ...
I know, that this certainly does not help/assist; but, just letting you know, that you are not alone.
Brett
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I have recently invited a number of individuals via the email process and have not had any problem at all.
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@robertleelathen1 Word came back on our request to return the option to add to the Planner by username or birthdate and helper number. They are going to put it back, since it is still an option in the mobile app (probably not until after RootsTech since all hands are fully occupied preparing for that mega-event).
But be aware that it will eventually be removed across the board. There are some privacy concerns associated with that particular way of adding to the Planner. For most people we need to add, this will not be an issue. For those who struggle to get to their email accounts (or don't use email), it will be more of a challenge.
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Okay and thanks for all your help!!
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For those who want all the nitty-gritty details on the calculation and what changed, see this post:
https://community.familysearch.org/en/discussion/comment/427463/#Comment_427463
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Just checked my access and it is still there. Although you may not now be able to add a person to your list of people being helped, via the user name and helper number route, you can still help them. I use the Help Others feature, input username and helper number there and have access to their tree. The only things I can't do is make notes and lesson plans, which is a drawback.
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( Attention: @W D Samuelsen - FYI )
FYI
It's 'Brett'.
'Thank You', for that information/'Heads-Up' ...
Especially, that the ability, to "Add" a User/Patron, to Our "(Consultant) Planner", via/through the likes of, "Username"; and, "Birthdate"; and, "Helper Number", WILL be "Retuned", at least, in the SORT TERM.
And ...
Can you please explain, WHY, some, believe, that there IS a privacy concern, associated with adding a User/Patron to one's "(Consultant) Planner", via/through the likes of "Username"; and, "Birthdate"; and, "Helper Number".
And, I humbly venture to suggest, that for MOST People, who are "Helping"/"Assisting" OTHERS, through their "(Consultant) Planner", that such IS (and WILL be) a BIG Problem/Issue, if such is "Removed" AGAIN.
There are MANY of us, who Help/Assist, OTHER Users/Patrons (eg. Family; Extended Family; Friends; Acquaintances; etc), that are NOT, from our Ward/Branch/Stake/District, in fact, from ALL around the World, many of whom are NOT members of the Church.
We KNOW, those, that WE are HELPING / ASSISTING.
Please, DO NOT place, any "New" IMPEDIMENT, in our way - under the guise of "Privacy".
There are OTHER ways, to go about such ...
One, is to require a "Change", in the "Helper Number"; especially, for Users/Patrons who are Members of the Church; so that, the "Helper Number", MUST be initially (and, in fact, required) to be "Changed", by a User/Patron, upon accessing 'FamilySearch', for the FIRST time. That would "Remove", ONE avenue of concern, that most of us, are well aware of (and, have been, for Years).
And, in addition, to the aforementioned ...
Thus, ALSO making, the "Helper Number", a REQUIREMENT, with the OTHER parts (ie. "Username"; and, "Date of Birth"), would help in that respect.
The SENDING (ie. an "Invite") of "E-mails", is both, TEDIOUS; and, CUMBERSOME; especially; as, the METHOD for DOING so, through 'FamilySearch' (ie. Using HTML "E-mail"), is significantly FLAWED - as, especially, evidenced, with the recent implementation of "Family Groups".
PLEASE; Please; please ...
Think, 'long' and 'hard'; BEFORE, "Removing", the ability, to "Add" Users/Patrons, to Our "(Consultant) Planner", via/through the likes of, "Username"; and, "Birthdate"; and, "Helper Number".
'FamilySearch' is GLOBAL; and, certainly NOT, just local Ward/Branch/Stake/District 'centric' ...
Humbly submitted for your IMMEDIATE, information; attention; and, consideration.
'Thank You' in advance.
Your cooperation, would be greatly appreciated.
Kind Regards
MAY THE LORD BLESS YOU IN THIS IMPORTANT WORK
Yours Faithfully,
Brett
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I have several who are not members of the Church and several of them are not in Utah at all, and I have one area of concern - there are some members in my ward who do NOT have any email at all. They are living in assisted centers. They retain me on long term, not occasionally.
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@Brett . No explanation was provided for why using the username or birthdate and helper number could be a privacy concern. I have some thoughts about it based on some sub-optimal practices I have seen used in my stake, but I am not one to speculate when an official answer has not been provided.
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FYI
'Thank You'.
Just in passing ...
And, certainly, NOT directed at you ...
Those sort of 'nebulous' comments, WITHOUT, "Detail", DO NOT help.
Unfortunately ...
Most of us, ALREADY "Know", HOW, easy it is, to obtain the likes of, "Username"; and, "Birthdate"; and, "Helper Number".
But ...
That Said ...
There IS, a "Level" of "Security" there; so that, "Privacy" should NOT be 'touted'; as, a "Reason", in this matter.
[ NOR, used; as, the "Reason, to "Remove" such (Ability), from the "(Consultant) Planner" ... ]
Just my thoughts.
Brett
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