Help Others and Consultant Planner
LegacyUser
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William Richard Buchanan said: When trying to sign in as a helper for a patron on beta.familysearch.org, I discovered that Help Others was missing from the new-look Person page.
A related concern is the suggestion to try the Consultant Planner instead of Help Others when we choose to use Help Others.
NOTE
Someone in programming seems to feel that Help Others is redundant if we have the Consultant Planner, and once before they planned to remove it. At that time there was an outcry by FamilySearch staff, missionaries, temple offices, and others who need one-time access to a patron's account.
The Consultant Planner is a wonderful tool if you are going to need repeated access to the same patron's account over the period of a year (then it times out).
The Consultant Planner is a terrible tool for one-time access, because it requires extra steps on the part of the patron (Settings > Connected Accounts > Revoke) to revoke access by the helper once they have finished helping. In the process, the patron sees the full name of the missionary, which we try to avoid e.g. "People you've given permission to help you on FamilySearch William Richard Buchanan"
In the CP, the helper sees the word Delete instead of Revoke Access, which suggests that clicking the link may delete the record or account of the person being helped, so out of uncertainty they often keep people in the Consultant Planner when it is no longer appropriate.
Since many missionaries and staff also have callings as consultants, it really helps if we can keep our consultant planner uncluttered by not including everyone we help as missionaries. Using Help Others allows us to easily do this.
FYI: I serve in Family Tree Support
A related concern is the suggestion to try the Consultant Planner instead of Help Others when we choose to use Help Others.
NOTE
Someone in programming seems to feel that Help Others is redundant if we have the Consultant Planner, and once before they planned to remove it. At that time there was an outcry by FamilySearch staff, missionaries, temple offices, and others who need one-time access to a patron's account.
The Consultant Planner is a wonderful tool if you are going to need repeated access to the same patron's account over the period of a year (then it times out).
The Consultant Planner is a terrible tool for one-time access, because it requires extra steps on the part of the patron (Settings > Connected Accounts > Revoke) to revoke access by the helper once they have finished helping. In the process, the patron sees the full name of the missionary, which we try to avoid e.g. "People you've given permission to help you on FamilySearch William Richard Buchanan"
In the CP, the helper sees the word Delete instead of Revoke Access, which suggests that clicking the link may delete the record or account of the person being helped, so out of uncertainty they often keep people in the Consultant Planner when it is no longer appropriate.
Since many missionaries and staff also have callings as consultants, it really helps if we can keep our consultant planner uncluttered by not including everyone we help as missionaries. Using Help Others allows us to easily do this.
FYI: I serve in Family Tree Support
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Comments
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William Richard Buchanan said: Plus, the patron you have added to the Consultant Planner gets an email that says:
You have given Bill Buchanan permission* to access your FamilySearch Account for one year. If this is an error, you can revoke permission.
FamilySearch
*Allows Bill Buchanan to help you achieve your family history goals. You gave Bill Buchanan permission to access your account with some or all of the following information: username, birth date, full name, and FamilySearch helper number. Any consultants that you give such permission to will be able to act as proxy in your account for one year, but they cannot change your user information, password, or settings.
At any time, you may choose to revoke a consultant’s access to your account. Do this on the Settings page under Connected Accounts. You will see a list of all the people to whom you have given permission and a button to revoke access.
Forgot your FamilySearch Account information?
You can reset your password or go here to recover your username.0 -
Tom Huber said: Bill,
The screen shot says you are on the beta site, not production. The "new look" is in early stages of development and there are a couple of discussion threads about it.
Switch to the production site (FamilySearch.org not beta.FamilySearch.org) and things may work the way you expect them to.
Tom Huber0 -
William Richard Buchanan said: ThanksTom,
I know i was on the beta site. I wanted to make sure there was a chance to address the issue before the "new-look" comes into Family Tree.
Bill0 -
Tom Huber said: The problem is that we are getting a very early (and undeveloped) view of "coming events".0
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Paul said: William Richard Buchanan
Would you please clarify whether you are a FamilySearch employee. You answered a question in another topic today that was directed to "staff ONLY" and you state in this thread, "I serve in Family Tree Support ".
If this means you are an employee - as opposed to volunteer - in future, please use an appropriate logo to identify yourself as such.0 -
William Richard Buchanan said: Brother Wrightson, I have been serving as a FamilySearch missionary for 8.5 of the past 11 years, usually as a Mission Leader, Group Leader, Team Leader or Team Helper. . As such, I consider myself as "staff" although I am not an "employee". In the question you refer to, I answered with an official knowledge article. If I have erred, then I am sorry.0
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Brett said: Elder 'Buchanan'
Great post.
Many of the regulars who participate in this Forum, most likely, would not have even 'picked up' on this matter.
There is definitely the requirement to have, both, (1) the "Help Others" feature; and, (2) the "Consultant Planner" in "Family Tree".
You DO NOT have to the be a 'Missionary' or a 'Temple and Family History Consultant' to "Help" other Users / Patrons; and, the one-off access is a MUST.
I hope and pray that the "Official 'FamilySearch' Representatives" responsible for the new design / format in the "Beta" ( ie. "Test" ) Environment take note of your post and take the appropriate steps to ADD the "Help Others" feature to the new design / format in the "Beta" ( ie. "Test" ) Environment.
'Thank You' for your service.
Again, great post.
Brett0 -
gasmodels said: The "help others" link is showing in Beta today so I assume it will be displayed when it is released.0
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W David Samuelsen said: Already been in use for some time. I've been using "Help Others" to get to Consultant planner link.
So often, that I decided to have this link in my bookmark bar to use more quickly.
It's fantastic when you have more than 2-3 to work with. I got 10 (counting myself).
This work at least for those who are consultants already. I don't know about those who aren't.0 -
Brett said: gasmodels
'Yes', just check after your "Reply", you are correct.
The "Help Others" feature does NOW appear in the "Beta" ( ie. "Test" ) Environment on (1) the "Landing" page/screen (after "Log In"); and, (2) ALL the "Pedigree" pages/screens (ie. Landscape; Portrait; Fan Chart; and Descendancy); and, (3) the "Person/Details" page/screen.
I checked using the latest versions of the Browsers of, both, 'Microsoft' "Edge" (which is what Elder 'Buchanan' appears to have used) and "FireFox" with Windows 10; but, have not tried "Chrome", as a am working in Production in that Browser.
I still believe that its omission was a great pick-up by Elder 'Buchanan'.
Brett0 -
Paul said: William
Thank you for your response. I understand full-time employees have been told they should always identify themselves (with an "Employee" logo), so just wanted to confirm your "status"! However, no criticism was intended for your helpful responses on this forum.0 -
Hello everyone, I need please. I am trying to help others, for some of them it says information not correct. what am I missing?
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FYI
Welcome to the "Community.FamilySearch" Forum.
I am just another 'lowly' User/Patron ...
[ And, I happen to be a Member of the Church ... ]
This post was originally about, the "Help Others"; and, the "(Consultant) Planner" features/functions/facilities, in "Family Tree", of 'FamilySearch'.
IF, you, have access to; and, are using, the "Help Others"; and, the "(Consultant) Planner"; THEN, you must be a User/Patron, who is a Member of the Church; as, those features/functions/facilities, are ONLY available, to Users/Patrons who are Members of the Church.
Now ...
That Said ...
Question: What do you mean by ... "for some of them it says information not correct"?
Please advise.
IF, you are referring to Users/Patrons that that you are TRYING to help/assist, when you use, the "Help Others"; and, the "(Consultant) Planner"; THEN, it is possibly, that some of the "Details" about the particular Users/Patrons, that that you are TRYING to help/assist, are INCORRECT.
Those "Details" being: "User Name"; "Name"; "Date of Birth"; "Helper Number".
Furthermore ...
Here are some "Knowledge Articles" in 'FamilySearch':
What does a Helper do?
https://www.familysearch.org/help/helpcenter/article/what-does-a-helper-do
How do I use the Help Others link in Family Tree?
Where do I find my helper number?
https://www.familysearch.org/help/helpcenter/article/where-do-i-find-my-helper-number
How do I add or delete a person from my list in Planner?
I hope these may help. somewhat.
Brett
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