log in sheets

ProbstJanee2

Hello,

With the rebranding going on from Family History Center to FamilySearch. I know we are not suppose to print anything with FamilySearch.

So question, will there be a log that comes out with FamilySearch on it? Or Do we just have Family History Center still on the log in?

Making a new log in sheet and want to do it right.

Thanks

Chris Schmink

Are you referring to a log of visitors to the FSC so you can accurately report monthly statistics? If so, we have never seen a specific prescribed sign in sheet, but merely designed our own with each of the monthly report items on it. We notify visitors that we keep statistics to assist in justifying keeping the Center open and for helping to determine the number of computers we're authorized to receive from FamilySearch. It's a simple list with name (optional), ward or branch if a member of the Church, a column to merely check whether the visitor is a first time visitor, a column if they are NOT a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and a column for phone number (optional) if they'd like us to be able to contact them for any reason. It sits on a small table easily visible to the entrance, and there is a sign asking them to sign in.

For new visitors we tell them we're not interested in keeping their personal information, and if they want to merely scribble their names, they are free to do so, since we will never send missionaries to them as a result of the FSC visit. We have virtually zero concerns or complaints about the sign in list. As director, that list makes it easy at the end of the month to compile our monthly report and send that to Salt Lake.

—Chris

DavisBob2

I had two fs employees drop in today. We are no longer required to send in monthly reports. The information they need comes from the computers as they see what is done on each one. Information for Stake Leaders etc. is up to them and you.

Chris Schmink

@DavisBob2

Very odd. In the tech support Zoom just over a week ago (East Coast meeting) there was a discussion about people not receiving confirmations of their submitted monthly reports, and that was termed a known problem with discussion of trying to get Global Services involved in fixing it (they were no help back when I was experiencing that problem).

Now, just days later, one FSC Center director (@DavisBob2) happens to have two FS employees drop in, and they verbally informed you that the reports are no longer required. [Rhetorical question]: Where's the general communication with all Center directors to inform us all of this change, particularly right when we should have been compiling last month's stats? It's not a huge task, but it is still a time waster if not required (unless a stake president wants the stats, which FS computerized-compilation still wouldn't agree with anyway).

In my center, mere electronic logging of computer usage by Salt Lake won't necessarily be an accurate reflection of use. We'll often have multiple family members at one computer working together, which will look like only one user on one computer for whatever time the two are actually there. We'd count every family member surrounding that one computer. The same has been true with large groups, such as a summer Primary Activity Days event where far more than one person attends that special event compared to the number of computers used (only six). Or if a ward consultant comes in with a patron to show them how to use the Center resources, that'll only reflect one patron on one computer as well. Yet in each of those cases we'd have multiple people using the Center when computer usage would only be interpreted in Salt Lake as one computer and one patron when in fact a computer may have multiple users possibly (often) logged into a single FS account. Then we get "credit" for many less FSC users than are actually in the Center using the services. In the case of a ward consultant (or anyone else with good FS skills) comes in with a patron, I'm certainly going to be counting that helper as a patron, if he or she was not also a staff member.

I wish communication as well as a bit more detail would be provided on multiple issues, rather than formulating a very large document for directors to digest, holding us accountable for every detail in that document (which can change without notice), while other requirements, policies, etc., aren't communicated in writing at all (case in point: FS Support is prohibited from sending mass emails to all Center directors, thus many directors still don't know of the existence of the two Wednesday meetings via Zoom each month, for example).

Thanks for the heads up, Bob!

—Chris

Ashlee C.

ProbstJanee2 mod note: For your privacy, your post was edited to remove a name that is not part of your username. Please see the Community Code of Conduct.

Chris Schmink

@DavisBob2

I just got off the Pacific Time Zone FSC Chatter meeting and asked about the monthly reports. Elder Richins said that only the few regional FamilySearch Centers (big ones) are not required to send in monthly reports. All the rest of us 6000+ ordinary FamilySearch Centers are still expected to be sending in monthly reports. Either the two FS employees were mistaken, or you're one of the "big ones" that don't have to send monthly reports (I think the number of such centers was just in the teens, and presumably they know which ones they are among the 6000+ FSCs around the world.

[Darn! Now I've got to go compile me April stats after all. LOL! 😂)

—Chris

ValerieHillesheim

Please give me link to center info for monthly reporting, I have misplaced my contact link.

Chris Schmink

The monthly reports can be obtained (and sent) at:

https://fhcprofile.familysearchsupport.org/monthly_report

—Chris