Tech Forum

I exported every file marking every checkbox, but none of the files have the MRN number. Why is this? In my tools for reporting I rely on the MRN to match up people so as to not overwrite my database.

What's up? Bug or new setting?

Thanks,
Ron

tannerr wrote:I exported every file marking every checkbox, but none of the files have the MRN number. Why is this? In my tools for reporting I rely on the MRN to match up people so as to not overwrite my database.

What's up? Bug or new setting?

This was an intentional change, which was mentioned specifically in the Release Notes:

Membership Record Number No Longer in Export File. When leaders and clerks use the Export feature in MLS to extract membership information to a PDA, the membership record number (MRN) will no longer be included. This decision was made due to security concerns because the MRN is a key LDS Account component used by members to access Church websites.

I did not see this in the release notes of 3.3 either. My Counselors and Bishop use this information all the time from their PDA's, which are password protected, when they fill-out temple recommends and other documents which need this information. I guess I'll need to print them a sheet with the information, which I think is a bigger security risk, as they not all have access to MLS when they fill out temple recommends.

Will this decision change in the future? With the Ward Tools application, which is what we use, you can password protect the application. I also understand the Church now owns the code for Ward Tools and was hoping this feature would be available in the LDSTools.

Brother Bezzant
Ward Clerk

dbezzant wrote:Will this decision change in the future?

I personally doubt it. The decision was just recently made to not allow export of MRNs anymore for security reasons; I can't see them undoing the decision so soon again or on a whim.

dbezzant wrote:My Counselors and Bishop use this information all the time from their PDA's, which are password protected, when they fill-out temple recommends and other documents which need this information.
Ward Clerk

As long as they have an internet connection, it isn't hard to get the number from the membership record on the Clerk and Leader Resources.

tannerr wrote:What's up? Bug or new setting?

Intentional design change. This has been discussed previously. See here.

tannerr wrote:I exported every file marking every checkbox, but none of the files have the MRN number. Why is this? In my tools for reporting I rely on the MRN to match up people so as to not overwrite my database.

The more experienced database people can correct me if I'm wrong, but MLS also assigns an Individual ID that is specific to that person in that ward. It should work for uniquely identifying people as long as you do not combine exports from multiple wards. So it shouldn't be too difficult to change the identifying field without disrupting your database.

nutterb wrote:The more experienced database people can correct me if I'm wrong, but MLS also assigns an Individual ID that is specific to that person in that ward. It should work for uniquely identifying people as long as you do not combine exports from multiple wards. So it shouldn't be too difficult to change the identifying field without disrupting your database.

You are correct. Each individual in the export has an Individual ID that you should use instead of the MRN. If you look at the export closely, this is the ID number that links family members to the HoH. LDS Tools uses this ID number for individuals in its database.

Though it may be regrettable that the MRN has been removed, if you have proper authority to access the number, you can get it on the internet on LDS.org through the Leader and Clerk Resources tool.