Hourglass app

[JABA]

I would like to know if someone here in the forum knows this app, HOURGLASS

 

The link is http://www.hourglass-app.com/

 

The secretary of our congregation is discussing the possibility of using this app in order to help publishers in reporting in the end of the month and also his work compiling information.

It seems to have very interesting functionalities, nevertheless my main concern is related with data confidentiality.

Anybody knows these brothers?

How safe is the system?

Thanks for your help.

[jayrtom]

I would like to know if someone here in the forum knows this app, HOURGLASS

The link is http://www.hourglass-app.com/

The secretary of our congregation is discussing the possibility of using this app in order to help publishers in reporting in the end of the month and also his work compiling information.

It seems to have very interesting functionalities, nevertheless my main concern is related with data confidentiality.

Anybody knows these brothers?

How safe is the system?

Thanks for your help.

Hi João!

What makes you be concerned about confidentiality?

It drama that data transfer would be only between each user and the secretary... I think the backup of the publishers cards would be locally on the secretary computer and note on the cloud... Not that it would constitute a privacy problem per si...

Did you try it?

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[JABA]

Hi João!

What makes you be concerned about confidentiality?

It drama that data transfer would be only between each user and the secretary... I think the backup of the publishers cards would be locally on the secretary computer and note on the cloud... Not that it would constitute a privacy problem per si...

Did you try it?

Enviado do meu LG-D855 através de Tapatalk

Hi João

My concern results on the fact that I believe the information is not stored in the secretary computer but on the cloud. Because the app runs as a cloud web service.

[Brother_Bliss]

Hi João

My concern results on the fact that I believe the information is not stored in the secretary computer but on the cloud. Because the app runs as a cloud web service.

 

So what? Everything is on the cloud these days, and it's relatively secure. Unless you have an Ashley Madison account, what's to worry about? 

 

What would a hacker want with my total number of magazine placements anyway?

[leoperales]

So what? Everything is on the cloud these days, and it's relatively secure. Unless you have an Ashley Madison account, what's to worry about? 

 

What would a hacker want with my total number of magazine placements anyway?

 

...had to look up who Ashley Madison was...

[jayrtom]

Hi João

My concern results on the fact that I believe the information is not stored in the secretary computer but on the cloud. Because the app runs as a cloud web service.

I'm with Bob on this... Don't think it is a problem... If the developer was interested on stealing information be would choose a different topic than our reports...

Anyway I use "ministry assistant" and it sends the report automatically to the secretary's email if I want to

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[Brother_Bliss]

Anyway I use "ministry assistant" and it sends the report automatically to the secretary's email if I want to

 

And automatically backs up to Google Drive (i.e. a "cloud" service) if you want it to.

[JABA]

I agree, most of the information is irrelevant, namely the hours and literature placed.

My problem, is when it includes information such as addresses, phone numbers, e-mail addresses; if it is elder, or sm, other sheep or anointed, baptism date, and so on. All information present in the publisher card in the congregation.

I know that in the case of Dropbox or other cloud companies, they have safeguards to prevent the access to the information from the employees.

In this case I don't know the software publisher and his intentions. That's why question and my reserves.

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[JABA]

I'm with Bob on this... Don't think it is a problem... If the developer was interested on stealing information be would choose a different topic than our reports...

Anyway I use "ministry assistant" and it sends the report automatically to the secretary's email if I want to

Yes, you are right, if the intention is to steal the reports.

But my question is related with the personal data that is recorded in the cloud.

With "Ministry Assistant" I don't have any problem. Your information (personal and reports) as I believe, are stored in the secretary computer. That's fine for me.

But I ask, would you be comfortable if the secretary stored that information in his PC at work and other employees could access that computer?

I don't pretend to say that is what's happening with hourglass app, but at least I would be more comfortable with some JW references.

Edited January 8, 2016 by JABA

[shali]

I'm with Bob on this... Don't think it is a problem... If the developer was interested on stealing information be would choose a different topic than our reports...

Anyway I use "ministry assistant" and it sends the report automatically to the secretary's email if I want to

Enviado do meu LG-D855 através de Tapatalk

I've been using Ministry Assitant for over an year and I didn't know it did that!!!! Man, I have so much homework to do tomorrow! Thanks for letting me know about this Jayrtom!

[bohemian]

MyTime has the optionto send the report to the secretary, but he told me he prefers not to receive them by email. He has to write out the slip from the email, so he can pass them to the group overseers, and also enter them on the record cards, so it doubles his work. I can see that could be a problem with many publishers sending them.

[leoperales]

MyTime has the optionto send the report to the secretary, but he told me he prefers not to receive them by email. He has to write out the slip from the email, so he can pass them to the group overseers, and also enter them on the record cards, so it doubles his work. I can see that could be a problem with many publishers sending them.

 

I was also receiving the reports directly from the publishers. (I'm the secretary)  Seemed to work out...for a while...but other FSO's began "expressing concerns" that they never knew when one of their publishers would turn in a FSR to me and they never knew how their publishers were doing in their field service activity.  So I stopped doing electronic reporting.     The publishers now turn in their reports to their FSO's on a paper slip and I requested that the FSO's write out their group's report on a reporting sheet and turn it in to me at the next meeting following the 6th of the month.

[jayrtom]

I was also receiving the reports directly from the publishers. (I'm the secretary) Seemed to work out...for a while...but other FSO's began "expressing concerns" that they never knew when one of their publishers would turn in a FSR to me and they never knew how their publishers were doing in their field service activity. So I stopped doing electronic reporting. The publishers now turn in their reports to their FSO's on a paper slip and I requested that the FSO's write out their group's report on a reporting sheet and turn it in to me at the next meeting following the 6th of the month.

In our hall is like that also. Each publisher turns theirs reports to the respective FSO.

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[bohemian]

We use a "reports" box at KH.

[Qapla]

We have some that do it both ways. We did have a problem of many "forgetting" to turn in their report so we were asked to turn it in to the FSO. This was done for some time, however, there are some who cannot get to the meetings at the time of the month that reports are due. So, these ones still email them to the SO. The SO would actually rather have them emailed or texted.

 

On the meeting just after the sixth of the month, the SO hands each of the FSO's a printed report of their group - that way they all know who has/hasn't reported as well as what they reported.

 

Seems to be working just fine.

[rocket]

We use a box at the Hall and an option to email to a special account set up just for reporting time.

[Old]

MyTime has the optionto send the report to the secretary, but he told me he prefers not to receive them by email. He has to write out the slip from the email, so he can pass them to the group overseers, and also enter them on the record cards, so it doubles his work. I can see that could be a problem with many publishers sending them.

Why does he have to pass them to the group overseers?

 

I prefer email reports, but only if the header says something like "[month] report", "My report" etc.. I have had a few that have incorporated their report way down in a general discussion and and I missed them (Not a very interesting discussion.)

The SEC can generate a report for each service group at the end of the report to the Branch, or is your SEC doing it the old fashion way by hand?

If he is still doing it by hand may I suggest WINTM or a similar program to make his life easier.

 

We use a box at the Hall and an option to email to a special account set up just for reporting time.

When the instructions for FSOs first came out, they were to collect all the reports for their group. Very shortly thereafter the option was returned to place time slips in the box at the hall. As FSO and SEC I preferred email or putting the report in the box.

Publishers would come up to me at an awkward time such as when being involve with necessary congregation business, being somewhat absent minded I would cram it into my pocket and forget. When queried  as to there report, the response would be something like this"I gave you my time slip at the Memorial", or something similar.

Then I would have to go through all my suit pockets, can't find it, ask them for a new report, a week later find the original report in my meeting Bible.

I have come to the point that I say "I am sure you did, but I don't have it, could you please make out another one."

Much preferred email, or "in the box." 

[leoperales]

Publishers would come up to me at an awkward time such as when being involve with necessary congregation business, being somewhat absent minded I would cram it into my pocket and forget. When queried  as to there report, the response would be something like this"I gave you my time slip at the Memorial", or something similar.

Then I would have to go through all my suit pockets, can't find it, ask them for a new report, a week later find the original report in my meeting Bible.

I have come to the point that I say "I am sure you did, but I don't have it, could you please make out another one."

Much preferred email, or "in the box." 

 

Then the the second report slip doesn't match the original report slip you found.      What'cha gonna do, say "sister, your 2nd time slip doesn't match your original time slip that I found.  Which is right?"  

 

I laugh because it's happened to me.  I couldn't dare tell the sister.  I just recorded the greater one.  

Edited January 8, 2016 by leoperales

[bohemian]

Why does he have to pass them to the group overseers?

 

I prefer email reports, but only if the header says something like "[month] report", "My report" etc.. I have had a few that have incorporated their report way down in a general discussion and and I missed them (Not a very interesting discussion.)

The SEC can generate a report for each service group at the end of the report to the Branch, or is your SEC doing it the old fashion way by hand?

If he is still doing it by hand may I suggest WINTM or a similar program to make his life easier.

I don't know why, Jerry, I am just going by what he told me. We were setting up software for the CLM assignments and I mentioned emailing my report, then he said the above.

[Old]

Then the the second report slip doesn't match the original report slip you found.      What'cha gonna do, say "sister, your 2nd time slip doesn't match your original time slip that I found.  Which is right?"  

 

I laugh because it's happened to me.  I couldn't dare tell the sister.  I just recorded the greater one.  

Had that happen too.

While I am thinking about reporting time here is a conundrum that probably has happened to other SECs and FSOs.

When asked directly about a missing report, publishers will say that had nothing to report for that month.

Comes the CO visits 4 months later. He asks "Are you sure so and so is irregular?"

He and the SO will then contact the newly irregular pub and low and behold they remember they talked to grandma on the phone several times that month,  (four months ago) so they must have gotten at least an hour to report. (?)

VIOLA! Irregular publisher problem solved.

It makes no difference that I asked them the same question the first time around.

Happens every CO visit and 9 out of 10 times their memory is restored, all is well.

Positive proof we are doing a restoration work. 

Edited January 8, 2016 by Old

[leoperales]

Had that happen too.

While I am thinking about reporting time here is a conundrum that probably has happened to other SECs and FSOs.

When asked directly about a missing report, publishers will say that had nothing to report for that month.

Comes the CO visits 4 months later. He asks "Are you sure so and so is irregular?"

He and the SO will then contact the newly irregular pub and low and behold they remember they talked to grandma on the phone several times that month,  (four months ago) so they must have gotten at least an hour to report. (?)

VIOLA! Irregular publisher problem solved.

It makes no difference that I asked them the same question the first time around.

Happens every CO visit and 9 out of 10 times their memory is restored, all is well.

Positive proof we are doing a restoration work. 

 

Last time I asked a sister about her missing FSR.  The she said, "brother, can't you just put something on there?"  

 

BTW, I feel bad that that all these experiences have been with sisters.  I don't have any problems with the brothers.

Edited January 8, 2016 by leoperales

[Old]

Last time I asked a sister about her missing FSR.  The she said, "brother, can't you just put something on there?"  

 

BTW, I feel bad that that all these experiences have been with sisters.  I don't have any problems with the brothers.

Same here, always sisters. I think it is natural, because they want to please.

[Qapla]

I will have to admit that I, a Brother, has, at times, forgotten to turn in my report and needed a reminder .... and this has happened more than once