Public talk program

[Cheeks]

I look after the talk coordinating for my congregation & have been using a program a brother created called PTS.

It works but very clunky & the way it prints the schedule isn't very clear.

Any brothers here look after the talks and what do you use?

I love MS Excel so was thinking of creating something from scratch with a database but if there is an alternative out there would love to see it.

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[JPWRana]

I use excel too.

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[Old]

34 minutes ago, Cheeks said:

 

I look after the talk coordinating for my congregation & have been using a program a brother created called PTS.

It works but very clunky & the way it prints the schedule isn't very clear.

Any brothers here look after the talks and what do you use?

I love MS Excel so was thinking of creating something from scratch with a database but if there is an alternative out there would love to see it.

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TA1KS program at http://www.tswintm.org/

It is a super simple free program. I have used it for about 20 years, other programs do more but I don't really want to schedule mike carriers when I am scheduling speakers.

Edited January 19, 2017 by Old

[Tortuga]

Wow, I used PTS for Dos many years ago, I wonder if it's the same program 

[cmtambunan]

I am using KHS from http://www.majesticsoftware.net/ to schedule talks, but it will be best if CBOE, Secretary and CLAM Overseer using it also for their tasks, since the app can share the cong. members informations.


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[Cheeks]

Wow, I used PTS for Dos many years ago, I wonder if it's the same program 

It resembles a lot like Excel & Access. I don't mind it but it's the report function that is rather meh. They used to have a shared database with other congregations but the brother was asked to discontinue the shared database.



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[JPWRana]

It resembles a lot like Excel & Access. I don't mind it but it's the report function that is rather meh. They used to have a shared database with other congregations but the brother was asked to discontinue the shared database.



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Who was he asked by to discontinue the database?

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[Cheeks]

Who was he asked by to discontinue the database?

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Apparently the elders in his cong had a letter from the Society that asked him directly to remove the database.




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[JPWRana]

Oh wow. I can see why. If you start comparing brothers, it creates the potential for unwanted competition.

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[Cheeks]

Oh wow. I can see why. If you start comparing brothers, it creates the potential for unwanted competition.

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I think it had more to do with having the brothers contact info all in one place if ever there was a ban placed on our work, etc.


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[Tortuga]

3 minutes ago, Cheeks said:

I think it had more to do with having the brothers contact info all in one place if ever there was a ban placed on our work, etc.

Some people don't like their contact information shared without their knowledge or consent.

[Cheeks]

Some people don't like their contact information shared without their knowledge or consent.

Very true.


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[Midwest-US]

I have been using KHS (majestic software) for 6 years now and can't imagine anything easier.  The secretary, CLMM overseer and I all use it and it's helped keep things well organized with all congregation responsibilities and any reports we need for the information board.

[Dantheman136]

2 hours ago, Midwest-US said:

I have been using KHS (majestic software) for 6 years now and can't imagine anything easier.  The secretary, CLMM overseer and I all use it and it's helped keep things well organized with all congregation responsibilities and any reports we need for the information board.

 

2 hours ago, Midwest-US said:

I have been using KHS (majestic software) for 6 years now and can't imagine anything easier.  The secretary, CLMM overseer and I all use it and it's helped keep things well organized with all congregation responsibilities and any reports we need for the information board.

I agree Brian. I used talks for years and when our cobe started using KHS, so I did too. It  really helps us keep on the same page.

Edited January 20, 2017 by Dantheman136

[The Deej]

I've been using KHS http://www.majesticsoftware.net/  for a couple of years now.  Excellent program.  And great support by the brothers that created it.   It's got everything built into it, emergency contact information for everyone, cleaning and lawn care,  All of the assignments that brothers have, and a whole host of  other items.  The reports you can run are almost unending and have proved to be invaluable.  The great thing is you can export your whole Public Talk file to another congregation and that brother doesn't have to sit there for hours typing in all of the information.  This was a game changer for me.  Every six months I would have to spend like 6 hours imputing all of the information by hand and hope that I didn't make mistakes.  I do hope and imagine that someday the brothers back in New York will come up with an all inclusive program and make it available to everyone  that has these assignments so that we all have the same thing and it will work together better with everyone.  Our Cobe as well as the secretary and myself all have the program, and the schedules that come out of this are simply stunning.  They match our workbook perfectly.   We are still trying to get everyone to have all of the same information across all three users, but for now its working great.   

 

Once a congregation and everyone are built into the template then any changes in publishers or OCLM information should to be made by either the secretary or the Cobe.  The talk coordinating part is done by the talk coordinator.  I used to use the the old one I forget the name, something like either Talks or something.  It was really DOS like and it was not easy for me to use.  

 

As far as a letter about not having lists, while I'm not saying that something like that wasn't sent.  That may be an old letter.  The only time I heard anything about not having lists was for shepherding.  About 3 years ago we were told by our CO not to do things that way for our groups and everyone at the hall as if to have a list that was ticked away like an assignment.  Shepherding is more organic and not just an assignment with a spreadsheet.   We were told that shepherding was not a check off box assignment.  It made sense and so we stopped doing it that way.   

 

As far as Public Talk coordinating goes for our circuit there is a master list of all of the congregations where we can request brothers for Public Talks.  Not only are all of the congregations listed there but also every brother in the circuit that gives talks as well as every talk number and his phone number and email.   This used to be updated by a brother that received any changed from each congregation then he would make the changes and send out a new email attachment twice a year to all of the talk coordinators.  A month or so ago, the new brother that handles this assignment created a master list with a link to google docs for everyone to edit the list at any time so its more up to date, especially since there is a lot of movement and changes when it comes to who is available and contact information that is constantly changing all of the time.