NW Scheduler/Publisher - Updates, Support, and Suggestions

[Aja]

I don't think we need to ask if anyone is using the software anymore. If you've reviewed the software and determined you want to use it, this thread can serve as a place to discuss updates, support questions, and suggestions we might make to the Devs. Hopefully this can be a productive and helpful space to those who use the software whether we are and old pro or just getting started. Enjoy!

Edited May 18, 2023 by Shawnster

[Aja]

To start us off, here are a couple suggestions I made to the Devs today:

 

1) remove scheduling the CLM Timer on the weekend meetings. It shouldn't be an option since the CLM is only during the midweek meeting. This causes me to have "Duties not Scheduled" notifications that I essentially can't get rid of.

 

2) under "App Persons" the filters could be cleaned up a bit. The "Not Connected" filter only shows those who are not connected but when you switch the filter to "Old App Version" it not only shows you those who have an app that needs to be updated but also those who have never been connected that show under the "Not Connected" filter. hoping they can separate the 2 filters to be completely distinct from each other.

[howudodat]

As I understand it, the duties are not meeting conscious.  In other words, CLM Timer is not a CLM assignment.  It could just as easily say Snow Shoveler.  As a result the duties apply to all meetings.

 

However to mute the notification, you can click on "me" icon, then in the upper right click on the person with the gear, then in the upper right click on the pencil next to your name and disable the CLM timer warning.

[Aja]

But will that mute all CLM Timer reminders? I still want them for MWMs... 🤔

[witnessinwellington]

Hello Brothers

Love this app. Please can someone help me enter my hour credits for the Pioneer School in June 2022. I tried to do it from the comments on Ministry Assistant (the app I use for entering my fs activity, but I notice it did not show in NW pub.

Am I able to do this? or will I need to ask the administrator for my cong?

I am a Regular Pioneer.

Would appreciate the help, and know you brothers are very busy.

[IliasBosman]

Love the program!

 

1 question: I created the field service groups but only I can see it.

 

I tryd everything , how can this be fixed?

 

 Greets,

 

I.Bosman

[Aja]

20 hours ago, witnessinwellington said:

Hello Brothers

Love this app. Please can someone help me enter my hour credits for the Pioneer School in June 2022. I tried to do it from the comments on Ministry Assistant (the app I use for entering my fs activity, but I notice it did not show in NW pub.

Am I able to do this? or will I need to ask the administrator for my cong?

I am a Regular Pioneer.

Would appreciate the help, and know you brothers are very busy.

Maybe this image will help?

[Aja]

8 hours ago, IliasBosman said:

Love the program!

 

1 question: I created the field service groups but only I can see it.

 

I tryd everything , how can this be fixed?

 

 Greets,

 

I.Bosman

Under Congregation Sharing you can add your other fellow elders and provision what they can see. If that doesn't help, maybe you can explain in a little more detail what you're trying to accomplish.

[IliasBosman]

1 hour ago, Aja said:

Under Congregation Sharing you can add your other fellow elders and provision what they can see. If that doesn't help, maybe you can explain in a little more detail what you're trying to accomplish.

I enabled it but they still can’t see it

[Cruzer]

It's been quite some time since the last NW Publisher update. Possible big changes once an update is released?

[GoldenAge]

We are planning to start using this program soon. Coming from another application i am missing a more polished interface and better language adaptation. Unfortunately, some words and expressions do not make any sense in a language other than English, but the translation does not seem to pick it up. At times i need to switch the interface back to English which causes loss of the meeting program in another language.

 

Looking forward to a more stable application as this was something we've been waiting for a very long time!

[Mike]

Disappearing Speakers
I have an issue where some congregations speaker fro Public Talks disappear. The schedule talk remains, but the speaker assigned is suddenly gone. Any ideas how to resolve?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Aja]

There was an update this morning (seems like one of the small Build # updates). I don't see anything new but let us know if you do...

[JJWest]

On 9/5/2022 at 5:13 PM, Mike said:

Disappearing Speakers
I have an issue where some congregations speaker fro Public Talks disappear. The schedule talk remains, but the speaker assigned is suddenly gone. Any ideas how to resolve?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I have had this same thing happen.

[➕👇 ꓤꓱꓷꓠꓵ🎵Tone]

I am trying to schedule specific dates for carts to line up with our cruise schedule. 

At this point I can add a 'regular' slot that will schedule every 'Monday' say, but I only want one Monday on Oct 31st, and then some more random days the following week.

Does anyone know how I can just put carts up on days selected from a calendar?

TIA

TonyW

[Cruzer]

On 9/6/2022 at 4:33 AM, Aja said:

There was an update this morning (seems like one of the small Build # updates). I don't see anything new but let us know if you do...

Didn't notice anything dramatically different with the latest "JW Scheduler" update. I use both JWS & KHS, KHS updates their app much more frequently I've noticed. The "NW Publisher" app hasn't had an update for quite some time now.

[Aja]

14 hours ago, JoshD said:

Didn't notice anything dramatically different with the latest "JW Scheduler" update. I use both JWS & KHS, KHS updates their app much more frequently I've noticed. The "NW Publisher" app hasn't had an update for quite some time now.

When I last used them, KHS seemed to have a lot of language updates but not much else. I think the developer for KHS fundamentally sees things differently that the JWS devs, but those were the areas I was most looking for improvement in. At this point, the #1 feature I'm looking for is stability since JWS basically does everything I need it to at this point. You had mentioned before that you were hoping for an update to NWP app. What features are you hoping they come out with?

[molnarj]

New World Scheduler 6.5

Release Date: 2022-09-23

Overview

We’ve included lots of minor updates to many parts of the program, which we hope makes NW Scheduler even quicker and easier to use. Please also check out the many new and updated Templates and Reports, as well as the many improvements to the NW Publisher app. 

Warm Christian Love, New World Scheduler Team

Important Information

• JW Scheduler has been renamed New World Scheduler (NW Scheduler). We hope this avoids any confusion between our software and official jw.org software. Everything else remains the same.
• Our new website addresses are NWScheduler.com and NWPublisher.com.
• Please ensure all elders are familiar with the branch CONGREGATION RECORDS RETENTION Policy.

Release Notes

NEW NAME

• JW Scheduler has been renamed New World Scheduler (NW Scheduler). We hope this avoids any confusion between our software and official jw.org software. Everything else remains the same.
• Our new website addresses are NWScheduler.com and NWPublisher.com.

UPDATES

CONGREGATION RECORDS RETENTION Policy

• NW Scheduler obediently follows all branch direction, including the CONGREGATION RECORDS RETENTION Policy. Please ensure all elders are familiar with this policy.
• With regards to Publisher Records for an active publisher, the direction is clear: Only the current Service Year and previous Service Year data should be retained. The current Service Year starts on September 1, e.g. the 2023 Service Year starts on September 1, 2022. This means as of September 2022, only the 2023 Service Year (current) and 2022 Service Year (previous) publisher records should be kept. All other records must be destroyed or deleted.
• In view of the above, NW Scheduler previously would remove all obsolete data on September 1. However, we have decided to delay the removal of obsolete data until January 1. This allows time for the previous Service Year to be finalised and processed. Going forward, all obsolete Publisher Record data will be removed on January 1.

USER INTERFACE

• Added Navigation arrows to the top-right corner of the screen, that allow you to move Forward or Backwards through screens you have visited.

PUBLIC SPEAKERS and CONGREGATIONS

• COBE and Public Talk Coordinators Name and Phone fields have been split into First Name, Last Name, Home Phone and Mobile Phone fields.
• Added an Email button on the Public Speakers view, allowing you to quickly email any Public Talk Coordinator.
• Non-Administrators can no longer accidentally “re-setup” Congregation Sharing.

PUBLIC SPEAKER SHARING

• Can now join a maximum of 6 circuits.

TERRITORIES

• Territories can now have Suffixes, e.g. 7-A, 7-B.
• Territories can now be assigned to Field Service Groups.
• Changing the Territory Assignment from one person to another will now correctly update the app.

PERSONS

• Added “Language Group only” option, which allows them to be assigned only to Language Group CLM parts.

SCHEDULE – LIFE AND MINISTRY MEETING

• Can now assign “JW Stream” to all CLM parts.

SCHEDULE – PUBLIC TALKS LOCAL

• Public Talk Schedule can now be Imported and Exported to CSV format.
• When selecting a Public Speaker and Outline, the view will show any Congregation Notes and Public Speaker Notes.
• Watchtower Reader Assignment can now be customized or removed, as Sign Language congregations do not generally use this assignment.

SCHEDULE – PUBLIC TALKS AWAY

• Public Speakers Away Periods will display differently (darker grey) compared to normal Unavailable Periods.

SCHEDULE – FIELD SERVICE

• Can now assign up to 3 Territories per Field Service Meeting

SCHEDULE – PUBLIC WITNESSING

• Can now create Public Witnessing Weekly Templates, similar to Field Service Templates, that allows you to quickly and easily assign the same publishers to the same Shifts.

EMAIL

• When emailing Public Talk Coordinators, can now see which Congregation they are from.
• Emailing Public Speaker Exchange Summary or Public Speaker Exchange History will now automatically enter the Public Talk Coordinator in the To field.
• New Email Tag [PUBLIC_TALKS_NOT_CONFIRMED].

NEW REPORTS & TEMPLATES

• User Access Summary report
• Territory Notes which prints all Territory Notes or Do Not Calls
• Chairman Outline with Notes
• Life and Ministry Meeting Schedule – Simple
• Field Service Schedule – Portrait
• Persons with Kingdom Hall Keys

UPDATED REPORTS & TEMPLATES

• S-21 Publisher Record Service Years now ordered by oldest to newest.
• S-13 Territory Assignment Records now has an option to Use Actual Last Completed Date, and can now also print multiple Service Years.
• Field Service Groups List now has an option to Show Tags.
• Public Witnessing Schedule now has an option to Show Reserved Shifts only
• Print Missing Reports now has an option to print on 1-page.
• Maintenance Duties by Person now can Send Individually.

NW PUBLISHER APP (*requires NW Publisher app 2.6.0 or greater*)

• Publishers can now Request Hospitality. These requests will be added as a Custom Task for the Public Talk Coordinator, who can then decide who to assign.
• Publishers can now Request Territories. These requests will be added as a Custom Task for the Territory Servant, who can then make the assignments.
• Field Service Group option has been updated and improved. Can now select which persons can view Field Service Groups, and what data they can see.
• Check Contact Details button has been replaced with the App Feature My Contact Information. This allows publishers to see and adjust their Contact Information and Emergency Contact Information at any time, not just when requested.
• Public Witnessing Schedule now shows Display Names.
• Field Service Activity can now be entered in Time Format, e.g. 1:15 for 1 hour 15 minutes.
• Announcements or Documents with a Display After date will no longer send Notifications.
• Limited how many persons you can be a delegate for to 5 persons.
• App > App Features has been redesigned.
• Fixed a bug that could cause Public Witnessing Reservations to be wiped if a publishers internet connection was unstable. (NOTE: Please ensure all publishers are using NW Publisher app 2.6.0 or greater!)
• Many other bug fixes and improvements, e.g. Field Service Activity pink dots, swiping on Public Witnessing schedule, sending Literature Requests, Middle Name disappearing, etc.

ME – MY CONGREGATION RESPONSIBILITIES

• Secretary “Missing Reports” link will now go to Congregation > Congregation Field Service Report > Publishers > Missing Reports.
• Territory Servant will now receive a Warning if publishers have returned Territories with a Note for Territory Servant.

ME – QUICK STEPS

• New Public Talk Coordinator Quick Step: Email all public talk coordinators for talks that are not confirmed.
• Default Email Quick Steps will now address emails to [TO_GENDER] [LAST_NAME], e.g. Dear Brother Smith.

BUG FIXES

• Bug fixes are usually released in Build Updates. If you have a problem or bug, please click Me > Updates > Check for Updates

[molnarj]

There seem to be some problems with the app, however. Hope this will be resolved soon.

 

 

[molnarj]

There is a new build available that solves the Problem: #1230. Untick 'Show Field Service Group' , Send App Data and tick again 'Show Field Service Group'. Send App Data again and the problem should be solved.

 

 

[Qapla]

NW Publisher was also updated. Publishers should be advised to update to ensure that the changes in JW Scheduler are fully implemented

[pgwenlan]

We've updated everything last night - PC, iPhone & Android, & the public ministry reservations have all disappeared.  It's happened a few times in the last 24 hours - It seems a sync issue. Possibly overloaded at the moment & the servers are struggling.

Hopefully it'll settle down soon.

 

[molnarj]

23 hours ago, pgwenlan said:

We've updated everything last night - PC, iPhone & Android, & the public ministry reservations have all disappeared.  It's happened a few times in the last 24 hours - It seems a sync issue. Possibly overloaded at the moment & the servers are struggling.

Hopefully it'll settle down soon.

We have recently fixed this issue in the latest Build update. Please click Me > Updates > Check for Updates and install the latest Build update, or alternately re-download and install New World Scheduler from our website.

 

After updating, existing Public Witnessing Reservations can usually be restored by following the instructions in Help > Backup and Restore.

 

Please note all publishers should update to NW Publisher 2.6.0 before making or removing any new reservations, otherwise you may continue to experience problems.

 

Publishers may also experience problems removing existing reservations made using the old app version, but you should be able to remove them manually inside NW Scheduler. Going forward if everyone is using the latest version or NW Scheduler and NW Publisher, there should be no problems.

 

Additionally: You can untick Show Public Witnessing in the NW Publisher app section. Send App Data. Tick Show Public Witnessing again and Send App Data again. This will also solve any issues. 

[pgwenlan]

49 minutes ago, molnarj said:

We have recently fixed this issue in the latest Build update. 

Yes, thank you. When I switched on this morning the latest update was there, and everything is now resolved.

Thank you so much for your hard work. It is much appreciated ❤️

 

[Aja]

NW Scheduler is telling me that version 6.5 #1231 is available but when I click on it to "Update Now" nothing happens. Anyone else experiencing this?