NW Scheduler/Publisher - Updates, Support, and Suggestions

[Aja]

10 minutes ago, JoshD said:

Is there a way to know what changes were done for each build?

 

 

What's the thought on "Public Speaker Sharing"? Looks like it's still in the works. There are circuits from other states showing up in California, like New York & Nevada. Congregations don't seem to know which way to label their circuit as well. Some place CA-#, others put the number only followed by a letter (ie: 30-A). Settings only has 3 options, <LETTER> - <NUMBER>, <NUMBER> - <LETTER>, or just <NUMBER>. We'd like to share with other congregations within our circuit section only (CA-18A) but NWS says the format is incorrect for the circuit name.

I made a support request that they address the naming system to match what the Branch has (ours is 6-A). Seems that should be the standard. Hopefully they fix that. Ultimately, congregation sharing is only going to be good if congregations actually use the program and, beyond that, actually use the speaker sharing function. Short of that, it will always be a niche option.

[computerwiz]

47 minutes ago, JoshD said:

Is there a way to know what changes were done for each build?

 

No way that I know of.

 

 

47 minutes ago, JoshD said:

What's the thought on "Public Speaker Sharing"? Looks like it's still in the works.

 

I've personally spent hours and hours and probably 30 emails back and forth with support....this feature WORKS now.  It was very very broken, but it should be good to go, unless a recent update caused new issues.

 

It does take some technical understanding.  Brothers need to select the correct state, and join the correct circuit (or create a new one...and it's up to them to name it correctly).  Also, the only bug that might still happen is if you have congregations already in your system and they are the SAME EXACT NAME as the congregations in sharing, it could cause confusion.  You may want to put "Local" in the name of each congregation you already have before joining a circuit with those same congregations.  Then, once properly sync'd, you can delete the local copy AFTER you migrate any public talks that you have with the congregation to the new shared version.  Otherwise, those talks will just be blank after you delete the local congregation.

 

Hope this makes sense.  It is a little complicated, but should work.  Let me know if you have any questions or difficulties.

[Aja]

17 hours ago, computerwiz said:

Brothers need to select the correct state, and join the correct circuit (or create a new one...and it's up to them to name it correctly).

To me this is a big pain point. If I copy and paste my circuit name from the JW.org website that should be the correct format, and yet when I do, I'm met with a message that tells me it is an invalid format. I really hope the dev corrects this or explicitly states they don't want us using sub-dividers of circuits (NY- 6-A, NY- 6-B, NY- 6-C... etc) and rather only want them divided by Circuit number (NY- 6, CA- 13, OH- 1...etc). Right now it is setup in such a way as to almost guarantee confusion and inconsistency in formatting. And then you have multiple users going back and forth changing the formatting which is frustrating as well. I would really love for the function to take off as it would be extremely helpful.

[Aja]

....Well I guess it helps to read the directions. I just went back to the support pages and found this. So I guess the answer to my formatting issues is just to follow the directions. Hopefully this simplifies things for others.

[Cruzer]

23 hours ago, Aja said:

....Well I guess it helps to read the directions. I just went back to the support pages and found this. So I guess the answer to my formatting issues is just to follow the directions. Hopefully this simplifies things for others.

 

Ha! Yes, reading directions is always helpful! Not sure how I missed this as well. Thank you my brother! 👍🏽

[Cruzer]

I've asked our COBE if he knew of a list of congregations in a circuit are listed, but he was not sure. Is there somewhere this information is available at?

[Aja]

12 minutes ago, JoshD said:

Is there somewhere this information is available at?

Any elder should be able to find that info under their JW.org login > Lookup > Contacts and then do a search for Contact Type "Congregations" and Search Within "My Circuit"

[jwhess]

1 hour ago, JoshD said:

I've asked our COBE if he knew of a list of congregations in a circuit are listed, but he was not sure. Is there somewhere this information is available at?

Most Circuits are about 15-20 congregations in size.  i know my fellow congregations by talking to them, and listening to the introductions of visiting speakers.

[howudodat]

jw hub, lookup, contacts, search as shown

[Cruzer]

21 minutes ago, howudodat said:

jw hub, lookup, contacts, search as shown

 

My hub profile appears to not be able to see this option. Only thing under Lookup is "Find a meeting".

[rockieboi]

4 hours ago, JoshD said:

 

My hub profile appears to not be able to see this option. Only thing under Lookup is "Find a meeting".

I think that only applies if you are the COBE or Secretary, if I'm not mistaken.

[Matthew]

Hi everyone,

I’m having a nightmare trying to find out how to edit locations for the ministry. I must have found it previously because I have a bunch of locations available to select but I just cannot find it again. Help!

TIA, WCL

Matthew


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[rockieboi]

On 2/14/2023 at 4:21 AM, Matthew said:

Hi everyone,

I’m having a nightmare trying to find out how to edit locations for the ministry. I must have found it previously because I have a bunch of locations available to select but I just cannot find it again. Help!

TIA, WCL

Matthew


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

On the part where you select the locations, you can click on the right where it says edit and a new window pops up where you can add, edit, or delete locations.  I added a screenshot for a more visual representation.

[JwSam]

When using the Territories feature, inputting new Territory Types and Area, the field box displays the code <Name>. It would be more convenient if that code was removed when clicking or tapping into the field box. Currently, the code has be deleted, and then the data inputted. For example, Main Street, looks like, Main Street<Name>, or worse, Mai<Name>n Street.  

Edited February 15, 2023 by JwSam

[jlocke]

On 11/11/2022 at 5:59 PM, Old said:

This question comes up from a neighboring congregation. During mid-week meeting an announcement NW Publisher was endorsed by the BOE and it was suggested that all congregation publishers should use the app. This sounds foreign to me. 

I am not putting down the app, but I find endorsing it from the platform to be wrong, Any thoughts.

How do you feel about Zoom being endorsed? 😀

[JwSam]

Please reconsider the timeout of the NWS, maybe making it user definable or even different time out lengths per role in the congregation? As a group overseer, it is inconvenient to be updating the field service group information and while correlating and contacting the friends and/or the assistant, to return to the computer to have the program timed out. I have 21 friends in our group, 21 times this happens. 

[Aja]

I know it can be inconvenient to get timed out but the longer you leave it open the greater the chance of errors being introduced due to conflicting data getting synced. If you think getting timed out is a headache, wait till you have to work through syncing errors... 🤷‍♂️

[JwSam]

According to the Help & Support section of NWS, the possibility of data synchronization issues is not in the amount of time the program is opened, but rather that the program is not connected. There are six concerns the makers of the program identify, none of them are about the amount of time the program is open. Is that correct?  

On 2/19/2023 at 11:23 AM, Aja said:

 wait till you have to work through syncing errors... 🤷‍♂️

 

[computerwiz]

20 hours ago, JwSam said:

According to the Help & Support section of NWS, the possibility of data synchronization issues is not in the amount of time the program is opened, but rather that the program is not connected. There are six concerns the makers of the program identify, none of them are about the amount of time the program is open. Is that correct?  

 

 

If they added a timeout, there's clearly a good reason.  Something like that is not done arbitrarily, because as you've experienced, it is clearly a nuisance.

 

It might work out better for you if you printed out a field service collection report and use good ole pen & paper to do the collection, then input all the results at the same time.  That way there's no idle time for NWS.  Or if there's no report print out, do your own method.

 

I rarely ever see that timeout window.  Maybe twice since they implemented it.  It all depends on how you use it...

[JwSam]

On 2/19/2023 at 5:31 AM, JwSam said:

As a group overseer, it is inconvenient to be updating the field service group information

8 hours ago, computerwiz said:

It might work out better for you if you printed out a field service collection report

7 hours ago, computerwiz said:

Or if there's no report print out, do your own method.

 

Thank you Aja and computerwiz for your input. Let me explain my particular dilemma, I look forward to your thoughts. "And through many advisors, there is victory." Computerwiz, it's the field service group information, not the service record, fyi.

I use a spreadsheet to track information for the group that is not in NWS. This spread sheet tracks 13 pieces of information from 11 different sources. Per publisher, the amount of time I need to gather the information and put it into the spread sheet times out the program. It is a multiple windowed, multiple contact, multiple device information gathering, tracking and data entry. By the time I have juggled windows. calls, apps and devices, there is not enough time, or, I'll admit, wherewithall, to tap or click NWS to keep it open. 

To attempt to pen and paper this information would be timely and redundant. In my case, I need NWS open to add new information or update the current information. I need to collect and add it to NWS in real time, not additional programs or notebooks.  

NWS is a much better data organizer and sharing app than anything I have worked with previously, I'm not taking anything away from it. I am also aware that there are work arounds, but these are unnecessary if the timeout were user definable or role defined, perhaps. Thanks for hearing me out. 

[molnarj]

I believe the Timeout is only a reminder. It is not that the Program shuts down automatically. There is no problem as long as there is nobody else working in the same section you are in. If all the Persons are added to the Program, you could 'simply' go from one Person to another and adjust the info. True, it may take a while in the beginning but it is worth the effort. It took me a couple of weeks to find out everything and adjust/re-adjust the info.

 

When I started I had a csv file from another program. I made an export from NW Scheduler as a csv file. That gave me the column headings I needed. Then Copy/Pasted the info in the right column. (Be accurate!) And then imported the file into NW Scheduler. That was the quickest way for me to do it. But If you already have all the names in the Program that is no longer an option.

Edited February 22, 2023 by molnarj

[JwSam]

2 hours ago, molnarj said:

True, it may take a while in the beginning but it is worth the effort. It took me a couple of weeks to find out everything and adjust/re-adjust the info.

Thank you mollnarj. The NWS, at least on my computer, opens a window at 17 minutes with a 60 second timer, then closes the program. The names have already been added, so no joy there, and I am definitely at the beginning! 😄

NWS could change the warning window to top of the desktop instead of just top of the program, like Zoom does when the mic is muted and in the background, that would be helpful. 

 

I completed the FSG information, thank you for all your feedback. I am not look forward to navigating this process next quarter, but I am better prepared. 

[Cruzer]

 

Thoughts on how to properly use NWS with campaigns? With the Memorial campaign about to begin, we've began providing territories to the friends & when I do, I click on the "Campaign" box. What that actually does or does not do, I'm not sure.

 

It was announced at our last meeting any territory currently checked out would be then "converted" into a campaign territory. So at the end of the campaign, the territory they previously had checked out, will remain with them as their personal. Whatever "campaign" territories that are worked during this time frame, would not remain with the publisher after the campaign is over.

 

I see it's possible to select the "campaign" box to a currently checked out territory, then see the "Send App Data" flag to send the update. Not sure what selecting "campaign" to an already checked out territory does exactly either.

 

Submitted a suggestion on the NWS site to have "Campaign" added to the drop-down options in the Territory section. Not quite sure how campaign territories should be currently managed however to track it's progress (overall percentage), to see what territories are still available to be worked & which have been completed.

[Cruzer]

On 3/10/2023 at 3:36 PM, JoshD said:

 

Thoughts on how to properly use NWS with campaigns? With the Memorial campaign about to begin, we've began providing territories to the friends & when I do, I click on the "Campaign" box. What that actually does or does not do, I'm not sure.

 

It was announced at our last meeting any territory currently checked out would be then "converted" into a campaign territory. So at the end of the campaign, the territory they previously had checked out, will remain with them as their personal. Whatever "campaign" territories that are worked during this time frame, would not remain with the publisher after the campaign is over.

 

I see it's possible to select the "campaign" box to a currently checked out territory, then see the "Send App Data" flag to send the update. Not sure what selecting "campaign" to an already checked out territory does exactly either.

 

Submitted a suggestion on the NWS site to have "Campaign" added to the drop-down options in the Territory section. Not quite sure how campaign territories should be currently managed however to track it's progress (overall percentage), to see what territories are still available to be worked & which have been completed.

 

We ended up marking already checked out territories "complete" then checking them right back out to the same publisher, but with the "campaign" check mark selected on that same territory.

 

Anyone know if the "Elders & MS Meeting" and "Pioneer Meeting" in NWS send out alert notifications via NWP? They're listed within the "Circuit Overseer Visit" but are not listed individually in the "Congregation Events". "Circuit Overseer Visit" is the only "Congregation Events" listed at this time.

[rockieboi]

NWPublisher still reminds publishers to submit their reports even if they already submitted them. Does this happen to anyone else? Is it a bug?