NW Scheduler/Publisher - Updates, Support, and Suggestions

[jayrtom]

1 hour ago, Tonis said:

When we upload a document (PDF) to the Information Board under "Letters" or "Documents," the PDF opens directly when you click on the letter or document. However, when we upload a pdf in the "Announcement" section, you have to select the uploaded file again to open it. Any ideas?

I normally don't upload a pdf. In case of announcements, you would need to create a new pdf just with the announcement part.
So what I do is to make a screenshot out of the relevant part of the pdf and that is what is uploaded to the app and opens up as soon as you click on the link

[BigMAC]

On 7/29/2024 at 12:27 AM, foghorn said:

Actually, it looks like you can. Prepare the information you want to send via email. Then click the "FROM" button. The left side of the box contains your "normal" email address, but if you click the grey arrow (circled) it allows you to select 1 alternate address. See Figure.

 

The thing is that I need to insert all my info again. So I cannot have like two Gmails. But if I have one gmail and one normal smtp account then it does not remember that account info next time...

[Brother Den]

On 7/23/2024 at 4:22 PM, Brother Den said:

This is our latest Territory problem. Our letter writing territory 96 has 710 apartments. We decided, for several reasons to divide it into three separate territories of about 236 each. I first deleted the original 96, then added new territory 96a by entering an "a" as the suffix. So far, so good. But as soon as I try to add territory 96b, then 96a is gone and the original 96 is back. I then contacted the only other brother who works on Territory, but he was not online that day. Am I overlooking some kind of "Save" button that needs to be pressed after I make each change, or can a brother working in a different area affect my changes?

Update: After our Convention campaign ended, and I unclicked the Campaign active box, I was easily able to  create a territory 96a, 96b and 96c.

[Brother Den]

On 7/30/2024 at 3:52 AM, jayrtom said:

How do you use NWS to work with territories?

At the moment we use an excel file that I created that delivers and collects the territories on the fly during meetings, which is the moment when publishers ask for a new territory and/ or delivers the old one

 

We're changing everything to NWS and I know how to finish a territory on the app (deliver) and how to assign using the PC

But I don't know how to assign a new territory without the territory servant carrying a laptop to the hall and use the NWS software... 

Do we need to still use the excel file or a paper block to annotate everything and at home pass it all to the NWS software? 

This is a time-consuming task and prone to errors. That was how the territory servant used to work and there were several errors and lost territories...
 

What's your suggestion?

When we started to use NWS, we bought three refurbished 12 inch laptops with Windows 10 for $90 each. Perfect size to carry to the Kingdom Hall or even out in field service. I actually take mine with me when I go on vacation.

[jayrtom]

5 hours ago, Brother Den said:

When we started to use NWS, we bought three refurbished 12 inch laptops with Windows 10 for $90 each. Perfect size to carry to the Kingdom Hall or even out in field service. I actually take mine with me when I go on vacation.

So, I see we have to do something like that... Thanks

[carlos]

NW Scheduler developers mentioned they are working to include territory management from the Android app. But they didn't mention when they think this will be available.

[Tonis]

Does anyone know when the next major update will be released? Is there a fixed schedule or is it irregular? What are your experiences?

[carlos]

Updates are released as they are needed. There is no fixed pattern.

If you have a specific issue, you can contact the developers and they usually reply quite quickly with an update.

[Aja]

4 hours ago, Tonis said:

...What are your experiences?

Updates are loved and loathed. They typically have brought some very useful features, but the rollouts are often accompanied by several patches because the updates broke things that were working previously. MAKE BACKUPS BEFORE UPDATING! 😅

[Tonis]

It's a pity that the details of what was fixed in the last two small updates (#1369 and #1370) weren't provided. Has anyone noticed any changes?

[Brother Den]

When someone requests a territory, and it shows up in NWS, I always hit the Import button before assigning them a territory. What exactly happens when you hit Import?

[Cruzer]

1 hour ago, Brother Den said:

When someone requests a territory, and it shows up in NWS, I always hit the Import button before assigning them a territory. What exactly happens when you hit Import?

 

It'll create a "Task" for the territory servant to assign that publisher a territory.

 

https://nwscheduler.com/how-to/nw-publisher-app-features-me/#Territory_Requests:~:text=see Email Notifications-,Process Territory Requests,-Territory Requests must

 

https://nwscheduler.com/how-to/me/tasks/#:~:text=the task name.-,Automatically generated Tasks,-New World Scheduler

[molnarj]

And if you added an email in the email field, an email notification will be send to the Territory servant.

 

Edited August 4 by molnarj

[Cruzer]

New build update available.. #1371. No build update notes since build #1368 however.

 

[Tortuga]

I haven't been able to connect for a couple of days and I assumed it was their server. I rebooted my computer and I was able to connect to NWS without any problem. Strange.

[foghorn]

2 hours ago, molnarj said:

an email notification will be send to the Territory servant.

The email notification is sent to territory servant(s) when the publisher submits the territory request from NW Publisher. This alerts the brother to open NWS to import the request.

[jayrtom]

Anymore experiences on how the territory servant works with the NWS on the Hall?

 

From what I gathered, for now, it would be like this, someone reaches the TS and asks for a new territory , the TS asks the person to conclude the current territory and to request a new one. Then at home the TS sees the notifications and knows to whom assign a territory. The downside is that the person can't see the available territories and choose one...

The best seems indeed to have a laptop at the hall assigned to just this task

[foghorn]

4 hours ago, jayrtom said:

The downside is that the person can't see the available territories and choose one...

You are correct. Here are a few things that can help:

• When a publisher requests a territory using NWP, he can include a note describing some preferences: (large, small, geographical area, walking, driving, etc). This note appears in NWS when the request is read.
• The Terr Servant probably knows the requester, and should have some idea of which territory would be suitable for that person.
• Generally, for even coverage, it is preferred to assign the oldest unworked territories first.

[Floyd]

On 8/5/2024 at 3:28 AM, jayrtom said:

The best seems indeed to have a laptop at the hall assigned to just this task

 

Its probably best to have a Windows tablet with NWS on it. I have an Android and I remote into my computer at home and manage territories. You can do the same with IOS. The advantage to having it on a tablet is that you always have it when walking around the Hall. Usually people just tell me to send them some territory and I do it when I get home. You also have the map in the back to refer to.

[jayrtom]

3 minutes ago, Floyd said:

 

Its probably best to have a Windows tablet with NWS on it. I have an Android and I remote into my computer at home and manage territories. You can do the same with IOS. The advantage to having it on a tablet is that you always have it when walking around the Hall. Usually people just tell me to send them some territory and I do it when I get home. You also have the map in the back to refer to.

Thaks Floyd

Please can you give me more information on what you are using to accomplish this?

 

What do you mean by this?

Edited August 6 by jayrtom

[Aja]

4 hours ago, jayrtom said:

Thaks Floyd

Please can you give me more information on what you are using to accomplish this?

 

What do you mean by this?

It sounds like I do something similar. I use Chrome remote desktop on my computer at home and always leave it on. Then from my Android phone or Chromebook, I use the Chrome remote desktop app to remote back into my computer at home. It displays your entire desktop on your screen. Obviously doing it on your phone is less than ideal but is doable. But if I use my Chromebook it's just like having my PC right in front of me. I believe it's available on iOS devices as well.

[JwSam]

When assigning duties and using the auto feature, The next unassigned date needs to be highlighted or the auto feature will randomly change the schedule. Recently I was doing work on the day of the meeting and used the auto feature. It changed the assignments for that meeting just a few hours before the meeting started. What I would like is that when the auto feature has to change data instead of inputting new data, a message would come up on the program that states that this will overwrite any save data, do you wish to continue? That would have saved me a lot of confusion on that meeting night.

[foghorn]

26 minutes ago, JwSam said:

a message would come up on the program that states that this will overwrite any save data

This seems pretty close to what you are suggesting - is it sufficient?

 

[JwSam]

Thank you Foghorn, there is a msg that warns about overwriting in the popup window. However, it is constantly there, whether the auto-assign is being used to input new duties or rewrite current ones. I'm asking for a second pop up msg with a specific msg about overwriting current duties when the highlighted date will actually interfere with assigned duties. 

The software does not identify with the user is overwriting verses adding new data, I feel this could be clarified better. 

[Floyd]

On 8/6/2024 at 7:23 AM, jayrtom said:

Thaks Floyd

Please can you give me more information on what you are using to accomplish this?

 

What do you mean by this?

 

I use Microsoft Remote Desktop to remote into my computer. You do have to set up port forwarding on your home router.

 

It sounds like you may not have a map of the territory in your Kingdom Hall. This is common in many Halls. It's commonly broken down into the territory numbers. https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/202000289

Edited August 11 by Floyd