NW Scheduler/Publisher - Updates, Support, and Suggestions

[AndyCase]

24 minutes ago, Tortuga said:

I wish the NWP app would show a warning when someone uses the app to submit an Away Period that conflicts with a scheduled Assignment or Duty. Just a simple warning message that reminds them there is a conflict and they need to contact the brother that does the schedules.

It does advise the CLAM overseer when an absence is submitted retrospectively. Then he can organise a volunteer or replacement etc.

But yes, it should be the responsibility of the assigned brother or sister to speak to the relevant person and arrange to get the assignment changed or re-assigned.

[foghorn]

10 hours ago, Tortuga said:

warning when someone uses the app to submit an Away Period that conflicts with a scheduled Assignment or Duty

Actually, it already does that for you. After you pull in an Away Date, Go to the Tasks tab, If there is a conflict, it will show (see pic)

[Tortuga]

2 minutes ago, foghorn said:

Actually, it already does that for you. After you pull in an Away Date, Go to the Tasks tab, If there is a conflict, it will show (see pic)

Thanks, but I was referring to a warning on the NWP app, not on NWS. It would be nice if there was something on NWP that would warn the user there was a conflict and they should contact the brother that makes the schedule.

 

[Tortuga]

16 minutes ago, foghorn said:

Actually, it already does that for you. After you pull in an Away Date, Go to the Tasks tab, If there is a conflict, it will show (see pic)

I am a Group Overseer and I don't do any of the schedules, so I have very limited access to NWS. I can import and send anyone's Away Periods that are submitted by the NWP app, but I don't see any conflicts in my Me tab as you show. The only way that I can see the conflicts is if I use the Away Period report. Some of the brothers that do the scheduling don't check NWS very often () and it would be nice if the NWP user would contact them to make sure they were aware there is a conflict.

[Floyd]

What do the stars represent?

[Tonis]

The Star indicates an update or new data

[computerwiz]

6 minutes ago, Floyd said:

What do the stars represent?

 

 

The stars normally represent "something changed" with the schedule.  But I don't know why there are 2 stars on some.  First I've seen that....

[Tortuga]

2 hours ago, computerwiz said:

 

 

The stars normally represent "something changed" with the schedule.  But I don't know why there are 2 stars on some.  First I've seen that....

I noticed two stars on my NWP too. Strange.

 

I'm seeing stars...

[notporkman]

I don't post often, but the info here is invaluable.  To everyone posting to this thread, both questioners and answerers: 

T H A N K S   T O   Y O U   A L L ! ! 

[BigMAC]

I really hope that public talks could be changed in the nep and not just in nws. I am on holiday and have received some songs and public talk requests. But I cannot update it since I do not have my laptop with me. I only wish to add the song and to see the talks of future dates. Also to see the contact details to the talker would be nice.

We are a small Cong and if I am away no one can fill in for me. One thing I also wish for is to be able to use nws for planning. Now if I add a talk it becomes visible to others. So I do all my planning in excel and when done I add it to nws.

[AndyCase]

10 hours ago, BigMAC said:

I really hope that public talks could be changed in the nep and not just in nws. I am on holiday and have received some songs and public talk requests. But I cannot update it since I do not have my laptop with me. I only wish to add the song and to see the talks of future dates. Also to see the contact details to the talker would be nice.

We are a small Cong and if I am away no one can fill in for me. One thing I also wish for is to be able to use nws for planning. Now if I add a talk it becomes visible to others. So I do all my planning in excel and when done I add it to nws.

Changing in the app would require data to be cloud based I believe, which would then go against SFL and storing of data online.

We only chose NWS because it fully complies with sfl and data is not stored online.

 

When planning talks, you don't have to send the data to the app. But you do rely on other brothers not sending it also.

[rockieboi]

How do you input the PT speakers if scheduled talk is a symposium?

[Floyd]

On 10/9/2024 at 3:07 AM, AndyCase said:

Changing in the app would require data to be cloud based I believe, which would then go against SFL and storing of data online.

We only chose NWS because it fully complies with sfl and data is not stored online.

 

Data is stored online. I know this because I can install NWS on a completely different computer and login to it with my same user name and password and it downloads all the information.

 

 

[AndyCase]

37 minutes ago, Floyd said:

 

Data is stored online. I know this because I can install NWS on a completely different computer and login to it with my same user name and password and it downloads all the information.

 

 

It's not STORED online. There's a difference between uploading and downloading but long term storage online is different. 

NWS themselves state that nothing is stored online.

 

The administrators are the ones who store data LOCALLY. 

[AndyCase]

Congregation Sharing does not store sensitive or confidential information online, therefore is fully compliant with sfl. Rather, if you choose to enable Congregation Sharing, non-confidential data strings are saved online for distribution to other appointed brothers in your congregation.

 

 

 

Data Storage and Security

By default, NW Scheduler stores data on your local computer only and implements modern security best-practises, which makes NW Scheduler far more safe and secure than using PDFs, Excel spreadsheets, Word documents, email, or other similar programs.

New World Scheduler fully complies with the data storage and data retention requirements of sfl.

New World Scheduler implements the following security best-practises:

1. All data is stored on your local computer, under your Windows User Profile folder, meaning other users of your computer cannot access NW Scheduler data
   • Note: The exact folder is C:\Users\[USERNAME]\AppData\Local\NW Scheduler
2. All data is always encrypted, both when the program is open and closed, using a secure 256-bit key
3. New World Scheduler can be password protected
4. All Backup Files are encrypted and password protected
5. New World Scheduler developers, admins and support personnel cannot view or edit any of your congregation or person data, at any time, under any circumstances

 

 

 

[AndyCase]

So although confidential data isn't stored online. 

It's possible that talk numbers and titles could be stored online ok, but definitely not contact details which is something the OP asked about above.

[Quillbeast]

Even though the data is saved online, only you and all elders with the congregation's data can access it. Otherwise, online information is encrypted.

[Tortuga]

2 hours ago, Floyd said:

 

Data is stored online. I know this because I can install NWS on a completely different computer and login to it with my same user name and password and it downloads all the information.

 

 

I thought that was because it had set up a sharing network with the other users, isn't that how that works?

[AndyCase]

4 minutes ago, Tortuga said:

I thought that was because it had set up a sharing network with the other users, isn't that how that works?

Yes. It's all local if you don't use the sharing. 

But if you do, which most people will, then it will upload data and download to devices. But the important thing is that confidential data isn't stored on the server. 

Other apps like Hourglass do store online which goes against SFL and (I'm in the UK), Data Protection laws.

 

At the end of the day, our brothers at NWS explain fully on their site how it conforms to safety and security etc, and they state data isn't stored online. That's good enough for me.

[Floyd]

30 minutes ago, Tortuga said:

I thought that was because it had set up a sharing network with the other users, isn't that how that works?

 

I don't know how that would be done when no other user has there computer turned on. I did it when I was the only user. I turned off my computer and turned on another and installed NWS and logged in an it downloaded everything from their sharing server.

 

From their website:

 

 

 

You don't connect directly to any other user's computer. There is always a cloud server in the middle. This is why I was against it at first and fought hard to make my point. You can go back and read my posts. I gave in because I felt like most of the information is publicly available anyway and if the organization didn't want us using it they would tell us more directly.

Edited October 11 by Floyd

[audio4tv]

2 hours ago, Floyd said:

 

Data is stored online. I know this because I can install NWS on a completely different computer and login to it with my same user name and password and it downloads all the information.

 

 

 

We used to use Hourglass and I stopped due to the programmers stating the data was stored remotely, albeit encrypted. It seems that Deckhand may do the same thing or store online. According to both KHS and NWS, this is not done, and they state it is on your local computer. I am not a security expert, but the program authors do state they are complaint due to not storing data online. We use NWS at the moment and most users in our area use either NWS or KHS, if they use programs. 

 

Privacy Policy Information links: 

https://deckhand.org.au/Privacy

https://www.hourglass-app.com/en/security/

https://www.majesticsoftware.net/en   (under heading Congregation Data is Secure)

https://nwscheduler.com/frequently-asked-questions/  (under heading Data Security, Storage, and Privacy)

 

Michael Black

Rochester, NY

 

[trottigy]

Deckhand is the one our congregation uses.

 

EDIT: I wish HQ would come up with one and all the data was stored at HQ. That would be awesome!! Then we would all be using the same thing and transfering publishers, talks, schedules, etc would be super easy!

Edited October 11 by trottigy

[Floyd]

25 minutes ago, audio4tv said:

they state it is on your local computer.

 

Their statement is misleading because I have personally proved it is stored in the cloud. I am not going to keep going back and forth on this when each person who uses this is capable of proving it themselves.

[AndyCase]

10 minutes ago, Floyd said:

 

Their statement is misleading because I have personally proved it is stored in the cloud. I am not going to keep going back and forth on this when each person who uses this is capable of proving it themselves.

Well if you have an issue then perhaps either ask them via email, pray about it if it's bugging you that much, or speak to your fellow body about it 

 

As for me, I'm not interested in the how's of things. I trust the security and knowledge of my brother's who are more experienced than I am and I will wait on further instruction if the Governing Body feels it's necessary 

 

I prefer to use my time shepherding and teaching etc rather than doing admin, schedules, talk slips etc. So NWS is perfect.

Edited October 11 by AndyCase

[foghorn]

Re: Data Storage. Per NW Scheduler documents, there are 2 cases with this:

• Case #1 SHARING IS DISABLED. All data is encrypted and stored on local computer only. No cloud connection whatsoever
• Case #2 SHARING IS ENABLED. Yes, encrypted data IS STORED ONLINE. This allows all users in the congregation to have exactly the same data on their PC. But WHAT data is stored? Notice their explanation:

Quote

Congregation Sharing does not store sensitive or confidential information online, therefore is fully compliant with sfl. Rather, if you choose to enable Congregation Sharing, non-confidential data strings are saved online for distribution to other appointed brothers in your congregation.... New World Scheduler uses both data obfuscation and data encryption to ensure any transferred data strings are meaningless unless viewed inside New World Scheduler.

 

Any hacker intercepting those data strings would not be able to extract any usable information. The only realistic way a bad actor could access congregation data is to sit in front of your computer and log on to NWS using your credentials. If he could do this, it would not matter whether sharing was enabled or not.