Ward DeskSpeaking Assignments

Ward Desk Help

Ward Desk is a set of planning tools for a ward. Each person sees only what their position needs. Find your role below for what you can see, what you cannot, and your first three steps.

Want to look around first? Try the demo. It's a made-up ward, so nothing you click touches a real one. No sign-in.

Bishop

You can see
Everything on the bishopric team, and Team settings, where you choose who can see what.
You cannot see
Nothing is hidden from you on the bishopric team. Ward Council and Youth Council are their own teams, so their members never see bishopric items.
First 3 steps
  1. Add your approved speakers on the Speaker list.
  2. Schedule a speaker on Plan ahead.
  3. Print the member request QR sign from Requests.
Assign a talk
  1. On Plan ahead, pick a Sunday and add a speaker.
  2. Choose a topic from the Christ-centered topic list.
  3. Under Send this assignment, tap Text, Email or Copy link to send the talk link from your own phone. Ward Desk does not send it for you.
Good to know
The Start here card on Sundays gives you three quick wins, then a next step after each one. See everything you can do lists the rest. Under Add when ready, you can turn on cleaning, missionary meals, interviews and the councils when your ward is ready for them.

First Counselor and Second Counselor

You can see
The speaking plan, the program, callings, assignments, and requests sent to you.
You cannot see
Settings only the Bishop or an admin can change, and any tool the Bishop has not shared with your position.
First 3 steps
  1. Open My assignments.
  2. Look at Plan ahead.
  3. Open the Program for a Sunday you conduct, or look at Callings you own.
Assign a talk
  1. On Plan ahead, pick a Sunday and add a speaker.
  2. Choose a topic from the Christ-centered topic list.
  3. Under Send this assignment, tap Text, Email or Copy link to send the talk link from your own phone. Ward Desk does not send it for you.
Good to know
The wording you change on the conducting sheet is yours, and it carries over to the next Sunday.

Executive Secretary

You can see
Requests, scheduling, assignments and the speaking plan.
You cannot see
Settings only the Bishop or an admin can change, and any tool the Bishop has not shared with your position.
First 3 steps
  1. Open Requests.
  2. Print the QR sign from Requests and post it where members will see it.
  3. Check your list in Assignments.
Good to know
One QR sign covers every member request. Each request goes to the right person, and you reply from your own phone.

Ward Clerk

You can see
The Ward Clerk list, callings, the program and assignments.
You cannot see
Settings only the Bishop or an admin can change, and any tool the Bishop has not shared with your position.
First 3 steps
  1. Open the Ward Clerk list.
  2. Record one item in LCR, then check it off.
  3. Look at Keys if you keep them.
Good to know
The Ward Clerk list fills itself after sustainings and set-aparts, so no one has to text you.

Finance Clerk

You can see
The Program (view only), meeting agendas and Assignments.
You cannot see
Members, requests, interviews and callings.
First 3 steps
  1. Open the Program.
  2. Look at Assignments.
  3. Open Help for your role.

Ward Council members

You can see
The Ward Council agenda and its links only.
You cannot see
Bishopric items. The bishopric keeps those on its own team.
First 3 steps
  1. Open the next Ward Council agenda.
  2. Add your organization's items before the meeting.
  3. Report back on your assignments.
Good to know
Open items and assignments carry forward to the next meeting, so no one copies last week's agenda.

Youth Council members

You can see
The Youth Council agenda and its links only.
You cannot see
Bishopric items and Ward Council items.
First 3 steps
  1. Open the next Youth Council agenda.
  2. Add your items.
  3. Report back on your assignments.

Elders Quorum presidency

You can see
Your quorum's team, and building cleaning if the bishopric shares it with you.
You cannot see
Bishopric items, interviews and requests.
First 3 steps
  1. Open Cleaning.
  2. Check this Saturday's team and leader.
  3. Open Ward Council if the president serves there.

Building cleaning coordinators

You can see
Cleaning only: teams, Saturdays, rotation with other wards, and printing.
You cannot see
The key list and the rest of Ward Desk.
First 3 steps
  1. Check This turn for the next Saturday's team and leader.
  2. Make sure each team has a leader.
  3. Print the household slips or the bulletin sheet.
Good to know
Unfinished tasks carry forward to the next team. The closet QR sign shows the tasks with no names, so it can hang where anyone can see it. Printouts come in English or Spanish.
Practice first
Open the cleaning demo. It’s a made-up ward with only Building cleaning, so nothing touches yours. No sign-in.

Missionary meal coordinators

You can see
Missionary meals only, for the sets of missionaries you were given.
You cannot see
The rest of Ward Desk.
First 3 steps
  1. Open the meal calendar.
  2. Share the sign-up page with the ward.
  3. Give the missionaries their page link.
Good to know
Members sign up without an account. Ward Desk never sends anything; you send from your own phone.
Practice first
Open the meals demo. It’s a made-up ward with only Missionary meals, so nothing touches yours. No sign-in.

Members

Requests
Scan the ward's QR sign or open its request page to ask for an interview, a Tithing Declaration time or anything else. No account is needed.
Speaking
If you were asked to speak, your link opens a page with your topic, the time, scriptures and talks to study.
Sign-ups
Missionary meal and building cleaning pages open from a link or QR code. No account is needed.

Questions

How do I join my team?
Someone on the team sends you an invite link. Open it and sign in with your email. The Bishop or a team admin sets your position, and Ward Desk shows the pages that go with it.
Who can see what?
Open Who does what in Ward Desk. It shows each person's position and what they can see, by person or by tool.
Does Ward Desk keep interview or meeting notes?
No. Interviews show only who, when, where and the kind of interview. Agendas and assignments are for planning and follow-up; private details stay out, and what is said in an interview is never written in Ward Desk.
Does Ward Desk send messages?
No. When something needs to go to someone, Ward Desk gets the message ready and you send it from your own phone or email.
Can a tool be turned off?
Yes. The Bishop or a team admin can turn parts of Ward Desk off in Team settings. Nothing is deleted.
What if our only admin is released?
Add a second admin early. Admin can also be handed to the new Bishop in Team settings.
Can I print a quick start for my role?
Yes. In Ward Desk, open your account menu and choose Print my quick start.
Is it easier to read on a phone?
Choose Larger text in the account menu, or Add to Home Screen to open Ward Desk like an app.

See the Ward Desk privacy page for what is stored and who can see it. Open Ward Desk

Ward Desk is not an official publication of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.