It would be extremely useful to my church if Service Builder could be installed on Bethany's server and then used by multiple users - especially myself and the secretary. While SB-1 had some limited means to do this, SB-2 recommends that we not install it on our server as the process is very complicated. That is a real step back from where we were.
There are many reasons that installing SB-2 on a server would be more useful to us. With the way Service Builder 2 is set up, it would be ideal for me to begin the process by inputing the necessary data in the create a service mode, but have the secretary finish it off in the bulletin edit mode. Those are nicely divided in SB-2. On a more practical note, the church secretary cannot duplicate the LSB font on her computer when the final bulletins are sent to her for edit and print. On another practical note, storing all the databases on my computer takes up a lot of room.
In SB-1 the process was that I would go through the necessary steps and then export the Word file to my computer. I would copy the file to the server. Some changes may be made in our worship committee, but the secretary would note those changes and make them herself. It would have been more practical for her to go into Service Builder and re-do the bulletin from there (especially if we had changed a hymn or rearranged the service for some reason), but she could not view that particular service except if she were using my computer. At least, with SB installed on her computer, she could whip up a funeral or wedding service on her own with a little input from me. The biggest pain with SB-1 is that I would spend an hour on the phone with Ryan trying to install the big updates to the software, as that involved a few complicated steps (to me, not to him).
With SB-2, the door is completely closed. The secretary cannot do any services on her own without SB-1. She has to keep SB-1 on her computer just to use the special font. With SB-2, I see a lot of potential for sharing bulletin-orientated tasks, but that potential will continue to be unrealized until we can get some changes to the software that make it possible for us to see the same services on both our computers.
I have a hard time believing that we are the only church where the pastor does not do the final editing for the bulletin and the only church that would find making Service Builder accessible to multiple users in the church office a very useful thing.
