Common App Questions & Problems

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Getting Started

App Data and Problems

Field Service Reports

Other

Security and Privacy

Yes! We take data security and privacy very seriously.

Please see How does the NW Publisher app work? for detailed information about how safe and secure the NW Publisher app is.

New World Scheduler and NW Publisher app are not official apps or programs created by the Watchtower Society. Therefore, New World Scheduler and NW Publisher app are obviously not “endorsed by”, “recommended” or “officially approved” by the organisation.

This makes sense. The organisation does not and will not create a list of books, songs, movies, websites, programs or apps we can or cant use. (see w14 7/15 14)

The branch is fully aware of New World Scheduler and NW Publisher app and has no objections to its use. World Headquarters (WHQ) has been in contact with us several times about our software.

New World Scheduler and our NW Publisher app are both used by hundreds of thousands of Jehovah’s Witnesses worldwide every single day! This includes elders, pioneers, missionaries, Bethelites and even Branch Committee members.

Please feel free to read the comments of many spiritually mature elders around the world, including in your local area.

Downloading & Installing NW publisher app

NW Publisher app can be downloaded and installed on any Apple iPhone, iPAD or iPod Touch running iOS 12.3 or greater, any Android phone or tablet running Android 4.4 or greater, and any Amazon Tablet running Android 4.4 or greater, and some Windows 11 computers.

See Download NW Publisher app.

Yes! NW Publisher app can be installed on some Windows 11 devices.

See Install NW Publisher on Windows for more information.

While this is technically possible, we do not recommend it.

Notifications, Reminders, Field Service Activity and other data may not sync between devices and may cause problems.

  1. Open New World Scheduler
  2. Click App
  3. Under App Summary, see the Latest App Version.

Ask the publisher to download NW Publisher app on their mobile device. They can do this by:

  • Visiting NWPublisher.com, or
  • Searching for NW Publisher in the Apple Store, Google Play Store or Amazon Store.

If the App Summary > Latest App Version in New World Scheduler is different to the Apple, Google and Amazon versions, this means a new version is coming soon!

Both Apple, Google and Amazon must manually check and approve each new App release. Their review times vary greatly, from a few hours to a few days, or even longer. This means the new Apple, Google or Amazon versions might sometimes appear several days apart.

There is nothing we can do about this, so please be patient while the new version is checked, approved and then released.

Please do not contact us telling us a certain version is not yet available, or asking when a certain version will be available. Please be patient. It will appear soon.

If the App Summary > Latest App Version in New World Scheduler is different to the Apple, Google and Amazon versions, this means a new version is coming soon!

Both Apple, Google and Amazon must manually check and approve each new App release. Their review times vary greatly, from a few hours to a few days, or even longer. This means the new Apple, Google or Amazon versions might sometimes appear several days apart.

There is nothing we can do about this, so please be patient while the new version is checked, approved and then released.

Please do not contact us telling us a certain version is not yet available, or asking when a certain version will be available. Please be patient. It will appear soon.

Yes, of course!

Please see How does the NW Publisher app work? for more information.

Connecting to the App

Appointed Brothers

When an elder opens NW Scheduler and clicks App for the first time, they must enter the Congregation PIN.

The Congregation PIN is automatically generated when the NW Publisher app is first enabled, and can also be manually changed by clicking Change PIN.

Any App Administrator can see the Congregation PIN on their App > App Summary view.

He should give this Congregation PIN to other elders so they can connect to the App inside NW Scheduler

The Congregation PIN is automatically generated when the NW Publisher app is first enabled, and can also be manually changed by clicking Change PIN.

Any App Administrator can see the Congregation PIN on their App > App Summary view.

Ask any App Administrator to tell you.

If an elder has forgotten the Congregation PIN, he should ask another elder to open NW Scheduler and click App. The Congregation PIN is shown under App Summary

If all elders  have forgotten the Congregation PIN and no one has access to App Summary, please Contact Us and tell us that no other elders have access to the Congregation PIN, and ask us to “Reset your app”.

Publishers

  1. Ensure publishers are using the latest version of the App.
  2. Ensure the publishers phone is connected to the internet, and they can access www.google.com
  3. Ensure the publisher is entering the correct Congregation ID.
    • Double check the Congregation ID is being entered 100% correct.
  4. Ensure the publisher is entering the correct Congregation PIN
    • Note: Double-check they are entering the Congregation PIN and NOT their Person PIN.
  5. If this still doesn’t work, and many publishers are unable to connect, please Disable the App
  6. Carefully follow the instructions to Enable NW Publisher app again and then Send App Data
  7. Please do not Contact Us unless you have tried all of the above and include multiple full-screen screenshots of each of the above.

Note: If many publishers are unable to Identify Member, please instead see the subheading Many publishers can’t Identify Person

  1. Ensure the publisher is using the latest version of NW Publisher app
  2. Ensure you are using the latest Build version of New World Scheduler
    • Note: Click Me > Settings > Check for Updates to download the latest version.
  3. Ensure any Person data has been sent to the App
  4. Ensure the publisher is showing up in the App Persons List
  5. Ensure the publisher is entering only their First Name, not Full Name
  6. Ensure the publishers First Name does not contain any special characters, hyphens, commas etc. If so, please rename the First Name to only roman characters. After they connect, you can rename it back.
    • E.G. Rename Re’ne to Rene
  7. Ensure the First name they are entering exactly matches the First name field in New World Scheduler
    • E.G. If the publisher enters “John” but their name in New World Scheduler is “Jonathan”, it will not work
  8. Ensure they are entering the correct Person PIN
  9. Carefully follow the directions in Refresh or Fix Person
  10. If you have carefully followed each step and the publisher still receives this message, please Contact Us and include the following:
    • Multiple screenshots of each of the above-steps, including all steps involved in Steps 4 – 8, and also including the publishers phone on the Identify Member screen with their details entered and the error message.
    • Their Person ID (found in Persons > select the member > Information > #ID in the bottom-left corner)
    • Your Congregation ID

Note: If many publishers are unable to Identify Member, please instead see the subheading Many publishers can’t Identify Person

  1. Ensure the publisher is using the latest version of NW Publisher app
  2. Ensure you are using the latest Build version of New World Scheduler
    • Note: Click Me > Settings > Check for Updates to download the latest version.
  3. Ensure any Person data has been sent to the App
  4. Ensure the publisher is showing up in the App Persons List
  5. Ensure the publisher is entering only their First Name, not Full Name
  6. Ensure the publishers First Name does not contain any special characters, hyphens, commas etc. If so, please rename the First Name to only roman characters. After they connect, you can rename it back.
    • E.G. Rename Re’ne to Rene
  7. Ensure the First name they are entering exactly matches the First name field in New World Scheduler
    • E.G. If the publisher enters “John” but their name in New World Scheduler is “Jonathan”, it will not work
  8. Ensure they are entering the correct Person PIN
  9. Carefully follow the directions in Refresh or Fix Person
  10. If you have carefully followed each step and the publisher still receives this message, please Contact Us and include the following:
    • Multiple screenshots of each of the above-steps, including all steps involved in Steps 4 – 8, and also including the publishers phone on the Identify Member screen with their details entered and the error message.
    • Their Person ID (found in Persons > select the member > Information > #ID in the bottom-left corner)
    • Your Congregation ID

If many publishers are unable to Identify Person, this likely means the Person data was not correctly sent to the App when the NW Publisher app was first enabled inside New World Scheduler.

It could also mean a Congregation Administrator accidently Disabled the app.

To Fix:

  1. Please Disable the App
  2. Carefully follow the instructions to Enable NW Publisher app again

Please see How Publishers Connect to NW Publisher app

This will only happen if an elder in your congregation does any of the following:

  1. Disables the App, OR
  2. Changes the Congregation PIN, OR
  3. Under Person > Information or Person > Spiritual, marks a member as Moved, Disfellowshipped or ticks Disable App Access
  4. A publishers First Name was removed.
  5. A publishers Device was removed and the box “Remove App Access” was ticked.

Please check the App Logs to see what action was performed.

Please also provide training to all brothers using New World Scheduler to ensure they know how to correctly use New World Scheduler.

This can happen for any of the following reasons:

  • A publisher was deleted from your congregation, perhaps by accident.
  • A publisher was set as Moved or Disfellowshipped
  • A publisher had “Disable App Access” ticked
  • A publishers Device was removed and the box “Remove App Access” was ticked.
  • A publishers First Name was removed.

In all cases, the publishers access to NW Publisher app was revoked. If the publisher needs to later reconnect:

  1. Click App > App Persons
  2. Select them and click Refresh Person
  3. Send App Data

We strongly recommend publishers only connect with 1 device.

If they use multiple devices, data may not sync correctly and reminders will not work correctly. For example,

  • Recording Field Service Activity will not sync between devices.
  • Submit Field Service Reminder will not work correctly with multiple devices.

Connection Errors

This means one of several things:

  1. They are using an older version of NW Publisher. They should tap Settings and confirm they are using the latest  app version, otherwise download the latest version.
  2. Their phone has an internet connection problem, and cannot connect to the NW Publisher app server. Please see How to Fix an Internet Connection Problem below.
  3. The NW Publisher server has a problem. This is very rare. Please try again later.
  4. Their NW Publisher data is corrupted. This is very rare. They should remove and re-install NW Publisher, and you should click App > App Persons > Refresh Person.

There are several causes for this:

  1. Your internet is congested, unstable or unreliable. Try connecting again later. Try at a different time of the day, especially at an off-peak time. Ensuring no one else is using the internet for streaming, Windows Updates, or other intensive tasks. If this problem persists over a long period of time, you might need to contact your internet provider.
  2. Your Wi-Fi or 3G/4G signal is congested, weak or unstable. Try moving closer to your Wi-Fi router, or into a different room. Ensuring no one else is using the Wi-Fi for streaming or other intensive tasks. Try moving to an area with a stronger 3G/4G signal.
  3. Your phone is currently performing another internet intensive task. This might include downloading files, downloading a OS Update, etc. Try again later.
  4. You are using a VPN. VPN connections are often unstable and might even block certain websites or servers.
  5. Your phone has a Firewall, Anti-Virus software or other Security software that is preventing JWS Publisher from connecting to the internet. Try disabling or removing such software.

NW Publisher must have a reliable connection to the internet for the app to work correctly.

This means New World Scheduler cannot connect to the NW Publisher app server. The problem is not with New World Scheduler, it is either with your computer or your internet connection.

Sorry, there is nothing we can do. New World Scheduler must be allowed to connect to the internet and have a reliable internet connection.

There are several things you can do to solve this problem:

PROBLEM: There is a temporary internet problem.

SOLUTION: Try clicking Reconnect now, or a few minutes later, or a few hours later, or the next day. Click the Test Internet Connection button, which may help you diagnose the problem.

PROBLEM: Your computer has Anti-Virus, Firewall or Security software preventing New World Scheduler from connecting to the internet. (This is the most common reason for this error)

SOLUTION: Uninstall, disable or correctly configure all 3rd party Anti-Virus, Firewall or Security software to allow New World Scheduler to connect to the internet. We recommend removing all Anti-Virus, Firewall and Security software and instead using the free Windows Security that comes with Windows 10 and 11. This works fine with New World Scheduler.

PROBLEM: You are using a VPN, a proxy or workplace network or internet connection.

SOLUTION: Try disconnecting, disabling or deleting all VPN software. Do not use a proxy, or correctly configure it. Ask your workplace technical support for assistance.

PROBLEM: Your internet or Wi-Fi is slow, congested, unstable or unreliable.

SOLUTION: Try connecting again later, at a different time of the day. Ensure no one else is using the internet. Try moving your computer closer to your Wi-Fi router, or into a different room. Try using an internet connection at another location, or try using 3G or 4G. Try contacting your internet service provider (ISP).

PROBLEM: Your computer or someone on your network is performing another internet intensive task.

SOLUTION: Ensure no one on your network is streaming videos, downloading large files, performing Windows or other software updates.

OTHER SOLUTIONS

If you have tried all of the above and you still receive this message, you could also try:

  • Use another internet connection at another location.
  • Reinstalling Windows
  • Use another computer
  • Ask a local brother who is good with computers to help you.

Please remember, the problem is not with New World Scheduler, it is either with your computer or your internet connection. There is nothing we can do.

This means New World Scheduler cannot connect to the NW Publisher app server. The problem is not with New World Scheduler, it is either with your computer or your internet connection.

Sorry, there is nothing we can do. New World Scheduler must be allowed to connect to the internet and have a reliable internet connection.

There are several things you can do to solve this problem:

PROBLEM: There is a temporary internet problem.

SOLUTION: Try clicking Reconnect now, or a few minutes later, or a few hours later, or the next day. Click the Test Internet Connection button, which may help you diagnose the problem.

PROBLEM: Your computer has Anti-Virus, Firewall or Security software preventing New World Scheduler from connecting to the internet. (This is the most common reason for this error)

SOLUTION: Uninstall, disable or correctly configure all 3rd party Anti-Virus, Firewall or Security software to allow New World Scheduler to connect to the internet. We recommend removing all Anti-Virus, Firewall and Security software and instead using the free Windows Security that comes with Windows 10 and 11. This works fine with New World Scheduler.

PROBLEM: You are using a VPN, a proxy or workplace network or internet connection.

SOLUTION: Try disconnecting, disabling or deleting all VPN software. Do not use a proxy, or correctly configure it. Ask your workplace technical support for assistance.

PROBLEM: Your internet or Wi-Fi is slow, congested, unstable or unreliable.

SOLUTION: Try connecting again later, at a different time of the day. Ensure no one else is using the internet. Try moving your computer closer to your Wi-Fi router, or into a different room. Try using an internet connection at another location, or try using 3G or 4G. Try contacting your internet service provider (ISP).

PROBLEM: Your computer or someone on your network is performing another internet intensive task.

SOLUTION: Ensure no one on your network is streaming videos, downloading large files, performing Windows or other software updates.

OTHER SOLUTIONS

If you have tried all of the above and you still receive this message, you could also try:

  • Use another internet connection at another location.
  • Reinstalling Windows
  • Use another computer
  • Ask a local brother who is good with computers to help you.

Please remember, the problem is not with New World Scheduler, it is either with your computer or your internet connection. There is nothing we can do.

IDs, Passwords and PINs

Congregation ID: A unique 9-digit ID that identifies your congregation. This is used by both appointed brothers to connect to Congregation Sharing, and by publishers to connect to the NW Publisher app. Please see Help > Congregation > Congregation Information

Congregation Sharing Password: This has nothing to do with NW Publisher app. A password created by a Congregation Sharing Administrator that allows other appointed brothers to use New World Scheduler Congregation Sharing. Please see Help > Congregation Sharing > Congregation Sharing Help

Congregation PIN: This is a 8-digit number randomly generated by New World Scheduler that is given to publishers to allow them to use NW Publisher app to connect to your congregation. It can be found on the App view, and can also be changed on this view. Please see Help > NW Publisher app Help

Previously Congregation PINs were 6-digits in length, and will still continue to work.

App Person PIN: This is a 8-digit number randomly generated by New World Scheduler. This is given to publishers by their elders, and allows them to Identify themselves in the NW Publisher app. It can be found on the App > App Persons view. Please see Help > NW Publisher App > App Persons

App Users will still be connected to the congregation and will still be able to see any current App Data.

However since the Congregation PIN is used for data encryption, any newly Sent or Received Data will not work unless all App Users Disconnect and then Reconnect using the new Congregation PIN.

Yes, please click Change PIN.

All new Congregation PINs must be 8-digits, but existing 6 digit PINs will still work.

Using the App

Please visit the NW Publisher app – Help & Support website

  • Yellow: You have an Assignment this meeting
  • Green: You have a Duty this meeting
  • Teal: You have Cleaning this meeting
  • New or Updated
  • Upcoming soon, within your Initial Reminder period
  • Upcoming very soon, within your Final Reminder period
  • Delegate Assignment or Duty

App Data Missing or App Data Problems

  • Please Note: The most common reason App data is missing is the brother who created or changed the data did not send this data to the App. Please ensure all brothers Send App Data before closing New World Scheduler.
  1. Please carefully re-read How does the NW Publisher App work? to ensure you fully understand how the App works. For security reasons, the App data and New World Scheduler data are not automatically connected or synchronized. App data must be manually sent by the same person who made the data. See Send App Data for more information.
  2. Ensure any user with a problem is using the latest version of NW Publisher app
  3. Ensure you are using the latest Build version of NW Scheduler
  4. Refresh the missing App data. See How to Refresh App Data below
    • Note: Please DO NOT contact us unless you have tried refreshing the data and include screenshots of you doing this.
  5. If the Field Service Assignments are missing, ensure you have Enabled Show Field Service Assignments in App Features.
  6. Check the App Logs to see who is sending app data, and who might be causing the problem.
  7. If you are also using Congregation Sharing, ensure it is setup and working correctly. Congregation Sharing sync issues may cause app data to be incorrect or disappear. Carefully follow all steps in Congregation Sharing Data or Syncing Problems.
  8. If all the above did not work, please Contact Us and include multiple, detailed screenshots of each step of Refreshing the data, including what is seen on the app after the Refresh, as well as your App Logs.

Schedules, Congregation Events or the Information Board

  1. In New World Scheduler, navigate to the data with problems or that is missing
  2. Make a small change, then change the data back
  3. Send App Data
  • EXAMPLE 1: The Life and Ministry Meeting Schedule is missing some information. Click Schedule > Life and Ministry Meeting > select the week with a problem > change one part > then change it back. Finally, Send App Data
  • EXAMPLE 2: The Weekend Schedule is missing some Duties. Click Schedule > Duties > select the week with a problem > change one duty > then change it back. Finally, Send App Data
  • EXAMPLE 3: A Congregation Event is missing, or was deleted but is still showing. Click Congregation > Congregation Events > change the name of ANY future event, then change it back. Finally, Send App Data

Individual CLM Assignments, Assignments or Individual Duties

  1. Click App > Persons > Refresh Person for only the persons with a problem or missing data
  • EXAMPLE: A publisher is seeing some duplicated Individual Duties.

Duty Names or other Custom Titles

  1. Make a small change to one of the Duty names or titles, then change it back
  2. Send App Data

Field Service Group List

  1. Make a small change to the Group Name
  2. Change the Group Name back
  3. Send App Data

Please Note: The most common reason App data is not showing up is the brother who created or changed the data did not send this data to the App. Please ensure all brothers Send App Data before closing New World Scheduler.

Please see Receive and Import App Data

Please see Receive and Import App Data

This means your Life and Ministry Meeting Overseer has clicked “Manually Create Meeting Data” and did not enter the meeting data correctly.

Please do not click Manually create meeting data unless you absolutely know what you are doing. Many brothers make changes that adversely affects or removes data. The data we provide is 100% correct and accurate, and we recommend you use that.

You can click Reset Meeting Data to fix, or see Updating Christian Life and Ministry Meeting schedule.

The Congregation PIN is used to encrypt App Data. If a publisher sees “Unable to decrypt” inside NW Publisher, it means the Congregation PIN was changed and the data can no longer be decrypted.

  1. Ask the publisher to Disconnect and then Reconnect using the new Congregation PIN.
  2. If that doesn’t work, Refresh the App Data that cannot be decrypted.
  • Please Note: The most common reason App data is missing is the brother who created or changed the data did not send this data to the App. Please ensure all brothers Send App Data before closing New World Scheduler.
  1. Please carefully re-read How does the NW Publisher App work? to ensure you fully understand how the App works. For security reasons, the App data and New World Scheduler data are not automatically connected or synchronized. App data must be manually sent by the same person who made the data. See Send App Data for more information.
  2. Ensure any user with a problem is using the latest version of the App.
  3. Check the App Logs to see who is sending app data, and who might be causing the problem.
  4. If you are also using Congregation Sharing, ensure it is setup and working correctly. Congregation Sharing sync issues may cause app data to be incorrect or disappear. Carefully follow all steps in Congregation Sharing Data or Syncing Problems.
  5. If the Field Service Assignments are missing, ensure you have Enabled Show Field Service Assignments in App Features.
  6. Refresh the missing App data. See How to Refresh App Data below.
    • Note: Please DO NOT contact us unless you have tried refreshing the data and include screenshots of you doing this.
  7. If refreshing the data did not work, please Contact Us and include multiple, detailed screenshots of each step of Refreshing the data, including what is seen on the app after the Refresh, as well as your App Logs.
  • Please Note: The most common reason App data is missing is the brother who created or changed the data did not send this data to the App. Please ensure all brothers Send App Data before closing New World Scheduler.
  1. Please carefully re-read How does the NW Publisher App work? to ensure you fully understand how the App works. For security reasons, the App data and New World Scheduler data are not automatically connected or synchronized. App data must be manually sent by the same person who made the data. See Send App Data for more information.
  2. Ensure any user with a problem is using the latest version of the App.
  3. Check the App Logs to see who is sending app data, and who might be causing the problem.
  4. If you are also using Congregation Sharing, ensure it is setup and working correctly. Congregation Sharing sync issues may cause app data to be incorrect or disappear. Carefully follow all steps in Congregation Sharing Data or Syncing Problems.
  5. If the Field Service Assignments are missing, ensure you have Enabled Show Field Service Assignments in App Features.
  6. Refresh the missing App data. See How to Refresh App Data below.
    • Note: Please DO NOT contact us unless you have tried refreshing the data and include screenshots of you doing this.
  7. If refreshing the data did not work, please Contact Us and include multiple, detailed screenshots of each step of Refreshing the data, including what is seen on the app after the Refresh, as well as your App Logs.

There are two possible reasons for this:

  1. Data in New World Scheduler was incorrect at the time it was sent to NW Publisher app
  2. The Congregation Time Zone is different to the publishers device Time Zone setting

Data in New World Scheduler was incorrect at the time it was sent to NW Publisher app

Data shown in the app represents the data that was sent to the app by New World Scheduler. If you change or update your congregation data in New World Scheduler, this does not automatically change the data on the app. Please ensure the data in your Congregation is 100% accurate before sending data to the App.

Examples:

  • Ensure your Congregation Meetings Time for Next Year is correct before sending next years schedules.
  • Ensure your Congregation Time Zone is correct before sending any data.

To Fix:

  1. Double-check the follow is set correctly in New World Scheduler:
    • Congregation Time Zone
    • Congregation Midweek Meeting Day and Time, this year and next year.
    • Congregation Weekend Meeting Day and Time, this year and next year.
  2. Refresh the wrong App data. See How to Refresh App Data above.

The Congregation Time Zone is different to the publishers device Time Zone

All dates and times sent from New World Scheduler to NW Publisher app include Time Zone information. If a publishers device has a Time Zone setting that is different to the Congregation Time Zone setting, the days, dates and times will not display correctly.

To Fix:

  1. Ensure any publisher with a problem is using the latest version of the App.
    • Visit NWPublisher.com, or
    • Search for NW Publisher in the Apple Store, Google Play Store or Amazon Store.
  2. Ensure everyone using the App has the same Time Zone as the Congregation set on their device.

The NW Publisher app time format is set by the NW Scheduler Settings – Time Format of the brother who sent the App data.

If a brother later changes their Time Settings in New World Scheduler, this does not automatically change the data on the app. They must refresh the app data.

The most common cause for this problem is that someone changed your congregation language, even temporarily. Once initially set, you should NEVER EVER change your congregation language.

Data shown in the NW Publisher app represents the data that was sent to the app by New World Scheduler. If you change or update your congregation data in New World Scheduler, this does not automatically change the data on the app. Please ensure the data in your Congregation is 100% accurate before sending data to the App.

  • Example 1: If someone ever changes the Congregation Language, even temporarily, they may send the wrong language Life and Ministry meeting part titles to the app.
  • Example 2: If the app was setup before you correctly set your Congregation Language, the old language may continue to show on the app.

To fix:

  1. Ensure any user with a problem is using the latest version of the App.
  2. Double-check the Congregation Language is set correctly on your computer, and for every other elder who uses NW Scheduler.
    • Note: Once set correctly, never ever change your congregation language.
  3. Refresh the wrong App data.
    • Note: See How to Refresh App Data above, then following the instructions under Schedules, Congregation Events or the Information Board

The most common cause for this problem is that an elder deleted data in New World Scheduler, but did not send the change to the App.

Data shown in the NW Publisher app represents the data that was sent to the app by New World Scheduler. If you change or delete any data in New World Scheduler, this does not automatically change or delete the data on the app.

  • Example: If someone deletes a Congregation Event, but doesn’t click Send App Data, the old event will remain on the app.
  1. Ensure any user with a problem is using the latest version of the App.
  2. Refresh the type of App data that is displaying incorrectly. See How to Refresh App Data above.
  3. Train brothers to correctly Send App Data after adding, changing or deleting any data.

“UploadDocumentAttachment General Error: Access to the path … is denied”

  1. Close all attachments before Sending App Data
  2. If that doesn’t work, try restarting your computer, then Send App Data

App Data Explanations

All future assignments and duties are shown in NW Publisher App.

All congregation announcements are shown in NW Publisher app, until they reach their expiry date.

All future congregation events are shown in NW Publisher app.

8 weeks of Life and Ministry Meeting schedules and Weekend Meeting schedules. This cannot be changed.

4 weeks Field Service schedules and Public Witnessing schedules are shown in NW Publisher app. This cannot be changed.

Previous Assignments, Duties and Events are automatically removed within 24 hours after the time of the assignment, duty or event.

Congregation Announcements will display for 30 days from the date of creation, before being automatically deleted from the App. You can also manually remove any announcement at any time inside New World Scheduler. If you manually remove any announcement from New World Scheduler, you will need to Send App Data for the announcement to be removed from NW Publisher.

Schedules are removed within 24 hours after the date of the schedule.

  • Yellow: You have an Assignment this meeting
  • Green: You have a Duty this meeting
  • Teal: You have Cleaning this meeting
  • New or Updated
  • Upcoming soon, within your Initial Reminder period
  • Upcoming very soon, within your Final Reminder period
  • Delegate Assignment or Duty

App Features can be enabled or disabled from within New World Scheduler. Any features disabled will show a message that the feature has not been enabled.

There is no other way to limit what is shown on the NW Publisher app.

App Features

App Features can be enabled and disable by a App Administrator from within NW Scheduler by clicking App > App Features, then ticking or unticking App Features.

Please see App Features for more information.

Please see Help > NW Publisher app > App Features

If you want access to the latest features as soon as possible, please become a Beta Tester and receive Beta Version Updates.

Otherwise please patiently wait until the next version of New World Scheduler is released. New versions are generally released every few months, and only after thorough testing by our Beta Testers.

We do not provide specific information about when a future update will occur, or what will be included in an update. These details are only released with the update. There is no need to contact us asking about any future update.

Please see Updating New World Scheduler for more information.

Please carefully re-read App Features > Enable and Disable App Features.

After enabling or disabling any App Features, you must click Send App Data and send the changes to the app.

To fix, simply Un-Tick then Re-Tick any App Features, and then send the changes to the app.

This problem also might occur if you have Congregation Sharing Problems. I.E. the App Feature might be enabled on your computer, but this didn’t share properly, so the feature is disabled on another elders computer. If you notice this, please see Congregation Sharing Data or Syncing Problems.

Both Apple, Google and Amazon must manually check and approve each new App release. Their review times vary greatly, from a few hours to a few days, or even longer. This means the new Apple, Google or Amazon versions might sometimes appear several days apart.

There is nothing we can do about this, so please be patient while the new version is checked, approved and then released.

Please do not contact us telling us a certain version is not yet available, or asking when a certain version will be available. Please be patient. It will appear soon.

App Features can be enabled or disabled from within New World Scheduler. Any features disabled will show a message that the feature has not been enabled.

There is no other way to limit what is shown on the NW Publisher app.

Field Service Report Questions

Yes, there are two ways to do this:

  1. App Delegates. Please see App Persons > Delegates
  2. Group Overseers can submit the Field Service reports for persons in their group. Please see App Features – Me > Publishers

Yes, please see App Features – Me > Publishers

Yes, please see App Features – Me > Publishers

Yes.

To report less than one hour, publishers can use decimal places to represent how much to report.

E.G.

  • To report 15 minutes, please enter 0.25
  • To report 30 minutes, please enter 0.5
  • To report 45 minutes, please report 0.75

If publishers would like to report less than 1 hour without specifying the number of minutes, they can select Less than 1 hour when submitting their Field Service Report. This will be imported into New World Scheduler as 0.1 hours.

All minutes will be totalled and added to the Congregation Field Service Report (S-1), however as only whole hours can be reported to the Branch, the Secretary should use their discretion regarding what is reported.

There are 2 ways:

  • Use decimals to represent partial hours, e.g. 1.5 = 1 hour and 30 minutes.
  • Use a colon to represent hours and minutes, e.g. 1:30 = 1 hour and 30 minutes.

All minutes will be totalled and added to the Congregation Field Service Report (S-1), however as only whole hours can be reported to the Branch, the Secretary should use their discretion regarding what is reported.

No, not using the NW Publisher app.

True Christians must always be ready and willing to give a witness to anyone they encounter, including family, friends, workmates, doctors, sales people, etc. In fact, we should be actively trying to give a witness wherever and whenever possible.

Even if someone has no plans to engage in formal witnessing for the rest of a month, they would always be on the lookout to give an informal witness. This might happen on the first day, or the last day, of a month.

“Always ready to make a defence before everyone who demands of you a reason for the hope you have, but doing so with a mild temper and deep respect” – 1 Peter 3:15

For example, an unbelieving relative may phone a publisher on the last day of a month, or a telemarketer might call a publisher on the last day of the month. These situations might present a good opportunity to share our faith, and such time should be reported.

If there are rare and exceptional circumstances where a publisher must submit their report early, they can do this manually.

No, not using the NW Publisher app.

NW Publisher App only allows publishers to submit their field service report for the previous month.

For example, you can submit your September field service report from October 1st onwards. As of November 1st, you can submit your October field service report.

You cannot submit past or future months. This is logical and avoids confusion.

Yes, please see Help > App Features – Me > Field Service Activity

No. Recording Field Service Activity will not sync between devices.

We strongly recommend publishers only connect with 1 device. If they use multiple devices, data may not sync correctly and reminders will not work correctly.

Field Service Report Problems

  1. Ensure the user is using the latest version of the App.
  2. In New World Scheduler, under App, ensure Allow Submit Field Service is Enabled.
  3. Check the Publisher Record to see if any Hours have been entered for the publisher for that month. The publisher can only submit their Field Service Report if the Publisher Record is blank for that month.
    • Note: Entering 0 hours will also cause this button not to show, as the program assumes the publisher has reported 0 hours.
  4. Ensure the new month has actually started. For obvious reasons, you cannot submit reports before the start of the new month.
    • E.G. You can’t submit the September 2023 report until October 1st 2023.
  5. See below to reset the Submit Field Service Report button.

Please see Receive and Import App Data

The most common cause of this problem is that data was previously entered in the Publishers Report for that month, e.g. 0 hours. The Publisher Report Hours must be BLANK or NW Publisher assumes the report was already submitted.

  1. Ensure the user is using the latest version of the App.
  2. In New World Scheduler, under App, ensure Allow Submit Field Service is Enabled.
  3. Check the Publisher Record to see if any Hours have been entered for the publisher for that month. The publisher can only submit their Field Service Report if the Publisher Record is blank for that month.
    • Note: Entering 0 hours also assumes the publisher has already reported 0 hours.
  4. Ensure the new month has actually started. You cannot submit reports before the start of the new month.
    • E.G. You can’t submit the September 2020 report until October 1st 2020.
  5. Follow the directions in How to reset a Publishers ‘Submit Field Service Report’ button? below

Note: If you notice this problem several months in a row, or if following How to reset a Publishers ‘Submit Field Service Report’ button? does not work, please Contact Us with multiple, detailed screenshots of all steps above. Otherwise there is no need to contact us.

If the Field Service Report has already been entered in New World Scheduler, either by previously Submitting or by the Secretary manually entering into New World Scheduler, a publisher should see a message saying Already Submitted.

  • Note: Entering 0 hours will also stop the button from showing, as New World Scheduler assumes 0 hours means a report of 0 hours.

If the publisher is not seeing this message, or is being asked to Submit their Field Service report again:

  1. Ensure the publisher has the latest version of the App.
  2. Ensure the data was successfully Imported into New World Scheduler.
  3. Refresh the person

If the Persons > Publisher Record for last month is COMPLETELY BLANK:

  1. Click App > App Persons
  2. Click Refresh Person
  3. Click App > Send App Data
  4. Prepare & Send the data

If the Persons > Publisher Record for last month is not COMPLETELY BLANK:

  1. In New World Scheduler, click Persons
  2. Select the publisher
  3. Click Publisher Record > select the month their report is due
  4. Click Clear
  5. Click App > Send App Data
  6. Prepare & Send the data

NW Publisher app is a tool to allow publishers to easily submit their Field Service reports. It does not control or restrict what a publisher reports.

If a publisher is submitting partial hours or other incorrect figures, they should receive training from their local elders. It is not the responsibility of a computer program or an app to train publishers how to correctly record and submit their field service report.

Whether publishers use the NW Publisher app, a text message or a paper form to submit their report, they should receive training from their local elders to do so accurately and correctly.

This Send button can only be pressed if the following is true:

  • 0 or more Hours have been entered, OR
  • ‘Less than 1 hour‘ ticked

AND

  • App Features – Show ‘Allow Data Processing’ Message is DISABLED, OR
  • App Features – Show ‘Allow Data Processing’ Message is ENABLED and the publisher ticks Allow Data Processing

If all the above is true and a publisher is still unable to press Send, this means one of the following happened:

  1. A Congregation Administrator ENABLED Show ‘Allow Data Processing’ Message but did not set the message, OR
  2. A Congregation Administrator DISABLED Show ‘Allow Data Processing’ Message but did not send the change to the App.

To fix:

  1. Open New World Scheduler
  2. Click App
  3. First ENABLE, then DISABLE again Show ‘Allow Data Processing’ Message
  4. Click Send App Data > Prepare & Send

See App Features and Send App Data for more information.

NW Publisher App only allows publishers to submit their previous months field service report.

For example, you can only submit your September field service report from October 1st onwards. As of November 1st, you can submit your October field service report.

You cannot submit past or future months. This is logical and avoids confusion.

We strongly recommend publishers only connect with 1 device.

If they use multiple devices, data may not sync correctly and reminders will not work correctly. For example,

  • Recording Field Service Activity will not sync between devices.
  • Submit Field Service Reminder will not work correctly with multiple devices.

Field Service Activity and History

Elders must enable this feature, please see App Features > Show Field Service History

Yes, please see Help > App Features – Me > Field Service Activity

No. Recording Field Service Activity will not sync between devices.

We strongly recommend publishers only connect with 1 device. If they use multiple devices, data may not sync correctly and reminders will not work correctly.

No. There are already many excellent apps that can do this.

NW Publisher is designed for communication between a publisher and their congregation elders, not for managing your personal ministry.

No, Field Service Activity will not save or transfer between devices.

However any past Field Service History already sent to the local elders will be saved.

In future, we plan to add a method to Backup Field Service Activity, but this is not yet available.

Reminders and Notifications

Publishers can choose to Enable Reminders in NW Publisher by tapping Settings.

The following Reminders can be enabled:

Submit Field Service Report

  • This will automatically create a reminder to submit their report on the 1st of the new month at 7pm.
  • Another Reminder to submit their report will be given on the 8th of the month. (If not already submitted)
  • A Final Reminder to submit their report is given on the 15th of the month. (If not already submitted)

Assignments

  • An Initial Reminder will be given for all upcoming Assignments 6 days before the assignment.
  • A Final Reminder will be given 24 hours before any upcoming Assignment.
    • Note: The Initial and Final reminder period can be adjusted by the publisher.

Duties

  • An Initial Reminder will be given for all upcoming Duties 1 day before the duty.
  • A Final Reminder will be given 1 hour before any upcoming duty.
    • Note: The Initial and Final reminder period can be adjusted by the publisher.

Congregation Events

  • An Initial Reminder will be given for all upcoming Congregation Events 7 days before the event.
  • A Final Reminder will be given 1 day before any upcoming event.
    • Note: The Initial and Final reminder period can be adjusted by the publisher.

There is no way to create any other reminders.

We cannot guarantee a reminder will be generated, as this depends on a members phone and settings.

If a reminders are not being received, try the following:

  1. Ensure the publisher is using the latest version of NW Publisher.
  2. Ensure they have tapped Settings and enabled Reminders.
  3. If they have, ask them to Disable and Re-Enable Reminders.
  4. Apple iOS users: Ensure they have given NW Publisher permission to receive Reminders.
  5. Ask them to remove NW Publisher, and then reinstall.

If a reminder is still not being shown after performing all of the above, then there is nothing we can do.

There are several causes:

  1. If the updated assignment or duty was not correctly Sent to the App, existing reminders will still show.
  2. If the publisher has not opened their NW Publisher app between the time a schedule was updated and the time a reminder was originally due, the reminder will still occur.
  3. If the publisher is using multiple devices, incorrect reminders might continue to show.

If this happens often, the publisher should open the App Settings, then Disable and re-enable reminders.

If this happens often, the publisher should open the App Settings, then Disable and re-enable reminders.

If you make any of the above changes in NW Scheduler, notifications are automatically sent when you click Send App Data > Prepare and Send.

If you do not want to send Notifications for a particular change, please first click Prepare, then remove all Notifications, then click Send.

Publishers can choose to Enable Notifications in NW Publisher by tapping Settings.

The following Notifications can be enabled:

Information Board

  • This allows appointed brothers using New World Scheduler to send publishers a Notification when either the Congregation Information Board or Congregation Events have been updated.

Assignments and Duties

  • This allows appointed brothers using New World Scheduler to send publishers a Notification when their Assignments or Duties have been updated, or a Schedule was updated.

No other notifications can be sent to publishers.

Notifications are only sent to a Mobile Device if the following is all true:

  • Device is using NW Publisher App 1.2.8 or greater
  • Device has already connected to the congregation and identified member.
  • Device has not disabled Notifications.
  • Device is not an Amazon or Huawei device. These devices cannot receive notifications as they don’t support Google Services.
  • Data type affects that device, e.g. congregation-wide announcement, or their CLM Assignment.

If some Notifications say Send Fail, try the following:

  1. Ensure the publisher is using the latest version of NW Publisher.
  2. Ensure they have tapped Settings and enabled Notifications.
  3. If they have, ask them to Disable and Re-Enable Notifications.
  4. Apple iOS users: Ensure they have given NW Publisher permission to receive Notifications.
  5. In New World Scheduler, click App Members, select the member, and click Reset Devices. Wait until they use NW Publisher again and their device will be re-setup.
  6. Ask them to remove NW Publisher, and then reinstall.
  7. Check the Notification Logs for any extra information.

If a notification is still not being sent or received after performing all of the above, then there is nothing we can do. We cannot guarantee the delivery of a notification, since these are delivered by Apple and Google, and also depend on the users phone and users Settings.

Notifications are only sent to a mobile device if the following is all true:

  • Device is using the latest version of NW Publisher app
  • Device has already connected to the congregation and identified member
  • Device has not disabled Notifications
  • Device is not an Amazon or Huawei device. These devices cannot receive notifications as they don’t support Google Services
  • Data type affects that device, e.g. congregation-wide announcement, or their CLM Assignment

If a Notification is not being sent or is not being received, try the following:

  1. Determine if the Notification is actually being Sent by New World Scheduler,
    1. Click App > Send App Data > Prepare and carefully check what notifications are being generated
    2. Click Send and carefully check the Status of the notification
  2. Ensure the publisher is using the latest version of NW Publisher.
  3. Ensure they have tapped Settings and enabled Notifications.
  4. If they have, ask them to Disable and Re-Enable Notifications.
  5. Apple iOS users: Ensure they have given NW Publisher permission to receive Notifications.
  6. In New World Scheduler, click App Members, select the member, and click Reset Devices. Wait until they use NW Publisher again and their device will be re-setup.
  7. Ask them to remove NW Publisher, and then reinstall.
  8. Check the Notification Logs for any extra information.

If a notification is still not being sent or received after performing all of the above, then there is nothing we can do. We cannot guarantee the delivery of a notification, since these are delivered by Apple and Google, and also depend on the users phone and users Settings.

Reminders can only be created or removed while the NW Publisher app is open.

After a publisher submits their Field Service Report, future reminders for that month are removed.

However, if a publisher has connected with multiple devices, and they have not recently opened the app on their other devices, they will still receive reminders to submit their field service report.

This is normal behaviour, there is nothing we can do about this. We strongly encourage all users to only use a single device.

Or, if a Group Overseer enters a publishers field service report using either NW Scheduler or his own NW Publisher, and the publisher has not recently opened the app on their device, they will still receive reminders to submit their field service report.

This is normal behaviour, there is nothing we can do about this. Reminders can only be created or removed while the NW Publisher app is open.

Reminders can only be created or removed while the NW Publisher app is open.

After a publisher submits their Field Service Report, future reminders for that month are removed.

However, if a publisher has connected with multiple devices, and they have not recently opened the app on their other devices, they will still receive reminders to submit their field service report.

This is normal behaviour, there is nothing we can do about this. We strongly encourage all users to only use a single device.

Or, if a Group Overseer enters a publishers field service report using either NW Scheduler or his own NW Publisher, and the publisher has not recently opened the app on their device, they will still receive reminders to submit their field service report.

This is normal behaviour, there is nothing we can do about this. Reminders can only be created or removed while the NW Publisher app is open.

  1. In NW Publisher, tap Settings to Enable or Disable Notifications and Reminders
  2. Check that your phone has given NW Publisher access to Notifications. (iOS only)
    1. Close NW Publisher
    2. In iOS, tap Settings > scroll down to NW Publisher > tap Notifications
      • Select Allow Notifications
      • Select Allow Lock Screen, Notification Center and Banners.
    3. Enable Background App Refresh

New World Scheduler App Allow Reminders

New World Scheduler App Allow Notifications

Please carefully re-read App Features

Ticking Show Field Service Assignments allows the Field Service Conductor assignment to be sent to the App. This can be useful if brothers often forget to take the Field Service Group, but can be annoying if the same brothers regularly take the same group and don’t need reminders.

By default, Show Field Service Assignments is Disabled.

This is most likely caused because the Congregation Time Zone is different to the publishers device Time Zone, or was different at the time the data was sent to NW Publisher app.

Some dates and times sent from New World Scheduler to NW Publisher app include Time Zone information. If a publishers device has a Time Zone setting that is different to the Congregation Time Zone setting, the days, dates and times will not display correctly.

To Fix:

  1. Ensure any publisher with a problem is using the latest version of the App.
  2. Ensure everyone using the App has the same Time Zone as the Congregation set on their mobile device.

The Reminder and Notification time for an assignment or duty is set when the assignment or duty is first sent to the App. Therefore, if your meeting times change, you must “refresh” any existing data for the new times to correctly show up.

  • Note: See How to Refresh Data on the App.

Dates and Times

There are two possible reasons for this:

  1. Data in New World Scheduler was incorrect at the time it was sent to NW Publisher app
  2. The Congregation Time Zone is different to the publishers device Time Zone setting

Data in New World Scheduler was incorrect at the time it was sent to NW Publisher app

Data shown in the app represents the data that was sent to the app by New World Scheduler. If you change or update your congregation data in New World Scheduler, this does not automatically change the data on the app. Please ensure the data in your Congregation is 100% accurate before sending data to the App.

Examples:

  • Ensure your Congregation Meetings Time for Next Year is correct before sending next years schedules.
  • Ensure your Congregation Time Zone is correct before sending any data.

To Fix:

  1. Double-check the follow is set correctly in New World Scheduler:
    • Congregation Time Zone
    • Congregation Midweek Meeting Day and Time, this year and next year.
    • Congregation Weekend Meeting Day and Time, this year and next year.
  2. Refresh the wrong App data. See How to Refresh App Data above.

The Congregation Time Zone is different to the publishers device Time Zone

All dates and times sent from New World Scheduler to NW Publisher app include Time Zone information. If a publishers device has a Time Zone setting that is different to the Congregation Time Zone setting, the days, dates and times will not display correctly.

To Fix:

  1. Ensure any publisher with a problem is using the latest version of the App.
    • Visit NWPublisher.com, or
    • Search for NW Publisher in the Apple Store, Google Play Store or Amazon Store.
  2. Ensure everyone using the App has the same Time Zone as the Congregation set on their device.

The NW Publisher app time format is set by the NW Scheduler Settings – Time Format of the brother who sent the App data.

If a brother later changes their Time Settings in New World Scheduler, this does not automatically change the data on the app. They must refresh the app data.

Symbols and Icons

  • Yellow: You have an Assignment this meeting
  • Green: You have a Duty this meeting
  • Teal: You have Cleaning this meeting
  • New or Updated
  • Upcoming soon, within your Initial Reminder period
  • Upcoming very soon, within your Final Reminder period
  • Delegate Assignment or Duty

Attachments and Links

NW Publisher uses the phones default URL viewer (or Link viewer) to open links. Usually this is the phones web browser. If a member is having problems, they should fix or change the default URL viewer.

We obviously cannot diagnose or fix publishers phones, so if they are having trouble opening a link they should please contact their phone manufacturer or ask a local brother who is good at fixing phones.

  1. Ensure Congregation Sharing is enabled and connected
  2. Ensure publishers are using the latest version of NW Publisher
  3. Ensure the attachment is either PDF, JPG or PNG format
  4. Ensure the attachment is 2MB or less
  5. Ensure the Attachment filename contains only roman characters. No special characters are allowed.
  6. The attachment might have expired, or failed to correctly upload. Remove and then re-add the attachment.
  7. Ensure the attachment is not corrupted or damaged by opening it on your local computer.
  8. Try renaming the attachment to something simple, like “Announcement1.pdf”, then re-attach to the announcement.
  9. Try saving the attachment in another format., i.e. take a screenshot and save as Image, or click Print to PDF and re-save the PDF. Some PDF files have advanced embedded features that prevent phones from opening.
  10. Try deleting and re-creating the entire Information Board item.

If none of the above work, sorry there is nothing we can do.

Interacting with other Apps

Yes, Ministry Assistant app can send publisher report data to NW Publisher.

We hope to work with more ministry related apps in the future.

No.

App Crashes

  1. Please ensure the user is using the latest version of the NW Publisher app.
    • Visit NWPublisher.com, or
    • Search for NW Publisher in the Apple Store, Google Play Store or Amazon Store.
  2. If a problem persists, please Contact Us and describe the problem. Please include screenshots if possible.

App Languages

Please see Help > Translation or Language Help > All New World Scheduler & NW Publisher app Languages

Please see Help > Translation or Language Help > Request New Language

Please see Help > Translation or Language Help > Improve NW Publisher app Translation

The most common cause for this problem is that someone changed your congregation language, even temporarily. Once initially set, you should NEVER EVER change your congregation language.

Data shown in the NW Publisher app represents the data that was sent to the app by New World Scheduler. If you change or update your congregation data in New World Scheduler, this does not automatically change the data on the app. Please ensure the data in your Congregation is 100% accurate before sending data to the App.

  • Example 1: If someone ever changes the Congregation Language, even temporarily, they may send the wrong language Life and Ministry meeting part titles to the app.
  • Example 2: If the app was setup before you correctly set your Congregation Language, the old language may continue to show on the app.

To fix:

  1. Ensure any user with a problem is using the latest version of the App.
  2. Double-check the Congregation Language is set correctly on your computer, and for every other elder who uses NW Scheduler.
    • Note: Once set correctly, never ever change your congregation language.
  3. Refresh the wrong App data.
    • Note: See How to Refresh App Data above, then following the instructions under Schedules, Congregation Events or the Information Board

Additional Help

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