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Create Timetables | Onboarding Manual

Updated on July 4, 2023

Watch the How-to Video


Timetables are the scheduling tool for planning and following an educational program, {classes}/{subjects}.

Here you can see how you can create a timetable, create timetable periods and categories, allocate educators to classes/subjects via the timetable, set up restrictions and controls and automatically generate a timetable.

The path you need to follow for Timetable Configuration is: Dashboard > Configuration > Academic Settings > Timetable (Figure 1)

 

 

Timetable Categories

In this section, you can create and manage various timetable categories e.g., Main, Exams, Activities etc. (Figure 3).


Figure 1

 

Note: One of the categories must be set as the default one (Figure 2).


Figure 2

 

  • Use the ‘View’ menu to select Card or Grid View.
  • Use the ‘Refresh’ button to refresh your data after having made any changes.
  • Click on the category card to edit or delete it (Figure 3).

 


Figure 3

 

Create New

Click on the ‘Create New’ button to create a new Timetable Category (Figure 4). You create as many timetables as you need.

Timetables you create can be connected to subjects, classes, educational programs {Year} and (Stream).

The timetables you create can have many uses, either for planning everyday teaching, afternoon extracurricular activities or to program services.

 


Figure 4

 

  • Use the ‘Description’ text box to enter a category name, e.g., Activities.
  • Select the ‘Active’ button to activate the category so that it is available.
  • Activate the ‘Default’ button if you want to set the category as the default one.
  • Click on ‘Save’

 

 

Timetable Periods

In this section, you can create and manage the timetable periods. A period could be a class session hour e.g., 1st, 2nd, 3rd Hour, etc., or a break e.g., 1st, 2nd, 3rd Break, etc. (Figure 7).

Note: the class session duration may differ from Institute to Institute, so one class session ‘hour’ might equal to 60, 45, or 30 minutes.

 


Figure 7

 

  • Use the ‘Level’ and ‘Category’ filters to show the recorded timetable periods.
  • Use the View drop-down menu to see results in Card or Grid View.
  • Click on the edit button to edit the selected timetable period, or click on the delete button to delete the selected timetable period.
  • Drag and drop timetable periods up or down the list to reorder them. Once you do, click on the ‘Save Re-ordering’ button.
  • Use the Refresh button after having applied an edit, or deletion, to make sure that data is updated and synchronized.
  • Click on the +Create New button to create a new timetable period.

 

 

Create New

  • Click on the ‘Create New’ button to create a new timetable period (Figure 8).

 


Figure 8

 

  • Use the short description text box to enter the timetable period name, e.g., 1st Hour
  • Activate the break button, if the period you are creating is a break
  • Set the start and end time of the period, e.g., From 09:00 To 09:45
  • Record the duration of the period in minutes, e.g., 45
  • Select a timetable category from the available drop-down list, e.g., Main
  • Select the Level(s) that the period will be available at, e.g., High School
  • Select the days of the week that the period will be available
  • Select the type of the timetable period e.g., Timetable or Services
  • Use the external code if you want to import a timetable from a third-party application
  • Click on ‘Save’

 

 

Allocate {Educators} to {Classes} and {Subjects}

In the enrollments part of this manual, you saw how we can allocate {educators} to {classes} and {subjects}.

We will now see how we can do this in a smaller scale through the timetable calendar view.

Follow the path: Dashboard > Management > Academic Tasks > Timetable > Calendar View (Figure 9).

 


Figure 9

On this page you can (Figures 10,11,12):

  • Choose from the filters the Timetable Category, {school}, {year} and {stream} you wish to view the timetable for. Click on the ‘Search’ button.
  • You will see the timetable on the right side and the list of {teachers}/{years}/{subjects/classrooms} (these entities are tied together and can be placed in the timetable in any free time slot).
  • To allocate an {educator} to a {class}/{subject}, you first need to select the {teacher} you want to allocate and click on the free time slot on the timetable, e.g., time slot 8.15-9.15.
  • Once you have clicked on the time slot on the timetable, you will see a popup window (Figure 10).

 


Figure 10

  • If the top 2 filters are switched on, then the dropdown lists below will show only {teachers} and {subjects} that the {teacher} e.g., Elaine Borg is enrolled in.
  • So you would just be creating a new session for a class and subject Ms Borg is already teaching.
  • Unselect the filter {teachers} & {subjects} and now you will be able to create a session and allocate the {teacher} you want to a specific {class} and {subject} that is not currently enrolled in.
  • Fill in the {class}, {teacher}, {subject}, classroom, resources, and a comment.
  • Click on ‘Save’ button.
  • You will see that the session has been created and that Ms. Borg will be connected to the new {class} and {subject} (you will see this in the teacher’s form/ classes-subjects tab).

 

 

Setup Constraints and Restrictions for Timetables

When creating a timetable, you must consider setting up some operating rules. This section will show you the options you have. The constraint will apply to all timetables.

Follow the path: Dashboard > Management > Academic Tasks > Timetable > Calendar View (Figure 11).

 


Figure 11

 

  • From the Calendar view page, click on the ‘Actions’ dropdown button and then click on the ‘Constraints’ button.
  • You will see a popup window appear (Figure 12).

 


Figure 12

  1. Check Teacher Hours’: Checks if the timetable entry exceeds teacher’s declared total working hours
  2. Check Teacher Hours per Subject’: Checks if the timetable entry exceeds teacher’s declared teaching hours in the specific subject
  3. Check Teacher’s Time Availability’: Checks if the teacher is available on the day and time of the timetable entry in respect to his/her availability schedule.
  4. Check Students Enrollments’: Checks students’ availability, comparing the Group/Subjects they are enrolled to and the ones of the timetable entry.
  5. Check Students Time Availability’: Checks if the students, enrolled to the selected group, are available on the day and time of the timetable entry in respect of e.g., their declared school activities
  6. Check Subject Hours’: Checks if the timetable entry exceeds the declared teaching hours for the specific subject
  7. Check Subject Constraints’: Checks for time, duration, year constraints that have been entered in to subjects during creation or through later addition, before allowing the creation of a session.
  8. Check Class/Subject Enrollments’: Checks if the timetable entry exceeds the declared teaching hours for the specific subject per group
  9. Check Classroom’: Checks classroom’s capacity in respect to the selected group’s number of students
  10. Include all constraints of the associated main classes when you check class constraints’: System will check all constraints regarding main classes.
  11. Check Classroom Time Availability’: Checks for Classroom time conflict, e.g., another session is planned at that time in this classroom.
  12. Check Class Time Availability’: Checks for possible Class Time conflicts, e.g., If the Class has sessions already planned for this time period you can’t plan a new one.
  13. Check Year Time Availability’: Checks for possible Year time conflicts before it allows the creation of the new session, e.g., if the Year 1 has other sessions planned it will warn about the conflict.
  14. Check Resources’: the System checks if resources you have chosen for your session are available for use.

 

Click on ‘Save’ to Save changes

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