Calendaring on Both a Ward and Stake Calendar

[Gary_Miller]

It is mostly getting all the members with access (presidencies in the Wards and Others) to use the Room location info to help avoid conflict and remove me from the picture. The website will prevent conflicts if the members do their part and reserve a room in the event.

Are all the rooms in the building listed or is it just the main areas such as the Chapel, culture Hall, Serving area, Multipurpose room, Relief Society Room, ect.. That,s what I found when trying to make an event, not all the rooms in the building were listed so you could not properly book an event. So we had to select "Another Location" for the building and the put the information in the space where the other location would be. The problem with doing it this way is the building is not reserved for that event.

Our Bishop just recently called an individual to be a Calendar Coordinator his main responsibility is to train/help organizations in using the calendar. I pointed out the problem to him (as I'm currently the ward calendar expert and responsible for training the calendar coordinator and I working the issue when he was called) and he is now working to get all rooms in the building listed. Its a lengthily process though as all he can to is relay the information to a "Stake Administrator" to make the changes.

If there was anything that needs changed in the calendar roles and rights its giving the "Building Scheduler" the capabilities of adding and editing the resources available at the location. That way the wards in a building would not have to go clear to the top (Stake Presidency and clerk)to get resources added for the building.

[aebrown]

Are all the rooms in the building listed or is it just the main areas such as the Chapel, culture Hall, Serving area, Multipurpose room, Relief Society Room, ect.. That,s what I found when trying to make an event, not all the rooms in the building were listed so you could not properly book an event. So we had to select "Another Location" for the building and the put the information in the space where the other location would be. The problem with doing it this way is the building is not reserved for that event.
...he is now working to get all rooms in the building listed. Its a lengthily process though as all he can to is relay the information to a "Stake Administrator" to make the changes.

This is something each stake will need to decide, but personally I think it's a bad idea to include every room in the location. That just makes a long list of rooms that you make people wade through. In my experience, no one has ever wanted to reserve Room 24 or Room 11; in fact, the majority of the rooms would never be scheduled because they are just simple class rooms. We only create rooms in the location for rooms that are actually scheduled for events, and almost all those rooms already exist in the built-in list of rooms.

If there was anything that needs changed in the calendar roles and rights its giving the "Building Scheduler" the capabilities of adding and editing the resources available at the location. That way the wards in a building would not have to go clear to the top (Stake Presidency and clerk)to get resources added for the building.

That would be a nice improvement. I'm guessing that one of the challenges of implementing this is that the Locations page within the Settings area allows multiple functions (add/delete/edit locations, add/remove building schedulers) that are not appropriate for the building scheduler, and so it would be difficult to give the building scheduler rights to edit one part of that page (which is actually part of the Edit Location flow) while prohibiting access to those other features. And it's really a rare thing to edit the rooms -- for the most part you set them up once and they need little attention after that.

[Gary_Miller]

This is something each stake will need to decide, but personally I think it's a bad idea to include every room in the location. That just makes a long list of rooms that you make people wade through. In my experience, no one has ever wanted to reserve Room 24 or Room 11; in fact, the majority of the rooms would never be scheduled because they are just simple class rooms.

How does the, Beehive class, Mia Maid class, Laurel class, Venture Crew/Priest Quorum, Varsity Team/Teachers Quorum, Scout Troop/Deacons Quorum, ect., add their weekly events with details to their individual class calendars without also adding the room where they meet? They all cannot schedule the Young Women Room or Aaronic Priesthood Room at the same time without getting a conflict. Therefore they must be able to add the classroom, where they meet, within the building in order to add the event to the calendar without selecting the location as "Another Location" or "No Location"

We only create rooms in the location for rooms that are actually scheduled for events,

If the room in the location is not on the list then it can't be scheduled for an event. Adding only the rooms where the majority of events usually accrues is limiting the use of the resource (building). Its kind of like putting the cart before the horse it just does not work well. It is much better to be proactive and list all the rooms by number and if the room is used specifically for a purpose such as YW room add the name also.

In our building the Young Women room can be divided into three separate class rooms. As I have already mentioned not every class can schedule the YW Room in the event at the same time, without a conflict.

An example of how to split the room up and get the most beneficial use of the calendar and the building would look like this.

Room 100, Young Women Front Classroom
Room 101, Young Women Center Classroom
Room 102, Young Women Back Classroom

and almost all those rooms already exist in the built-in list of rooms.

If that's the case then someone really missed the point in our building as only the major areas of the building is on the list and some of these areas our building does not even have.

Examples would be:

No chapel over flow in our building, yet chapel overflow is on the list. Our Cultural Hall is the overflow area.

The Cultural hall is listed three times which could cause a conflict without it showing as a conflict when scheduling an event. Its add as Cultural Hall, Cultural hall back overflow, and Cultural hall front overflow. Can you see how a conflict could happen.

[russellhltn]

An example of how to split the room up and get the most beneficial use of the calendar and the building would look like this.

Room 100, Young Women Front Classroom
Room 101, Young Women Center Classroom
Room 102, Young Women Back Classroom

The question would be is if there's ever any contention for that room? If only the YW use it, and they only meet on "their" ward's night (or they are the only ward), then the odds that the rooms need to be booked to prevent someone else from being in there seems to be small.

Of course that's assuming that the YW will even put an event on the calendar. It seems some wards don't play that way.

Bottom line, it all depends on what's needed. There's no "one size fits all" here. Just a suggestion on the two ways of doing something and deciding what should be done based on the local needs.

If that's the case then someone really missed the point in our building as only the major areas of the building is on the list and some of these areas our building does not even have.

Examples would be:

No chapel over flow in our building, yet chapel overflow is on the list. Our Cultural Hall is the overflow area.

The Cultural hall is listed three times which could cause a conflict without it showing as a conflict when scheduling an event. Its add as Cultural Hall, Cultural hall back overflow, and Cultural hall front overflow. Can you see how a conflict could happen.

Talk to your Stake Presidency. The Stake default admins (which include the Exec Sec and clerks) have full control over what rooms appear. There is a list they can pick and choose from, but they can also make custom names. You can't blame the system for this one. The buck stops with the stake.

You can see more information on this under "Managing locations" in Help.

[Gary_Miller]

The question would be is if there's ever any contention for that room? If only the YW use it, and they only meet on "their" ward's night (or they are the only ward), then the odds that the rooms need to be booked to prevent someone else from being in there seems to be small.

Of course that's assuming that the YW will even put an event on the calendar. It seems some wards don't play that way.

Bottom line, it all depends on what's needed. There's no "one size fits all" here. Just a suggestion on the two ways of doing something and deciding what should be done based on the local needs.

Its not about wither there is a contention for the room. Its about using the calendar to get accurate information to the members about the what, when, and where of the event.

Whats happening, "We are learning to sew dresses tonight" not "Mutual Night".

When is it happening, "Tuesday December 12 from 7 pm to 8:30 pm" not "Mutual Night"

Where is it happening, "Downtown building, Room 100" not "Mutual Night same place as always"

I see the new calendar as a place to get information. Not just a place to reserve a room.

Talk to your Stake Presidency. The Stake default admins (which include the Exec Sec and clerks) have full control over what rooms appear. There is a list they can pick and choose from, but they can also make custom names. You can't blame the system for this one. The buck stops with the stake.

Currently in the process of being worked though the stake as required.

You can see more information on this under "Managing locations" in Help.

Been there done that, and I think I have a pretty good understanding of the principles behind using the calendar.

[kisaac]

How does the, Beehive class, Mia Maid class, ect., add their weekly events with details to their individual class calendars without also adding the room where they meet?

Easily. It's not needed to tell the beehives where they meet each week. It's needed to make them want to come each week. Give them the reason to show up in your event description. They meet in their usual room, 116.

1. Your Stake presidency authorized your Building scheduler who granted your mutual the building on Tuesdays. He/she may have placed a reservation further "granting" only your mutual the right to schedule those big resources you will share-the gym, the kitchen, etc. This "blocks" any scheduling from another ward or the stake using the gym on your mutual night.
2. Then, Your ward council made a policy decision that granted room 116 to the beehives. No exceptions...its their room. No need to schedule it, you gave it to them.
3. Your ward council also made a policy that any use of shared areas: Gym, Kitchen, etc, MUST BE SCHEDULED with an event to avoid conflicts between your mutual organizations. Because only your mutual can schedule an event due to your reservation, and only one of your mutual organizations can schedule any shared room like your gym at a time, there is NEVER a conflict.

The technology of the calendar doesn't replace the policy and common sense agreed upon by all the parties sharing the building.

Somebody is not playing nice? Using room 116? Playing in the gym without scheduling it? Call the bishop- they are violating the policy agreed upon by all the wards that share your building, AND the policy agreed upon by your ward council that governs every group.

Therefore they must be able to add the classroom, where they meet, within the building in order to add the event to the calendar without selecting the location as "Another Location" or "No Location"

The beehives know where they meet every week. Write a wonderful description that makes them want to come. They will meet in room 116. Exceptions to room 116 will list another location, like the temple, or list a scheduled shared resource, like the gym. And, your wonderful event description that you write every week will make it obvious if the meeting location is not room 116!

[mevans]

You can't view other wards calendars, however you can view other wards events by using the week view and selecting the building where the other wards are located.

I just wanted to clarify something for you from Gary's suggestion: you can only see events that are scheduled in a building. It will not show you that the youth are meeting at the bowling alley on Tuesday night.

[russellhltn]

scheduled in a building

More specifically, scheduled in THAT building(s) you have selected on the left side. If that ward is meeting at the stake center and you're only looking at their normal "home" building, you won't see that.

[Gary_Miller]

Easily. It's not needed to tell the beehives where they meet each week. It's needed to make them want to come each week. Give them the reason to show up in your event description. They meet in their usual room, 116.

The beehives know where they meet every week. Write a wonderful description that makes them want to come. They will meet in room 116. Exceptions to room 116 will list another location, like the temple, or list a scheduled shared resource, like the gym. And, your wonderful event description that you write every week will make it obvious if the meeting location is not room 116!

When you book an event in a specific building you must also choose something under "Rooms and Equipment at the location". In your example they would put room 116. However, if room 116 is not on the list of "Rooms and Equipment at this location" they could not book their event unless they use "No Location" or "Other Location" as the location.

By default you must choose a location in order to book an event.

By default if you use anything other than "No Location" or "Other Location" you must select something under "Rooms and equipment at this location".

It would not make much sense to choose "No Location" or "Other Location" if you are meeting in your assigned building.

It just makes sense to choose the location where you are holding the event and the room inside the building where you will be meeting.

Hence the need to have all rooms in the building on the list of "Rooms and equipment at this location".

[russellhltn]

It would not make much sense to choose "No Location" or "Other Location" if you are meeting in your assigned building.

Other then not booking the room, what is the problem with using "Other Location" and then filling in "Downtown building, Room 116"?