Tech Forum

As far as I understand the enter event and approval process the following problems can happen that the form could filter for by the way event information is requested;
1. Commercial event scheduled by member of ward, i.e. piano recital, shop's fashion show for the new spring line being done by the YW, etc. (had this happen)
2. Group of guys (or gals) scheduling a "private gym" with unlimited repeating that can tie up the resource for the whole year very night from 9 to 11 pm (only an example - but a submission like this in the past).
3. Drill practice by the Jr Cheer team. (leader - a member of the stake)

I would love to see the form filter for things like
1. Event Type - Ward Organization or personal - if this is a personal event make the event so that it can't be scheduled as a repeating event.
2. Scheduling Organization, i.e. YW, RS, HP, Scouts in a look-up list.
3. Acceptable Event - is this an Acceptable Church Activity? with a help link to "handbook" building guidelines.

srweight wrote:I would love to see the form filter for things like
1. Event Type - Ward Organization or personal - if this is a personal event make the event so that it can't be scheduled as a repeating event.
2. Scheduling Organization, i.e. YW, RS, HP, Scouts in a look-up list.
3. Acceptable Event - is this an Acceptable Church Activity? with a help link to "handbook" building guidelines.

Although I understand your frustration, I have a hard time agreeing to any change that makes the scheduling process even more complicated than it already is, which each of your suggestions would do.

Only a calendar editor can reserve the building. There are definitely some cultural changes associated with the new calendar, so ongoing training is required. But the ward and stake policies for scheduling a building should be clearly explained to each calendar editor. If those policies are violated, priesthood leaders need to provide additional training, or remove the editing privileges of the violator. The fact is that if someone knows the policies and violates them anyway, not a single one of your suggestions would make any difference at all. In my opinion, the better approach is clear communication and constant vigilance (which is needed in any case).

I do like your suggestion of a link to building guidelines, but I would suggest that the Handbook guidelines are insufficient because they don't come close to covering all the situations that may be important to a stake or ward -- it would be better to be able to link to the stake or ward's specific guidelines (which would build upon and/or link to the Handbook guidelines).

I am in agreement with aebrown. I don't see how adding complexity to the calendar scheduling process such as recommended will add any value.

The event type, whether organizational or personal, is basically determined when a calendar is approved for use by an approver. I doubt that a bishopric member or any other unit leader with approver rights would approve a clendar that is only personal in nature and not associated with a unit organization. In fact there are threads discussing the difficulty of members to schedule non-organizational or personal events.

For the most part each calendar is associated with an organization or group of organizations as mentioned above. Adding that again in a filter is redundant. All calendars have to be approved. A personal calendar will most likely be private and therefore not have the ability to reserve resources.

Whether an event is acceptable under Church policies is the responsiblilty of those with calendar editor rights (approver, editor, building scheduler) to determine. Each calendar editor, as well as approver and building scheduler, should be familiar with Church and local policies. As aebrown stated each member with editor rights should be trained to understand these policies. The calendar approvers should also be checking calendars and the events scheduled for appropriate and fair scheduling. As an approver for my unit I do that at least weekly if not more often.

The building scheduler should also be checking the resources reserved at their location regularly. Any member can contact the building scheduler about any resource scheduling issues for resolution. The building scheduler's ability to override or change resource reservations can keep those anomolous troublesome reservations controlled.

srweight wrote:As far as I understand the enter event and approval process the following problems can happen that the form could filter for by the way event information is requested;
1. Commercial event scheduled by member of ward, i.e. piano recital, shop's fashion show for the new spring line being done by the YW, etc. (had this happen)
2. Group of guys (or gals) scheduling a "private gym" with unlimited repeating that can tie up the resource for the whole year very night from 9 to 11 pm (only an example - but a submission like this in the past).
3. Drill practice by the Jr Cheer team. (leader - a member of the stake)

Are you talking about the old classic calendar or the new one? Under the old one, general members could request anything. It's expected to die off at the end of this year, so don't expect any new features.

But under the new one, I think only the editors of the calender in question have the rights to put anything there. If the leaders are not following guidelines, you've got bigger problems then just the calendar.

Thanks - you all have focused me on the real problem - Training and On-going Training.