ahancey wrote:If I can't make a compelling argument, demonstrating that the calendar will be a good replacement for the current scheduling method, I am afraid that my stake will decide to move everyone to google calendar.
That would be a very poor choice. Trying to get everyone signed up with a Google Account would be a pain, but the worst problem is that Google knows nothing about the buildings and rooms in your stake. The LDS.org Calendar is designed to schedule buildings and rooms and prevent conflicts.
ahancey wrote:What is the latest documentation version? I have read version 2.2, dated 1/21/2013. It talks about Reservations, but the calendar lists Restrictions, not Reservations, so I am assuming that the documentation is old.
The documentation was very recently moved to the Record Keeping and Technology Support site. When you click Help from the Calendar, you will go to
Calendar on RKATS. It is now much more up to date, using the word "Restriction" instead of the old "Reservations" term (some of the videos still have images of screens with the old terminology).
ahancey wrote:After reading through many of the threads on the forum, I am assuming that the term 'calendar editor' is the term that replaces the old responsibilities of the 'building scheduler' .. just with a different title. Is this correct?
No. It's quite different. The old "building scheduler" role doesn't exist anymore. A calendar editor can create events only on the specific ward calendar(s) assigned to the editor (or stake calendars in the case of a stake calendar editor). In general, a calendar editor doesn't have overall responsibility to create all events for a building.
The new role called "Building Scheduler" (unfortunate choice of words...) is also nothing like the old role. The new "Building Scheduler" can create restrictions (not events) and arbitrate conflicts. That's about it (unless that person is also given calendar editor or administrator permissions).
See
Rights and Roles.
ahancey wrote:Who exactly are the calendar editors in the ward? Just the leaders of the different auxiliaries?
The calendar editors are whoever is assigned to be calendar editors. There is an optional setup wizard that creates calendars with the names of the auxiliaries and other organizations, and designates (by calling) the presidency of the auxiliaries and organizations as calendar editors. But each ward can modify the wizard defaults, or not use the wizard at all, however they see fit.
See
Rights and Roles.
ahancey wrote:Can calendar editors see all activities scheduled in the building, even those for other wards? Or just the activities for their ward?
Using Week View, anyone can see all activities scheduled in a building. See
Check Location Availability for details.
ahancey wrote:If the answer to the last question is 'no', how do they know when they can schedule events? Can they see where blocks of time are free? Or blocks of time that are being used?
Although the answer was "yes", it's often easiest to just go ahead and try to schedule an event. The system will notify you if there is a conflict. The "Check Location Availability" technique only shows you what location was scheduled; you have to drill down into the event details to see exactly which rooms within the location are scheduled, so it can be very tedious to look for an available slot. It's much easier to just create the event and let the system show the conflicts.
ahancey wrote:Who schedules funerals, weddings, wedding dinners, family parties, etc.? And does that person, or persons, have access to all of building's schedules?
Every calendar editor has access to schedule events in any building. In our stake, each ward has a designated calendar coordinator who schedules private events. Funerals typically go on a public ward calendar, but the other events you mentioned typically go on a private calendar, which books the building, but hides the event details from the general membership. Some stakes designate a stake person, perhaps one per building, to schedule such private events. Either way can work.
ahancey wrote:If the building scheduler defines restrictions for different wards, at different times of the week, how do the calendar editors know when those times are? Are they visible on each ward's calendars?
Again, using the "Check Location Availability" technique will also show restrictions. But in general, I would recommend just scheduling an event and letting the system tell you whether another event or restriction conflicts with your desired location and time.
ahancey wrote:When viewing the calendar in the week-view, there are two boxes on the far left, Subscribed Calendars and Locations. As an Administrator, how do you add additional locations in the Location section? I can't find this anywhere in the documentation.
See
Managing Locations.
ahancey wrote:Can members of the ward see the calendar, along with the activities that are scheduled?
Yes. They can choose which calendars they are interested in, and unsubscribe from the others (for example, a 30-year-old father might be interested in Ward Activities and Elders Quorum and Primary, but not in Relief Society or High Priests or Young Men or Young Women, depending on his calling). And every stake member can also see the stake calendars and choose which of them they want to subscribe to. See
Subscribed Calendars and Locations.