Solutions or ideas on scheduling weddings, family parties or non church activities

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junyur
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Solutions or ideas on scheduling weddings, family parties or non church activities

#1

Post by junyur »

For the most part I think I understand how the new calendar works on the ward and stake levels for church activites, and I think and hope I have set everything up correctly. But I am still unclear on how to manage or reserve weddings, or private functions like family get togethers or parties. I think it is great that editors of calendars be it auxiliaries or anyone else can create events and now they can also schedule and reserve a location for that event. But I am curious as to how others are handling member requests for weddings or family events non-church related.

The building scheduler in the past would take care of these things but from what I have read the building scheduler has a different role now. It seems reservations can be made on the ward and stake level for church activities that are created and scheduled, but I am confused on how the private functions are reserved and by whom and where?

I temporarily have a solution to this but I am not sure if it is the right way to do it or if it is the best way, but for now it is all I have until I hear or see a better solution.

Any help or ideas would be appreciated.

Thanks!
russellhltn
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#2

Post by russellhltn »

The way I'd recommend is to create a calendar for this purpose. Call it "Private Events" or "Resource Only". Whoever is in charge of scheduling the private events (or may or may not be the building scheduler), places the events on that calendar.

This same calendar can be used to block off extra setup time. Perhaps the ward wants a full 24 hours to set up the cultural hall for the ward dinner. Likewise if the FM group needs to close down a section of the building to recarpet the room.

If you make the calendar private, then the general membership won't see it. Yet the event will prevent anyone from scheduling an event using that resource/room.

I do NOT recommend using "Reservations" for blocking out events. It's too easy to scheduler an event on top of it causing a double-booking.
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aebrown
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#3

Post by aebrown »

This topic has been discussed multiple times on this forum, and is covered in the help system. I'd recommend that you review the help topic About scheduling events and the thread How to schedule a private or family event.

In our stake we have the wards schedule such events. They make their own choice as to what calendar to use; some put them on a public calendar such as a "Resource only" calendar, and others put them on a private calendar. Rarely does the building scheduler need to be involved. Each ward has at least one calendar administrator who is known to the ward as the person to contact for such purposes.
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TinMan
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#4

Post by TinMan »

I know it is not the best way, but this is what we do: (A disclaimer: As I have expressed before, I think the whole new calendaring system is unnecessarily cumbersome for people not used to working with layered calendars. Which is most of the members in my ward. So, I have a tendency to "economize.")

Weddings and funerals are usually of interest to the whole ward. So even though they are "private events," usually the ward is invited. We decided to just put them on the "Ward Events" (or is it "Activities?") calendar with all the other ward activities.

That leaves things like private family parties. I felt like we were already managing enough different calendars and wasn't very excited about making yet another one just for the occasional family party. So, we put those on the "Ward Events" (or is it "Activities?") calendar as well. They don't really belong there, but for just a few times a year, it doesn't really clutter the calendar too much.

To me, the answer to questions like this seems to always be: "Create another calendar" when in reality the "other calendar" could have like 6 things on it all year. So rather than create another calendar, I first stop and think, "How many things are actually going to appear on it?" It is a trade off for me. Most of my ward members are smart enough to ignore "Smith Family Party" on the ward calendar and know they aren't invited. :)
russellhltn
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#5

Post by russellhltn »

TinMan wrote:Weddings and funerals are usually of interest to the whole ward. So even though they are "private events," usually the ward is invited. We decided to just put them on the "Ward Events" (or is it "Activities?") calendar with all the other ward activities.
If that's the case, that's fine. I work at the stake level where that's rarely the case.
TinMan wrote:That leaves things like private family parties. I felt like we were already managing enough different calendars and wasn't very excited about making yet another one just for the occasional family party. So, we put those on the "Ward Events" (or is it "Activities?") calendar as well. They don't really belong there, but for just a few times a year, it doesn't really clutter the calendar too much.
While I agree that we shouldn't be making a calendar for just one event for the year, I'd be careful about being too "economical". To me the real power of the new system is to allow the members to sync the calendar to their smartphones/personal calendars. I think that will improve attendance to church activities if they see it there when they go to plan things. If you put too much "junk" on it, they won't use it. And your attendance will suffer (from what it could be).
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junyur
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#6

Post by junyur »

RussellHltn wrote: I do NOT recommend using "Reservations" for blocking out events. It's too easy to scheduler an event on top of it causing a double-booking.

Thanks for the feedback.

The way I have it set up for now is for the building schedulers to make reservations for those "private" functions on the reservation calendar in the settings that only building schedulers have access to. The way I understand it, if you 'block' out a time for a building meeting house using the 'Blocked-Location unavailable' option no one can schedule during that time except another scheduler. I know from what I have read that the option to use the 'Blocked-Location unavailable' option is not perhaps what it was created for, but as I have said it is the best option I had at the moment. I don't see how it can cause a double booking when no one can reserve a location during the blocked time, except another building scheduler. I know people can create events during this time, but that is not important if they cant reserve a resource for the same time. Or am I missing something here?
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aebrown
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#7

Post by aebrown »

junyur wrote:I know from what I have read that the option to use the 'Blocked-Location unavailable' option is not perhaps what it was created for, but as I have said it is the best option I had at the moment. I don't see how it can cause a double booking when no one can reserve a location during the blocked time, except another building scheduler. I know people can create events during this time, but that is not important if they cant reserve a resource for the same time. Or am I missing something here?

You already mentioned the big hole in the strategy of using "Blocked" reservations -- another building scheduler can schedule an event on top of such a reservation. What's more, even if you have just one building scheduler, that building scheduler can schedule an event on top of his own reservation. It's easy enough to set up a blocked reservation and then months later create an event, forgetting that the blocked reservation exists.

If your building schedulers have absolutely no calendar editor or administrator privileges, and you only have one building scheduler for location, then I guess it is reasonably safe. But we have seen many examples on the forum where the building scheduler does have editing privileges, and creates an event that "conflicts" with a reservation. He will see no warning when he does that, which may lead to an accidental "double booking."

Also, we've seen plenty of examples where there is an official building scheduler, but one or more stake administrators gives himself building scheduler permissions so he can help out. In that case, it's easy enough for one of these schedulers to create an event on top of the blocked reservation the other scheduler created.

The bottom line is that an event is the only safe way to book a resource, but if you are very careful you might be able to use blocked reservations for that purpose. I don't recommend it, but it could work.
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junyur
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#8

Post by junyur »

aebrown wrote:This topic has been discussed multiple times on this forum, and is covered in the help system. I'd recommend that you review the help topic About scheduling events and the thread How to schedule a private or family event.

In our stake we have the wards schedule such events. They make their own choice as to what calendar to use; some put them on a public calendar such as a "Resource only" calendar, and others put them on a private calendar. Rarely does the building scheduler need to be involved. Each ward has at least one calendar administrator who is known to the ward as the person to contact for such purposes.

Thanks for the info on the threads. I have seen other threads that have given ideas on the calendars but not these.

It sounds as if many people are creating private calendars for reservations such as the weddings, funerals and private family parties. I have read some of the threads you recommended and the ones here that other people posted (thanks) and I am assuming they are creating these calendars on a stake level so all wards can see them? Otherwise if one ward creates a private calendar on the ward level, other wards cant see that calendar. We have 3 units per meeting house and we are looking to make this as painless and smooth as possible. For each ward to have their own calendar of 'private events' for the same meetinghouse seems a little too much. All three units would need to coordinate with each other to see if there is something scheduled and reserved since they cant see each others calendars. The Stake calendar would eliminate this if all building schedulers from each ward are added as editors and I could create 3 private calendars for all 3 of our buildings.


I like the idea of creating private calendars for the 'private events' but I see 2 challenges. The first being as an editor of these 'private calendars' I really wouldn't want to see everyones 'private' events show up along with my ward and stake events. Yes I know I can unsubscribe to the calendar, but if I am an individual who has access to these private calendars as an editor, why would i unsubscribe myself. The second is that as I sync my android phone to the google calandar won't all those 'private events' also sync up to my calendar. That is something i most definately wouldn't want to see or download. It is my understanding that all calendars sync to the google calendar regardless if you are unsubsribed or not.
russellhltn
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#9

Post by russellhltn »

junyur wrote:It sounds as if many people are creating private calendars for reservations such as the weddings, funerals and private family parties. I have read some of the threads you recommended and the ones here that other people posted (thanks) and I am assuming they are creating these calendars on a stake level so all wards can see them? Otherwise if one ward creates a private calendar on the ward level, other wards cant see that calendar. We have 3 units per meeting house and we are looking to make this as painless and smooth as possible. For each ward to have their own calendar of 'private events' for the same meetinghouse seems a little too much. All three units would need to coordinate with each other to see if there is something scheduled and reserved since they cant see each others calendars. The Stake calendar would eliminate this if all building schedulers from each ward are added as editors and I could create 3 private calendars for all 3 of our buildings.
I see this is a "doesn't really matter". At the end of the day, the system will not allow events to double-book rooms regardless of what calendar they're on. Everyone can see what is scheduled for a location by switching to week view and checking the box for the location. While a master "private events" calendar may have some merit, the important thing is that it's on some calendar as an event.
junyur wrote:It is my understanding that all calendars sync to the google calendar regardless if you are unsubsribed or not.

That is incorrect. All calendars you are subscribed to under Settings > Subscriptions are synced to your phone. The problem, (that I hope will be fixed in a future release) is that you can't view a calendar on the website unless you are subscribed to it. So you'll be constantly subscribing (so you can view it)/unsubscribing (so it doesn't go to your phone) to the private events calendar until some few feature fixes this.
Have you searched the Help Center? Try doing a Google search and adding "site:churchofjesuschrist.org/help" to the search criteria.

So we can better help you, please edit your Profile to include your general location.
junyur
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Joined: Thu Feb 10, 2011 10:07 pm

#10

Post by junyur »

aebrown wrote:You already mentioned the big hole in the strategy of using "Blocked" reservations -- another building scheduler can schedule an event on top of such a reservation. What's more, even if you have just one building scheduler, that building scheduler can schedule an event on top of his own reservation. It's easy enough to set up a blocked reservation and then months later create an event, forgetting that the blocked reservation exists.

If your building schedulers have absolutely no calendar editor or administrator privileges, and you only have one building scheduler for location, then I guess it is reasonably safe. But we have seen many examples on the forum where the building scheduler does have editing privileges, and creates an event that "conflicts" with a reservation. He will see no warning when he does that, which may lead to an accidental "double booking."

Also, we've seen plenty of examples where there is an official building scheduler, but one or more stake administrators gives himself building scheduler permissions so he can help out. In that case, it's easy enough for one of these schedulers to create an event on top of the blocked reservation the other scheduler created.


Thanks for your insight, I hadn't thought of that and so I tested it and sure enough... it double booked. We will be going to private calendar's.
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