Request resources

Discussions about the Calendar Tool at lds.org. Questions about the calendar on the classic site should be posted in the LUWS forum.
jficklin
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Request resources

#1

Post by jficklin »

In classic calendars anyone could submit a request to enter an event and the calendar admin. was informed by e-mail and could approve or decline the request. A similar function could be incorporated into the new calendar with the e-mail going to an administrator designated to review, approve or deny requests. THIS WILL NOT MEAN ABANDONMENT OF THE DISTRIBUTIVE MODEL! It will, however, allow us to use the new calendar for some select functions which REQUIRE a single point model - for example the scheduling of resources not tied to a building and/or resources for which there is a need for an assigned coordinator due to needs for special coordination in their use (ie. canoes, electronic equipment, tents, etc.). As it now stands we have had to abandon the use of on-line scheduling for these types of resources (in our stake at least) and revert back to the caveman days of scheduling these resources by direct contact with the resource administrator. Please, I beg you, consider returning the "request" function to the calendar - or create a special type of calendar that can be created with the "request" function. Thank you.
GrasseDD
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#2

Post by GrasseDD »

Amen and amen. I really don't understand the insistence on pushing everyone to the distributed model. The "Submit Request" button seems like such a small thing to add, and would allow units so much more flexibility. Yes, I suppose there are units that abhor flexibility and have a grand vision of the lds.org calendar serving a great role in the social engineering of their members. Perhaps a compromise: maybe some really smart young programmer could make an option in the settings to toggle that feature on or off for individual units.
kyleq
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#3

Post by kyleq »

Have you taken a look at the ability to contact the building scheduler for a particular resource. Custom resources can be added as a "building" and assigned anyone from the stake as a scheduler for that resource. Then, from the main screen, a user can choose to "contact building scheduler" for the particular resource. This will allow them to send an email to the building scheduler. Does this cover the functionality you are looking for?
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aebrown
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#4

Post by aebrown »

kyleq wrote:Have you taken a look at the ability to contact the building scheduler for a particular resource. Custom resources can be added as a "building" and assigned anyone from the stake as a scheduler for that resource. Then, from the main screen, a user can choose to "contact building scheduler" for the particular resource. This will allow them to send an email to the building scheduler. Does this cover the functionality you are looking for?
It doesn't really help to add custom resources, since these requests are almost always for the regular building (e.g., someone wants to use the cultural hall for a wedding reception).

The "contact building scheduler" option has four problems as I see it:
  • that option is not all that easy to find, so many people don't even know about it;
  • when email is the only option, there is room for miscommunication when people leave off important details, where making an actual proposed event would create an event with all the right fields that simply needs approval;
  • at this point the building scheduler has no rights to schedule an event, so he can't even schedule the proposed event
  • in many cases these events are not private events but actually need to be on a ward calendar, which the building scheduler can't have access to (if he happens to be in a different ward).
So there really is significant value in an option to allow non-editors to propose events.
Questions that can benefit the larger community should be asked in a public forum, not a private message.
mevans
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#5

Post by mevans »

aebrown wrote:
  • at this point the building scheduler has no rights to schedule an event, so he can't even schedule the proposed event
  • in many cases these events are not private events but actually need to be on a ward calendar, which the building scheduler can't have access to (if he happens to be in a different ward).
I hadn't thought of these limitations you point out. It had never crossed my mind that a scheduler doesn't have access to all the calendars. I guess all the scheduler can do is make a reservation so the resource is booked.

I really like the idea of allowing people to propose events or equipment reservations, which go to a human scheduler for approval.
russellhltn
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#6

Post by russellhltn »

mevans wrote:I guess all the scheduler can do is make a reservation so the resource is booked.
Which we actively discourage as there are a number of ways that can go wrong and end up with double-booking.
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mevans
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#7

Post by mevans »

So in the current model, the building scheduler really can't do much. Looking at Rights and Roles, I see that the building scheduler can do the following:

  • Update the details for any event scheduled in their location.
  • Reserve locations for wards at specific, recurring times.
  • Block out the location for a specific time, preventing any calendar editor from scheduling it.
  • Override any reservations for their locations.
Our stake ended up creating a stake calendar called something like Myrtle Street Building where the building scheduler could enter and update all events for that building. I dislike that because it's not the way the calendar is supposed to work. However, this at least gives the building scheduler the ability to schedule events. The online schedule is a problem because not everyone uses a computer or will log in etc. Some people prefer to contact a building scheduler and the scheduler enters the event on the calendar. There's no support for that model with the new calendar if the scheduler can't access the calendars of all the units in the building.
russellhltn
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#8

Post by russellhltn »

mevans wrote:Our stake ended up creating a stake calendar called something like Myrtle Street Building where the building scheduler could enter and update all events for that building. I dislike that because it's not the way the calendar is supposed to work.
I dislike that because syncing the schedule to one's smart phone/tablet is near-useless because of all the events that do not apply to a given individual.

As has been discussed in other threads, the name "building scheduler" is misleading and really should be changed.
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TinMan
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#9

Post by TinMan »

The problem we are having are too many cooks in the kitchen causing problems for the wards. I can best illustrate this with an example:
We went to schedule our ward Christmas party last month. Imagine our surprise when every Saturday in December was scheduled with "private parties." All of them scheduled by people who have regular access to schedule events.

So I went to the summer months and found out that the Bowery/softball field has been scheduled 8 times for "private parties" and "family reunions." Making a reservation doesn't help because private parties can be scheduled by anyone in the ward it is reserved for. What I have had to do is go to the remaining Saturdays in the summer as well as all the Saturdays in next December and schedule all of them as events for our ward with the note: Contact me if you want this day as we may or may not be using it." That will give the ward a chance to decide their plans in the Spring rather than now.

Now you may say, we just need to let everyone know who has rights to schedule the calendar not to schedule things that far in advance. But there are just too many that change too often. We have 10 wards in our stake. And in each ward there are at least 10 people who are administrators. Plus those in Axillaries that can also submit events, and it is a bunch of people.
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aebrown
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#10

Post by aebrown »

TinMan wrote:We went to schedule our ward Christmas party last month. Imagine our surprise when every Saturday in December was scheduled with "private parties." All of them scheduled by people who have regular access to schedule events.

We've made it clear to all of our calendar editors that private parties are a lower priority than Church events, and so private parties may be bumped at any time. We try to make sure we have a good reason (and give a reasonable warning) before bumping such an event, but the buildings exist first for ward and stake activities, so sometimes they're just out of luck. Technology is great, but sometimes there's no substitute for a clearly stated policy.
Questions that can benefit the larger community should be asked in a public forum, not a private message.
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