Last Update:
October 2010 Release 7.4
Activities: Events and People This lesson is specifically designed for users responsible for scheduling, requesting, or administrating events in the Astra Schedule system.
Astra Schedule VII 足 Training Manual Ad Astra Information Systems, LLC. 6900 W. 80th Street, Suite 300 Overland Park, KS 66204 www.aais.com
Table of Contents
Lesson Objectives
3
Common Practices
3
Best Practices
3
Concept Introduction
3
Area Overview
4
Event Master Lists
5
People
7
Creating Events
10
Managing Events
16
Event Requests
19
Approver Groups
22
Events Summary
23
Exercise Solutions
24
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Provide an overall guide to the components and tools of event scheduling in the Astra Schedule system. Walk event administrators through the configuration of the key support elements for event creation. Teach end users how to create and edit events based on user permissions. Demonstrate the notification and confirmation functionality associated with event scheduling.
Common Practices
Lesson Objectives
While most event scheduling is maintained in some form of electronic media, many, if not all, of the scheduling tasks performed are still completed manually. Room requests are submitted via paper forms, email, or phone. The facilitator then selects the possible rooms from knowledge gained through experience or from a list of room descriptions. Typically, the next step is to check the calendar, which may or may not be in electronic form, to see which rooms are available. Room owners are then notified for approval. Once the reply is received, customers are notified.
Event offices that have a sophisticated scheduling system can still encounter issues due to the separation between the academic scheduling and event scheduling. In order for this division to work seamlessly, the room resources on the campus are delegated as “event only” or “section only” space. This can result in the under/over utilization of specific resources by the different areas. When the resources are not effectively divided, the potential for double booking rooms is greatly increased or event scheduling is held in a tentative state until final academic scheduling is completed. Actual space utilization reporting must be manually compiled from both sources and combined to get the most accurate representation. An enterprise calendaring and scheduling software provides solutions to many of the issues encountered in the common practices listed above. With the event tools covered in this section, schedulers will have access to immediate conflict checking and room availability status. Customers can submit requests electronically to reduce paperwork and ringing phones in the scheduling office. Automated confirmations, notifications, and resource scheduling will reduce time and costs across campus. Event and academic scheduling can occur simultaneously and be managed by system settings for maximum resource usage and easier reporting of results.
Concept Introduction
Best Practices
Astra Schedule includes robust event scheduling functionality to fit the needs of college and university scheduling offices. Using this webbased software, users can configure and manage rooms, resources and services instantly from any machine with access to the URL. With advanced system settings, automated confirmation and notifications are available as well as event costing and reporting.
Users can be restricted by activity (e.g. scheduling vs. requesting, viewing vs. editing) or by resource (e.g. room, building, region, equipment) restriction. Since this system is maintained and available to users online, both external and internal customers can be configured to request events, view room configurations, and check for availability.
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Notes:
This training module focuses on event activities in Astra Schedule. It will cover the support data entries, that must be in place for event creation, requests, and management. A brief overview of the event implementation process is below: 1. Create an accurate room inventory (handled during implementation) 2. Build the necessary support data. 3. Configure “Event Requesting” options. 4. Create events and assign resources. 5. Manage and edit existing events.
Area Overview
Starting in Astra Schedule version 7.4.1, event workflow is introduced as a system of rules that will control messaging and event status based on institution desires. This lesson will be based on the default workflow settings that are delivered with Astra Schedule. Customization of workflow and the available options will be covered in a separate training module. Vocabulary Terms: Event Type: An Event Type is a userdefined group of events used for reporting and event request routing pur poses. Event Meeting Type: This allows event meetings to be labeled and reported on by meeting type. Customer Group: A Customer group allows the institution to cate gorize customers for sorting and tracking. Customer: A unique organization or grouping of contacts for billing, notification, and reporting purposes. Customer Contact: A person that is associated with a customer. Cus tomers may have multiple contacts, one of which is the primary con tact. A person may be a contact for multiple customers. Event Workflow: A configurable system of rules to determine event status stages and notification needs.
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Event Master Lists
Event administration begins with creating the support data lists. These lists are configured in the SetUp tab under the MasterList link. The lists below should be configured prior to event creation in order to speed up the creation process and minimize the possibility of duplicate information being entered into the system. · CustomerGroup · EventType · EventMeetingType
Notes:
Customer Groups Select SetUp | Masterlist choosing Customer Groups from the dropdown menu. To add a new customer group: 1. Scroll to the bottom of the list 2. Enter the desired name in the text box. 3. Click the Add button. To edit an existing customer group: 1. Click the edit icon at the end of the item row. 2. Edit the text box. 3. Click Save. To delete an existing customer group: 1. Click the delete icon at the end of the item row. 2. Click OK to remove the item.
Event Types Select SetUp | Masterlist choosing Event Types from the dropdown menu. This may also be accessed from the Events tab, Event Admin area. To add a new event type: 1. Scroll to the bottom of the list. 2. Enter the desired name in the text box. 3. Enter a description in the text box. 4. Click the Add button.
To edit an existing event type: 1. Click the edit icon at the end of the item row.
While configuring Master List Info, you may change from one list to another by changing the selection in the Master List Type dropdown menu.
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Notes:
2. Edit the text box(es). 3. Click the Save button. To delete an existing event type: 1. Click the delete icon at the end of the item row. 2. Click OK to remove the item.
Event Meeting Types Select SetUp | Masterlist choosing Event Meeting Types from the dropdown menu. This may also be accessed from the Events tab, Event Admin area. To add a new event meeting type: 1. Scroll to the bottom of the list 2. Enter the desired name in the text box. 3. Enter a description in the text box. 4. Click the Add button.
To edit an existing event meeting type: 1. Click the edit icon at the end of the item row. 2. Edit the text box(es). 3. Click the Save button.
Example: An Event with an Event Type
To delete an existing event meeting type: of “Theater Production” might 1. Click the delete icon at the end of the include several meetings. item row. Event Meeting Types might include: 2. Click OK to remove the item. · Try Outs · Rehearsal · Set Development · Performance · Cast Meeting · Cast Party
Page 7 Human resources are maintained in Astra Sched ule in the People list. This is a system wide address book in which any person listed might hold one or many system responsibilities.
People People records may be added manually by a scheduling user, or by the system during data processing. Automatic creation occurs each time a user record is created or new instructor is im ported. The system will create the people record with a Primary Responsibility of “User” or “Instructor”. However, these records may later be given additional responsibilities.
The email address assigned to the record must be unique. If the address is al ready in the Astra Schedule system, a new person record will not be allowed. A person record may have multiple system responsibilities and may also be at tached to many customers as a contact if necessary.
Customers Another support list that should be configured as completely as possible during implementation is the Customer list. To configure customers and contacts, click the People Tab | Customers link.
To add a new customer: 1. Click the Add a Customer button. 2. Fill out the Customer Info. form. (A new customer must have a Name and at least one Customer Group.) 3. Click the Associate New Contact button to create a new contact record for this customer or click the Save button to store the new customer.
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Notes:
Contacts Contacts may be added from within the customer record, as noted above, or from the People link. Click the People Tab | People link. To add a new contact: 1. Click the Add Person button. 2. Fill out the Person Info. form. (A new Contact must have a First Name, Last Name and email address.) 3. Select the person’s Primary Responsibility in the system. In this case, Cus tomer Contact from the dropdown list. 4. In the Responsibilities area check all that apply (selecting Customer Contact here will open the customer information area).
Page 9 5. Click the Associate New Customer button. 6. In the Customer Contact Info. form, select the appropriate customer from the dropdown menu. 7. Click the Save button.
Using the delete icon on a con tact record from the Customer Contact Information area on the customer record will remove the contact from the customer but will not delete it from the system.
What if my customer contact is already a user of the system? Open the user’s People record for editing and check the cus tomer contact option under Responsibilities. Connect the user to the appropriate customer.
Contacts may be edited from the People list, or from the Customer Contact In formation area found on the customer record.
Duplicate People Duplicate people records can occur in the application for various reasons. In many cases the duplicates existed in a previous version of Astra Schedule and were converted forward. To look for duplicates click the People Tab | Duplicate Records link. Use the criteria options to look for duplicate entries. Select the criteria for finding duplicates.
Use Compare People to merge contacts.
People records may also be merged from the contact information form.
Opens the Merge People form.
Exercise #1 A local martial arts academy has requested space for a weekly self defense workshop. Create the customer and contact in the database.
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Notes:
Events may be created in Astra Schedule by clicking on a calendar page or by using the Event Wizard tool. This lesson will begin with the calendar method as this is the simplest way to create a single meeting.
Creating Events
To create a simple event from the calendar: 1. Click on the desired day and time in the calendar. (This will open the quick event form.) 2. Fill in the requested information. 3. Click Save Event or Save and Send Notifications.
Vocabulary Terms: Featured: A visibility status setting that allows selected events, holidays, announcements and reports to be highlighted on the portal. Incomplete: An event scheduling status indicating that a room assign足 ment is still required or that room or other resource approvals are pending. Scheduled: An activity status that indicates a completed record that has room(s) assigned and no resource approvals pending. Tentative: An event scheduling status that indicates an event creation process that is incomplete or in progress. Any scheduled rooms or other resources are not reserved, and no messaging is triggered. Pre/Post Event Meetings: Additional mini足meeting components scheduled in association with an event meeting to accommodate special activities like seating time, meet and greet, question and answer, etc. Approver Group: A list of people to whom requests for events or resources are routed for approval.
Page 11 To create a complex event from the calendar: 1. Click on the appropriate day and time in the calendar. 2. Fill in the requested information. 3. Click the Advanced Event Form button.
4. Complete the event information including the estimated attendance. 5. In the Meetings area of the Event Info. form, additional meetings may be added by clicking the Add Meeting button. 6. Meetings are added to the list on the right by completing the meeting information on the left and clicking the Add Meeting button. This should be repeated as necessary.
7. Add Recurring Meetings will bring up the recurring meeting model and will add multiple meetings to the list upon completion. 8. Once all meetings have been added to the list, click Save to return to the Event Info. form. 9. Individual meetings may be edited by clicking on the Meeting Name field in the Meetings area.
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Notes:
10. Check one or multiple meetings and click Assign Selected to select room assignments.
11. Notes may be added at the bottom of the Event Info. form. 12. Click Save or Save and Notify to complete. Remember when making events from the calendar to adjust your filter view to include the new event for viewing after creation.
The Available Rooms Search Tool The Available Rooms Search tool allows schedulers to find rooms and/or equipment and services that are available for a given date and time pattern. This may be used by both event and section schedulers, however for event schedulers it can also be a tool for quick event creation.
To create an event from the search tool: 1. Click on the Search icon from the calendar tab. 2. In the Meetings area click Add New to enter the desired meeting information. 3. Continue to add meetings as necessary. 4. In the Search Filters area, select the resource type(s) desired. 5. Fill out the location filter information. Using multiple filters where applicable. 6. If also looking for specific equipment or services for the event, add this filter information as well.
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Notes:
7. 8. 9. 10.
In the Search Results area, select “Event�. Click the Search button. Use the radio buttons on the left column to select a room location. If resources were included in the search, check the appropriate boxes to select the desired equipment and/or services and choose the quantity.
11. Click Create Event. 12. Complete the quick event form and save or continue to the advanced event feature.
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Notes:
The Event Wizard The Event Wizard tool allows schedulers to create simple or complex events in a format that leads the user through the process stepbystep. To use the wizard, select the Events tab and click the Event Wizard link. To create an event using the Event Wizard: 1. Enter the name of the event. 2. Select the event type. 3. Click the Start button. 4. Fill in the Event Information and click Next to continue. 5. In step two (Create Meetings) users will create the various meetings that make up the entire event. 6. Once all required meetings are included in the meeting list click Next to continue. 7. In the room selection form, single or multiple rooms may be selected for each meeting. · To select the same room for every listed meeting, click the room in room list. · To select a room for an individual meeting click the grid space under the meeting. To remove a selected room, click the space a second time. · Mouse over spaces marked “UnAvailable” to see what is currently booking the room. · Mouse over the room comment icons to see room details. · Use the filter buttons at the top of the form to filter the room list. 8. Once rooms have been selected, click Next to continue. 9. Select equipment and service resources if applicable.
Create custom filters for easier searching. Select multiple rooms for any meeting. Stop at any point and save progress. Use these buttons to navigate the wizard.
10. Click Next to continue. 11. Review the event information. 12. Click Finish to complete the event.
Page 15 13. Once complete, the user may choose one of the following links: · Edit this Event takes the user into the newly created event for editing. · Schedule another Event takes the user to the beginning of the Event Wizard. · Go to the Event List takes the user to the main event list page. · Send Event Summary sends the summary confirmation to the customer contact and copies the user.
Exercise #2 Create an event for the selfdefense workshop that includes six weekly two hour meetings and one graduation ceremony.
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Events may be located and edited from the Event List which is displayed upon selecting the Events tab | Events link. To view only events created or requested by the current user, select My Events from the Events tab.
Managing Events
This list may be viewed as event records or event meeting records and further filtered for ease of use. Selecting an event from this list will open the event for viewing. To edit the event, click the edit icon to the right of the record or open the record for viewing and click on the Edit button at the top of the event form. View Events allows user to expand events and view meeting details in the Event List.
In the Event Edit form, users may edit the event information, change the event status, set the privacy level, change the record owner and add notes. They may also change meeting room assignments and add additional meetings as needed.
Changing Event Status In the latest version, the event workflow definition defines the possible event statuses and the conditions under which they are allowed. User’s will select a desired status but upon save, workflow rules will determine whether or not that status is possible and then display the current state of the event. There are times when the user's intended status may not yet be possible, and the workflow state will be out of sync with the selection. (i.e. the user sets the status to "Scheduled" but a requested item must first be approved, therefore the state is set to "Requested") The workflow system can be configured to be as simple or as complex as needed depending on your institution's business practices. (Workflow will be covered in the Administration training module.) To edit the status of an event: 1. Locate the event in the Event List and click on the edit icon. 2. Click the Change Status button. 3. Select the correct status from the dropÂdown menu. 4. Click Apply.
Page 17 If the selected status is possible based on the defined rules and the current state of the event, the status will update. Otherwise, it may stop at a different status pending another event edit.
Notes:
Once edits have been completed, click on the Save button to complete the edit and return to the Event List. If accounting has been configured for the system and the user has account ing rights, event costs can be estimated and invoiced from the Accounting Documents area.
All accounting transactions may be viewed for the event from the Job Trans action Report located at the top of the event form.
Event Meetings To edit the details of a single event meeting, users must click the Meeting Name located in the Meetings area of the event record. In the Event Meeting form, users may edit the meeting information, set the meeting privacy level, and decide if the meeting will require a room assign ment. Meetings that require a room, but do not have an assignment will have a value of “Unassigned” in the location field and a value of “Incomplete” in the status field. Events with “Incomplete” meetings will have an over all status of “Incomplete”.
Directly under the meeting details area is a gant chart view of the event meeting and any premeeting, postmeeting, setup service, or teardown service times allotted.
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Notes:
Room and resource assignment may be changed or dropped for the event meeting and dependent services may be edited as necessary.
Time may be allocated for various Pre/Post Meetings. Activities and services related to the current meeting may share the space, and a user may create as many of these as necessary. If a Pre/Post Meeting is marked Exclusive, no other activities may share the space during this time.
Setup and Teardown activities may also be created for the meeting. Setup and Teardown may share space with Pre/Post Meetings that are not marked Exclusive. They may not share space with other Setup/Teardown Services.
Notes may be added to an individual meeting, as well as to the overall event. After editing an event meeting it is important to click Save to save the meet足 ing changes. Click Save again at the event information form in order to re足 tain the meeting edits. Exercise #3 The self足defense workshop event has decided to hold graduation on the 6th night of class, instead of on an additional day. Cancel the cere足 mony meeting and adjust the final class to last three hours.
Page 19 Guests and users may be given access to an event request feature, allowing event schedul ers to interact with requests from within the As tra Schedule system.
Event Requests
Prior to allowing event requests, administrators will need to create the event request forms and configure approval user groups.
Astra Schedule comes with two basic forms that may be customized as desired. These include a Guest User request form and an Internal User request form. Additional forms may be created by users with administrative rights.
Creating Request Forms Request forms can be modified from the Events tab, Events Admin area. Click on Event Request Templates to view the current list of available forms.
To add a new form: 1. Click the Add a Template button. 2. Enter Name, Description, Lead time, and Max days information. 3. In the Request Template Text area, add the text to show at the top of the request form, and the text to be sent to the requester upon submission. 4. If the proper Approver Group is available, select the group or groups. (Creating Approver Groups will be covered later in this lesson.) Preview the form at anytime
User’s configured to approve this form.
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5. In the layout area, sections can be created and labeled, fields may be added and moved into the desired position. New fields may be created for common questions. Move these fields into form sections
Group fields by adding new sections
Locked fields are required
If one of the fields placed on the custom form includes a resource selection tool, a filter option will appear in order to configure user access restrictions.
Example: An event request form may be created and attached to the portal for student activities. Room selection on this form may be Add filters and restrictions if applicable. restricted to a certain set of rooms or spaces.
6. 7. Click Save when complete.
Before providing access to an event request form, administrators will need to verify that one or more users have been assigned to the form in order to ap足 prove or decline generated requests. This is done through Approver Groups.
Managing Event Requests Event requests are generated when a guest selects the appropriate link on the portal page or a user selects the Event Request option from the Events tab.
Page 21 By default, workflow is not config Once a request form has submitted, ured to send email notifications an approval item will be added to to approval group members. the Notification List for processing by an approval group member. Pend ing requests are located in Astra Schedule under the Events tab in the Notification List area.
Approver group members may be notified of any pending items on a timed basis using the Notification List Preferences link in the Event Admin area of the Events menu tab. Users with the correct security access can ap prove the request, decline the request, or re quest more information by clicking on the appro priate icon. Prior to selecting a response, the re quest may be viewed by clicking on the magni fying glass icon. Each user will only have access to the requested events or items they have rights to view.
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Selecting the approve icon, will create the event for scheduling. The ap prover will complete the event information and add meetings and/or room assignments as necessary. Review the original request
Complete the event and send notifications
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Selecting the decline icon, will bring up an email form to use when de clining the event. Declining an event will change the status of that event to “Declined” and remove it from the Notification List. It is still available for edit to the approver from the Events List page.
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Selecting the information icon, will bring up an email form to use when requesting additional details from the requestor. The event will remain in a “Requested” status until approved or declined.
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Approver Groups are groups of users to whom event and/or resource requests are routed for approval. Each Approver Group can include one or more users and one or more specific event request forms or resource groups. When a request is routed from a specific request form all users in the appropriate Approver Group will receive notification of the request.
Approver Groups
To create a new event request Approver Group: 1. Click the Events tab 2. Click Approvals and Notifications under the Event Admin section. 3. Click the Add a Group button. 4. Choose Approver and click OK. 5. Enter a name for the group. 6. Click the Add Approver button. 7. Select a user from the drop足down list and click Add. 8. Repeat to add additional users. 9. Click the Add Event Request Form button. 10. Select the desired request form from the drop足down list and click Add to add the form to the Approver Group. 11. Click Save. Exercise #4 Use the guest request form to request an awards ceremony event for the self足defense academy. Then login to the system and approve the event.
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Events Summary
Users that have completed this module should feel comfortable with creating, managing, requesting and editing events in the Astra Schedule application. Users should be able to locate and configure nec essary support list information, approver settings, and human resources necessary to manage cam puswide events in the webbased product.
Context sensitive help links are available through out the product for further instruction and stepbystep wizards walk the user through the more complex tasks as necessary. For more information on any specific area of the application, please see the Sys tem User Help documentation.
Notes:
Page 24 Exercise #1 A local martial arts academy has requested space for a weekly selfdefense work shop. Create the customer and contact in the database.
· · · · · · · · · ·
Click the People tab. Select the Customers link. Click the Add Customer button. Enter the organization name and select a customer group. Fillin other optional information. Click the Associate New Contact button. Enter the contact name and email information. Add optional contact details. Click Save the Contact Information form. Click Save the Customer Information form.
Exercise Solutions
Exercise #2 Create an event for the workshop that includes six weekly two hour meetings and one graduation ceremony.
· · · · · · · · · · · · ·
Click the Events tab. Select the Event Wizard link. Enter the event name and type. Click the Start button to continue. Select the customer and contact information. Click the Next button. Create six recurring meeting (one per week). Create one graduation meeting. Click the Next button. Select an available room for each meeting. Click the Next button. Click the Next button to skip the resource selection page. Review the event meetings and click on the Finish button.
Exercise #3 The selfdefense workshop event has decided to hold graduation on the 6th night of class, instead of on an addi tional day. Cancel the ceremony meeting and adjust the final class to last three hours.
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Click the Events tab. Select the Events link. Use the search tool to locate the newly created event. Click the edit button at the end of the event row. In the Meetings area, check the box of the graduation ceremony meeting and click the Cancel Selected but ton. Click the final class to edit the meeting time. After adjusting the time on the meeting click on the Save button. Click the Save button of the event to keep all edits.
Exercise #4 Use the guest request form to request an awards ceremony event for the selfdefense academy. Then login to the system and approve the event.
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Logout of the system. Select the Request Events link from the guest portal. Fill out the request form. Use the Add/Remove Meetings button to create the event meeting. Click the Submit Request button upon completion. Login to the system. Click the Events tab.
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Select the Notification List link. Click the Approve Icon next to the requested event. Complete the event information. Verify that the meeting has a room assignment. Click Approve and Notify to complete the event.
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