Click on ‘Calendar’ in the Calendar Menu, and select ‘Add Event’:

The editor has a view of events exactly like everyone else but of course with write access. The following information can be associated with an event:

Event Name  This is what will appear in the calendar

Start/End  Start and end dates are required, start and end times are optional. Events are displayed in start time order. Events with no start time are displayed first.

Event Venue This field is optional, particularly since you are also able to book a room for the event. It may be useful when the envent is held outside the school (sports away matches, etc).

Event Notes  This is a scrolling text box so you can add as much detail as you need.

Owner  By default this is the person making the entry but any member of staff can be picked from the dropdown indicating, for example, the organiser of the event.

Event Type  Events can be categorised to allow a variety of different event lists to be produced. You can access the list of available types via the Event types button on the Calendar Menu form.

Tag  Any existing tagged group can be associated with the event.

Embolden  If this box is ticked the event will be displayed in bold on reports.

Distribution To get these into the portal you still need to tick the distribution and can select any of the four types. Once you select a part of the school, the parent portal and the pupil portal will then only display this event for the appropriate parents and pupils.

Tasks  A list of tasks can be entered, each associated with the member of staff taking responsibility for its completion.  Staff can be picked from the full staff list, or from a list of task delegates created using the ‘Delegates’ menu option.  A completion date ahead or after the event can be created by entering a minus(-) number for days in advance of the event and a positive number for days after the event.  This will automatically calculate the appropriate date from in calendar.  Tasks can be marked as completed when they are done.

Resources  The event may require various resources to be booked such as use of the Theatre or a minibus or school kitchen. Provided each of the resources is included in the Event type list you can click on the ‘Resource’ drop-downs and then select from the list of available resources.  Dates and times for the use of the resources can be entered, and the system will report if this requirement clashes with a booking for that resource at that time already entered for another event.

Approval For schools who have set up one or two levels or event approval (System Variables | Options - Other), it displays the name of the member of staff who approved the event entered by another member of staff without approval rights. Events pending approval are shown in red.

School Types You can select one or more parts of the school involved in the event, and create calendar reports for different parts of the school.

Room Bookings Displays information regarding any rooms booked for this event and allows you to add new or amend existing bookings.

Here is a typical example. The Junior Choir have to rehearse on Monday 15^th November from 9-12  at the Assembly Halls for an upcoming concert.  A minibus is required to get them there and back.  The Director of Music is taking the rehearsal and another member of staff is needed as accompanist.  The sequence of actions is:

-          In Pupil Finder, create a Tag Group for the Choir

-          In the Calendar menu, add a new event starting at 9.00 AM and finishing at 12.00 PM on 15th November

-          add a venue (Assembly Halls) and a description of the event

-          set Ann Vanesiz as the ‘Owner’ of the event

-          set the event type to Choir

-          add some appropriate tasks for Ann and a colleague to manage the event

-          add some appropriate Resources (including a Minibus)

-          adjust the booking time to allow time to get there and get back

-          select the Junior School as the school type and book the Assembly Hall between the required times to ensure it is available.

-          click the Delegates menu item and add an accompanist (don’t forget to click the Add button)

Check how the details appear in the calendar.