Active Scheduler
  • 01 Apr 2024
  • 5 minute read
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Active Scheduler

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Article Summary

Required Permissions

To create schedules or edit schedules on another’s behalf, the user account must be granted the Active Scheduler Administrator permission.

With Active Scheduler, you can use a portal to create on-the-fly timeslots for specific appointments based on a schedule you define. This schedule is composed of three basic parts:

  1. General availability in a given timeframe (including overrides for specific days)

  2. Existing external appointments defined by an external calendar feed (iCal) shared as free or busy

  3. Instances of timeslots created either manually or on the fly through the scheduling tool in a portal

Enabling the Active Schedule Feature

Active Scheduler is currently an Early Access feature. To activate it in your database:

  1. Select Database from the Slate navigation bar. The Database page opens.

  2. In the Configurations section, select Configuration Keys. The Configuration Keys page appears.

  3. In the Database Configuration section, click Early Access Features. An Edit Early Access Features popup appears.

  4. Select the checkbox for Active Scheduler.

  5. Click Save.

After selecting the feature, updating your database will take about 15 minutes.

Getting Started

  1. From the Slate navigation bar, select Scheduler. The Scheduler summary page appears.

  2. On the right side of the page, click Active Scheduler. The Active Scheduler summary page appears.

  3. Click New Schedule. A New Schedule popup appears.
    Active Scheduler and New Schedule button

  4. Enter values for Name, Start Date, End Date, and Folder. The User list provides a list of users if you have Active Scheduler Administrator permission, otherwise, User defaults to the currently logged in user (you).

  5. Click Save. The Active Scheduler summary page appears with the new schedule listed. 

  6. Click the new schedule in the list. A summary page for the schedule appears.

 

Templates

Select the Scheduler Templates where sessions will be created for the selected Active Schedule.

Adding Templates

  1. Click Edit Templates. A pop-up appears.

  2. Select any number of available templates from the list.

  3. Click Save.

    The templates that have been activated for this availability schedule will appear in a list to the left of the Edit Templates link. Any portal widgets used by these templates will appear in the list below.
    mceclip0.png

Removing Linked Templates

  1. Click Edit Templates.

  2. From the list of Linked Templates, select any templates you'd like to remove.

  3. Click Save.
    mceclip7.png

Availability

To add a day that you would like to display as available, select each day:

Add_a_Day.png

You can also add a block or blocks of available time for each day.

Adding Available Time

  1. Select a day from the list.

  2. Click Add Time.

  3. Enter a start and end time for the availability block.

  4. Click the check to save. Or, click the X to delete.
    Available_Times_Chosen.png

An error appears if you select an invalid time slot. Other errors appear for similar situations, like adding a slot with the same start and end time.
Invalid_Timeslot.png

Copying a Schedule

You can also click Copy Schedule to copy a day's availability and select the days where you want to copy it:

Copy_Day.png

 

Alternate Schedules

If there are certain dates when you will have different availability or won't be available at all—for example, when on vacation or at a conference—you can set up Alternate Schedules. 

  1. Select Add a date with an alternate schedule.

  2. Choose a date.

  3. If you want to show no availability on this date, leave it as is.
    Add_Date_with_Alternate_Schedule.png

  4. If you want to add a time at which you are available on a certain date, click Add time.
    Select_Time_-_No_Availability.png

Portal Widgets

Active scheduler can be displayed in a portal widget.

Add Active Scheduler to Portal Widget View

  1. From the top navigation, select Database.

  2. Select Portals.

  3. Select an existing portal to where you want to add active scheduler, or create a new one.

  4. Select the view you'd want to add active scheduler to or create a new one.

  5. From the right navigation, select New Row (option only available if using the updated portal editor). Select a Row Layout with two columns.
    Your end result will look like this:
    Two_Columns.png

  6. Drag a Static Content Block to the open column. A popup appears.

  7. In the popup, give the static content block a descriptive Name. In this example, Timeslots.
    Static_Content_Block.png

  8. Click Save.

  9. From the right side menu, drag the Active Scheduler widget into the left column. An Edit Part popup appears. 

  10. In the Details tab, enter the following configurations:

    • Name: Give your Active Scheduler widget a name. This example uses Advising Appointments.

    • Status: Active

    • CSS Class Name: Leave this field blank

  11. In the Scheduler Selection tab, enter the following configurations: 

    • Page Title (optional): Enter Schedule.

      • Internal Name (optional): Enter an internal name, if desired..

      • Schedule: Select an existing schedule from the list. For this example, Admissions Interviews.

      • Duration: Set a length for individual appointments, rounded up to 5 minute increments.

      • Start Time Frequency: Set the time interval when users can book appointments. In our example, meetings are 30 minutes, but users can book a meeting from 2:15-2:45 PM.

      • Registration Deadline: Use this setting to indicate when registration will close prior to an appointment. This value is in minutes and is rounded up in 5 minute increments. 

      • Allow Consecutive Signups: Selecting this option enables scheduling consecutive appointments (appointments taking place sequentially). For example, one person could schedule a half-hour session at 9:00, and another could schedule a half-hour session at 9:30. Leaving this option un-selected will prevent users from scheduling sessions that run up against each other. 
        Note: Overlapping sessions (for example, an appointment from 8:30 to 9:00 occurring with an appointment from 8:45 to 9:15) are never allowed to be scheduled.

      • Admin Notify Email (optional): Enter an email address to receive an email notification for every registration submission.

      • Related Records (optional): Records can be selected and linked to an event or interview. For example, linking an Alumni interviewer or organization to an event or interview.
        schedulerSelection.jpg

  12. In the Scheduler Location tab, enter the location details of your sessions.

    • If your sessions are hosted through the Slate Share video platform, select that option from Online Session.

    • If your sessions are hosted using an external service, select that option.

    If your sessions are in-person, leave Online Session blank and fill in the location fields that appear below.
    SchedulerLocation.jpg

  13. In the Scheduler Display tab, enter the following configurations:

    • Display Target: Set this to Add to static content: Timeslots. Here, "Timeslots" will appear as the name you gave to the static content block.

      • Calendar Start: Set this either to the current month or to the first upcoming month with events.

      • Calendar Legend: Use these fields to customize the calendar as it will appear in the Active Scheduler Widget.

        • Enter text into Days with availability to replace the default display text ("Available Timeslots") with something of your choosing. Use the color picker at the right to change the color of days with openings on the calendar.

        • Enter text into Days with no availability to replace the default display text ("No Availability") with something of your choosing. Use the color picker at the right to change the color of days without openings on the calendar.

          Scheduler_Display.png

    This example shows the modified Scheduler display settings:
    Scheduler_Display_-_Results.png

  14. Click Save.

  15. Use the breadcrumb navigation to return to the main portal menu. 

  16. Click the URL link to see the Active Scheduler Widget in action. See the following example:
    Portal_Frontend_View.png


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