Timetable Planning is the process of assigning subjects, teachers, and required learning resources or places to specific periods while ensuring that the timetable meets the institute’s academic requirements and configured planning rules.
EasyEdmin provides several planning controls that allow users to define important requirements before generating the timetable. These requirements are then considered by Auto Plan and can also be used when making allocations manually.
Planning Requirements #
Before allocating periods, the timetable should have the required classes, subjects, teachers, schedules, and learning resources configured.
The planning process can then take into account requirements such as:
- Number of periods required for each subject.
- Teacher availability and workload.
- Maximum consecutive periods for teachers.
- Required learning resources or places.
- Elective subject requirements.
- Priority allocations.
- Fixed allocations.
- Joined periods.
- Conflict rules.
- Other timetable preferences and constraints.
These requirements help EasyEdmin determine where and how allocations can be made.
Subject Period Requirements #
The timetable uses the required number of periods for each subject when planning the weekly timetable.
For example, if Mathematics requires five periods per week for a class, the planning process needs to allocate five Mathematics periods during the applicable schedule.
The required periods are considered along with teacher availability, available periods, resources, and other configured constraints.
For elective subjects, EasyEdmin considers their combined requirement appropriately rather than treating each elective subject as an additional independent requirement.
Teacher Availability and Workload #
Teacher availability and workload are important constraints during timetable planning.
EasyEdmin considers the teacher’s configured:
- Maximum Periods per Week
- Maximum Consecutive Periods
Teacher availability can also be reviewed to identify the day and timing applicable to a teacher.
These constraints help prevent impractical allocations and allow the timetable to distribute teaching periods appropriately.
Priority Allocations #
Some periods may need to be reserved or allocated first because of specific institutional requirements.
For example, an institute may traditionally reserve particular periods for certain activities or subjects.
Such requirements can be handled through Priority Allocations.
Priority allocations are planned before the remaining timetable is automatically generated. This allows important requirements to be addressed first and provides Auto Plan with a defined starting point for planning the remaining allocations.
Fixed Allocations #
After important allocations have been identified, they can be fixed so that Auto Plan does not change them.
A fixed allocation acts as a protected timetable requirement.
The typical planning approach is:
Identify Priority Requirements → Allocate Required Periods → Fix the Allocations → Run Auto Plan
Auto Plan then works around these fixed allocations while preparing the remaining timetable.
Note: Priority and Fixed Allocations are closely related, but they serve different purposes. Priority determines what should be handled first; fixing an allocation protects it from being changed by Auto Plan.
Joined Periods #
Some activities require multiple consecutive periods to be treated as a single continuous session.
For example, a laboratory practical may require two periods together.
Joined Periods allow such consecutive periods to be allocated together rather than treating each period as an independent teaching session.
This is useful for activities that cannot practically be divided between individual periods.
Elective Subjects #
Elective subjects require coordinated scheduling because students may be distributed across different elective subjects.
EasyEdmin can attempt to schedule applicable elective subjects at the same time, while considering the respective teachers and required learning resources or places.
This allows students taking different electives to attend their selected subjects during the same period.
Elective subjects also affect the calculation of required periods per week. Elective subjects are not counted independently where they form part of the same elective requirement; the combined requirement is considered during planning.
Learning Resources / Places #
Some subject allocations require a specific place or learning resource.
For example:
- Computer → Computer Lab
- Science Practical → Science Lab
- Physical Education → Playground
These requirements are considered during timetable planning to help prevent the same resource from being required for incompatible allocations at the same time.
Conflict Handling #
EasyEdmin normally prevents conflicting timetable allocations.
For example, a teacher generally cannot be allocated to two classes at the same time when such an allocation creates a conflict.
However, some institutes may intentionally require the same teacher to take the same subject for multiple classes simultaneously.
EasyEdmin provides an option to allow conflicts where such an arrangement is intentionally required.
Important: Allowing conflicts should be used only when the simultaneous allocation is intentional and appropriate for the institute’s timetable structure.
Class-Level Timetable Lock #
Once the timetable for a particular class has been completed, that class timetable can be locked.
A class-level timetable lock protects the completed timetable for that class during Auto Plan.
When Auto Plan is subsequently run, allocations belonging to a locked class remain unchanged while EasyEdmin plans the remaining timetable.
This is useful when some classes have already been finalized and should not be modified while the rest of the timetable is being prepared.
Planning with Auto Plan #
Once the required planning information and constraints have been configured, Auto Plan can be used to automatically prepare the timetable.
Auto Plan considers the configured requirements and fixed allocations and attempts to allocate the remaining periods while respecting the applicable constraints.
EasyEdmin can prepare a substantial portion of the timetable automatically, reducing the amount of manual allocation required.
The resulting timetable can then be reviewed and adjusted using Manual Timetable Planning where necessary.
Detailed information about how Auto Plan works is covered in the Auto Plan article.
Manual Planning #
Users can manually allocate periods when:
- A specific allocation needs to be created.
- An automatically generated allocation needs adjustment.
- A particular requirement cannot be handled through Auto Plan.
- The user wants to fine-tune the completed timetable.
EasyEdmin provides validations and intelligent inputs during manual allocation to help users make appropriate allocations and identify conflicts or other scheduling issues.
Detailed manual planning functionality is covered in Manual Timetable Planning.
Recommended Planning Sequence #
A practical timetable planning sequence is:
1. Configure Planning Requirements
Set subject period requirements, teacher constraints, learning resources, elective requirements, and other preferences.
2. Identify Priority Requirements
Determine allocations that need to be handled before automatic planning.
3. Create Priority Allocations
Allocate the required periods for those priority requirements.
4. Fix Important Allocations
Fix allocations that must remain unchanged during Auto Plan.
5. Lock Completed Classes
Lock class timetables that have already been finalized and should not be modified by Auto Plan.
6. Run Auto Plan
Allow EasyEdmin to prepare the remaining timetable automatically.
7. Review the Timetable
Check allocations, teacher availability, workload, resources, and other requirements.
8. Make Manual Adjustments
Use Manual Timetable Planning to make any required changes.
9. Finalize the Timetable
Review the completed timetable and activate or publish it as required.
Key Points #
- Timetable Planning assigns teaching activities to specific periods.
- Planning considers subjects, teachers, schedules, learning resources, and configured constraints.
- Teacher workload and availability are important planning considerations.
- Priority Allocations allow important requirements to be handled first.
- Fixed Allocations protect selected allocations from being changed by Auto Plan.
- Joined Periods allow multiple consecutive periods to be treated as one continuous session.
- Elective subjects can be coordinated to occur at the same time.
- Learning resources and places can be considered during allocation.
- Timetable conflicts are normally prevented.
- Conflicts can be explicitly allowed where simultaneous allocations are intentionally required.
- A Class-Level Timetable Lock prevents Auto Plan from changing the timetable of a locked class.
- Auto Plan and Manual Timetable Planning can be used together.
- The planning process should generally address important fixed requirements first, followed by automatic planning and manual refinement.
