Setup Time Options

Would anyone else like to see more setup time options? For big evening events people often want to reserve it 8 or 12 hours in advance. Yes, they can create a separate event, but it seems it would be easy to add a few more options.

Four of the posts in the thread Want a Setup Time or Cleanup time but not the other behavior (one made by you) noted this same request. But for whatever reason, the main issue on that thread got addressed, but the side issue did not. Thanks for bringing up that lost issue so it can be addressed directly.

Personally, I don't think more options in the dropdown list will make any significant improvement in this feature. The most common options are already in the list. The only way to address this request for more flexibility is to add an entry field to allow any time to be specified (either in addition to or as a replacement to the dropdown list). But that adds complexity, both for the user (more controls to be understood and documented on an already complex page) and the developers (validation of odd entries, and more potential display issues in week view). Is it worth adding the complexity for relatively rare cases that can be handled with an additional event? I don't think so.

Yes, I saw my old post but thought I should start a new thread since that one was about something else initially. True, the ideal solution would be a free form field which would indeed create more work I would assume there is built-in validation they could use so they would have to code that part though.

But I still think adding more entries would help since it would take much at all. It is extremely common for people to want the whole day to set up, and the wards are not comfortable having us put it on a separate calendar because they can't see it. We are going to suggest they set up their own calendar for these things instead of doing it at the stake level, but they are not happy with that option.

Currently, the calendar only lets you select "setup" for up to four hours prior to an event. It would be helpful if you could expand the setup time options up to as much as 10 or 12 hours (or more for overnight setups).

For example, in my calling as RS counselor and now as Primary counselor, we do setup for fairly large activities (RS Meeting, Activity Days Recognition, Blue and Gold, etc.). As mothers with children in school, we usually meet at around 10:00 am for set-up instead of just prior to the activity (when we are usually getting kids from school, making dinner, etc). Our typical activity actually starts at 6:00 or 7:00 p.m. which means we are setting up as much as nine hours prior to the activity. Because the calendar only allows setup for four hours prior, I am forced to check the activity as "All day event." This reserves the building, but that isn't the problem. The problem is that now our activity looks like it is occurring all day long - which it isn't. We usually add the actual activity times into the Description and sometimes even into the Event Title. It would be nice, though, to have the event appear on the calendar at its actual beginning time.

[Moderator note: I moved this post into the existing topic for this issue.]

wendyhickman wrote: It would be helpful if you could expand the setup time options up to as much as 10 or 12 hours (or more for overnight setups).

As you can see from the other posts in this topic (and the other topic that was linked to), you're not alone in this desire.

wendyhickman wrote:Because the calendar only allows setup for four hours prior, I am forced to check the activity as "All day event." This reserves the building, but that isn't the problem. The problem is that now our activity looks like it is occurring all day long - which it isn't.

I would think that calling the activity an "All day event" is not a good workaround; not only does it give mislead people who want to know when to show up for the event, but it also books the building for the entire day, when it could well be that it should be left available in the morning for someone else to use if they have a separate activity that takes place before you need to do your setup.

A better workaround is to schedule the event for the correct time starting time; that way people who want to attend will see the correct information. That event could have some portion of the setup and cleanup time specified (perhaps 4 hours). Then create a separate event on a separate calendar that is for the extra setup time. Many units choose to have a special calendar called "Resource Only" or "Private Events" that they use for events that don't need to be public but need to book the building; such a calendar can be a private calendar.

aebrown wrote:Then create a separate event on a separate calendar that is for the extra setup time. Many units choose to have a special calendar called "Resource Only" or "Private Events" that they use for events that don't need to be public but need to book the building; such a calendar can be a private calendar.

In order to do this you need to ensure the person has editor rights for these calendars. For example if the RS needs more setup time and that time is to be scheduled on a different calendar its important that the person scheduling the original event also has editor rights to the other calendar to schedule the setup time.

I think it would be best just to schedule the setup time on the same calendar and call it "Setup for XXX Event" with the time starting when they want to start setting up and ending when the event starts.

Gary_Miller wrote:I think it would be best just to schedule the setup time on the same calendar and call it "Setup for XXX Event" with the time starting when they want to start setting up and ending when the event starts.

Well, that depends on what is desired. If you don't want Setup events cluttering the calendar of all the subscribers, then it would not be best "just to schedule the setup time on the same calendar." But I'd certainly agree that your approach is the simplest, given the way the Calendar works now.

Thank you for moving my thoughts into an ongoing thread!

I would think that calling the activity an "All day event" is not a good workaround; not only does it give mislead people who want to know when to show up for the event, but it also books the building for the entire day, when it could well be that it should be left available in the morning for someone else to use if they have a separate activity that takes place before you need to do your setup.

I changed the event and isolated it to the actual meeting times. Then I created a separate setup event like you suggested (I don't have permissions to create a private "setup" calendar). Not much changes, however, because I still need those rooms to be reserved throughout the entire day. It does free up a few hours in the morning, but we can't setup the cultural hall in the morning and then have someone else use it between the actual setup and the activity. Now it appears that there are two primary activities happening on that day. If you look closely, you might notice that the first big chunk is just a setup event. It's still quite confusing, but at least the actual event is accurate now.

I think I would still prefer longer setup times being available to address this problem.

I chose the "four hour cleanup" on the setup event and "four hour setup" on the actual event to help gray out some of the large color field (on the weekly view) and diminish the appearance of the setup event somewhat. Between those two selections, I was able to visually isolate the times of the setup and the time of the event later that evening with eight hours of grayed out area. It's a lot of work that could been easier with an eight-hour and maybe even a twelve-hour setup option.

Weddings are another situation where families often come in the night before, setup the gym, and then don't return for the actual reception until the next night. They would probably appreciate a 24 hour (or more) setup possibility.