Best Way to use Calendar for 2 Wards in 1 Building

I have a request from one of two wards that both occupy the same building to create a building calendar to help the agent ward coordinate the activities in the building. I am assuming that this is best handled by creating a stake-level calendar and giving the person who will be coordinating the calendar access to it.

Any suggestions as to the best way to accomplish this? Am I on the right track?

That's an abuse of the system. Each ward needs to schedule their own activities. As long as they select the location, the system will not let them double-book the rooms - even though they can't see the other calendar.

If the person in charge needs to see whats happening, they can switch to week view and check off the location.

If the Scheduler wants to be more active, then they can set "restrictions" that limit which ward can schedule the building during a given time period (be it a set day of the week or alternating weekend, etc.)

The old days of one person scheduling the building for multiple units is gone. (And I say good riddance. The old way was a technical necessity until a "calendar server" was created.)

Thanks for the information. The only problem I see is that if a ward wanted to be sure that they had a nite clear for an activity, they would have to plan well in advance and get it on their calendar.

techgy wrote:Thanks for the information. The only problem I see is that if a ward wanted to be sure that they had a nite clear for an activity, they would have to plan well in advance and get it on their calendar.

First of all, isn't that the case for any conceivable scheduling system? It wouldn't matter if there is a single scheduler everything goes through, or the newer distributed scheduling model -- you have to plan ahead.

But second, you might consider using the Restrictions feature of the Calendar. Our stake uses that quite successfully in our multi-ward buildings (mostly just for the cultural hall for Mutual nights, but for a couple other things as well). The wards work out a schedule (e.g., Ward A has the cultural hall for 1st and 3rd Wednesdays, and Ward B has it on 2nd and 4th), and then the building scheduler puts that restriction in place to enforce that rule. That way Ward A can be confident that Ward B won't ever schedule anything on the 1st or 3rd Wednesday (although a particular organization in Ward A will still have to plan well in advance and get their actual event on the calendar).

techgy wrote:Thanks for the information. The only problem I see is that if a ward wanted to be sure that they had a nite clear for an activity, they would have to plan well in advance and get it on their calendar.

And that would be a bad thing because?

techgy wrote:I have a request from one of two wards that both occupy the same building to create a building calendar to help the agent ward coordinate the activities in the building.

The calendar as currently designed already coordinates the activities in the building. Its simple. Its accurate. And its automatic.

techgy wrote:Any suggestions as to the best way to accomplish this?

Training, Training, Training. Train the ward on the proper use of the calendar. Once they see how it should be working they will feel be comfortable with the system.

techgy wrote:Am I on the right track?

You are on the wrong track. But training will get you back to the main line quickly.

Thanks to all. Looks like I've got my work cut out for me

As the saying goes...."the best laid plans of mice and men"...

I met with the individual who had been assigned to handle the building calendar and intended on going over the process of using the "Restrictions" feature to help control a building-level calendar.

It turns out that his records are not even in our stake. He's a member of a neighboring stake and is only an "out of unit" member of the YSA ward. With his records not in our stake, he doesn't appear on the selection list of people for assignment as Building Schedulers. I confirmed this with LUS. It's also mentioned in the calendar helps.

So I'm now waiting for someone new to be called. One thing that WAS accomplished with all this, I'm now a lot more familiar with the working of the calendar

techgy wrote:I met with the individual who had been assigned to handle the building calendar and intended on going over the process of using the "Restrictions" feature to help control a building-level calendar.

If your looking at "Restrictions" to control the calendar you still on the "Wrong Track". Restrictions are only for blocking out periods of time where you may only want a single unit to schedule an event in the building. Restrictions are not for scheduling events in a building.

techgy wrote:One thing that WAS accomplished with all this, I'm now a lot more familiar with the working of the calendar

However it appears you still don't fully understand the difference between "Restrictions" and "Events".

techgy wrote:help control a building-level calendar

I'm having a hard time understanding why you feel a need for a building-level calendar?

I am aware of the differences between Restrictions and Events. However, it's a necessity if you wish to block out times for a specific ward to use for their activities. The need for a building level calendar is that it's being requested by the agent Bishop. Trying to use the "Weekly View" to see events occuring in a specific building within the stake isn't working too well. Once the bugs are cleaned up that view will be helpful.

I'm working on his request for a "building calendar" but it's a slow process. Everyone is still thinking in regards to the old calendars we used with the previous ward web sites. My plans were to have a meeting with the individual whom the Bishop had chosen to handle the calendar and train him. That fell apart when I discovered that his records were not in the stake but that he was an "out of unit" member of the ward.

techgy wrote:I am aware of the differences between Restrictions and Events. However, it's a necessity if you wish to block out times for a specific ward to use for their activities.

Yes it is necessary if you choose to block out times, but one needs to understand that it is still necessary to add and event if you want it on the calendar. Its also important to understand that an restriction cannot be put in place down to the auxiliary level only at the unit level so anyone in the unit can schedule and event during that time, even though the restriction was put in place for a specific auxiliary.

Personalty I don't see a need for many restrictions since scheduled events will block the time and the building. But I can also understand at times it is necessary. I like first come first served concept of scheduling.

techgy wrote:The need for a building level calendar is that it's being requested by the agent Bishop. Trying to use the "Weekly View" to see events occurring in a specific building within the stake isn't working too well. Once the bugs are cleaned up that view will be helpful.

It hard for me to understand why that does not work since its work well for my unit and about a couple of thousand other units that have no problems looking at the week view when scheduling events.

techgy wrote:The need for a building level calendar is that it's being requested by the agent Bishop.

techgy wrote:I'm working on his request for a "building calendar" but it's a slow process.

The only way to do this so that all wards in the building can view the calendar as well as add events would be to make a Stake Calendar. In my opinion that is improper use of the calendar system.

techgy wrote:Everyone is still thinking in regards to the old calendars we used with the previous ward web sites. My plans were to have a meeting with the individual whom the Bishop had chosen to handle the calendar and train him. That fell apart when I discovered that his records were not in the stake but that he was an "out of unit" member of the ward.

If I were you I would tell the Bishop involved "NO" this is not going to happen, we are not going backwards. We will not make a Stake Calendar layer for scheduling a building when there is already a system supplied by the church for scheduling the building. That it is time for him and others to get familiar with the new system and use it as designed. Then I would ask him when he would like me to visit his ward in order to train them on the use of the calendar. Just because he is a Bishop does not mean you have to jump through hoops just to fit his agenda when it not the proper why to use the system.

Gary_Miller wrote:

techgy wrote:I am aware of the differences between Restrictions and Events. However, it's a necessity if you wish to block out times for a specific ward to use for their activities.

Yes it is necessary if you choose to block out times, but one needs to understand that it is still necessary to add and event if you want it on the calendar. Its also important to understand that an restriction cannot be put in place down to the auxiliary level only at the unit level so anyone in the unit can schedule and event during that time, even though the restriction was put in place for a specific auxiliary.

Thanks for the info. I'm sure it will be helpful. Up to recently I haven't delved into the Calendar with a lot of detail. That's certainly changed over the past week or so

Techincally both wards can schedule on there own calendars and you can use the week view too see everything in a specific building.

jeffevannelson wrote:Techincally both wards can schedule on there own calendars and you can use the week view too see everything in a specific building.

Yes, that's been suggested - if you can deal with the "bugs" in the week view. With no calendars selected and no locations selected the week view often displays events when it shouldn't. However, as you stated, it's currently the only method of viewing events in another building within the stake.

techgy wrote:Yes, that's been suggested - if you can deal with the "bugs" in the week view. With no calendars selected and no locations selected the week view often displays events when it shouldn't. However, as you stated, it's currently the only method of viewing events in another building within the stake.

It only seems to be a "bug" for a select few. I have had no problems with this bug.

techgy wrote:

jeffevannelson wrote:Techincally both wards can schedule on there own calendars and you can use the week view too see everything in a specific building.

Yes, that's been suggested - if you can deal with the "bugs" in the week view. With no calendars selected and no locations selected the week view often displays events when it shouldn't. However, as you stated, it's currently the only method of viewing events in another building within the stake.

Although there are possibly additional events shown, I don't see how that prevents the view from still being useful. You just have to ignore any events that aren't at the location you're interested in. Since each location is marked with a little building icon of a different color that isn't difficult. It's slightly inconvenient but hardly a show stopping bug.

techgy wrote:

jeffevannelson wrote:Techincally both wards can schedule on there own calendars and you can use the week view too see everything in a specific building.

Yes, that's been suggested - if you can deal with the "bugs" in the week view. With no calendars selected and no locations selected the week view often displays events when it shouldn't. However, as you stated, it's currently the only method of viewing events in another building within the stake.

Are you referring to this issue that you need to uncheck and recheck your selected calendars?

jeffevannelson wrote:

techgy wrote:

jeffevannelson wrote:Techincally both wards can schedule on there own calendars and you can use the week view too see everything in a specific building.

Yes, that's been suggested - if you can deal with the "bugs" in the week view. With no calendars selected and no locations selected the week view often displays events when it shouldn't. However, as you stated, it's currently the only method of viewing events in another building within the stake.

Are you referring to this issue that you need to uncheck and recheck your selected calendars?

I think he's referring to the bug described in this thread: https://tech.lds.org/forum/viewtopic.ph ... 56#p114856

It would be a nice feature if the Calendar system would allow a "print only" view of all activities in the Location (building). We train our calendar editors to always label each event with the ward/unit ## first, Organization (RS, PR) second, and a brief event title. Further details in the description box assist while looking online at the calendar.

Additionally, it would be nice if there was a feature to show all scheduled activities in a Location (building) by room or resource. If the need arises to consolidate 3 rooms to 1 room due to improper set up, each event will be left without a room assignment, for the rooms that are removed.

It would be very helpful to see the calendars of all the units that meet in the building.

ballen1057 wrote:It would be very helpful to see the calendars of all the units that meet in the building.

You can see all the events and restrictions, for all units in the stake, for a specific building by ensuring the building is selected and the the view is set on "week".

The only way to see other units in the stake is in a weekly view. This is the reservations for the building not activities. If I can see all the ward directories with phone numbers, addresses, and email addresses then why not the ward calendars.

ballen1057 wrote:The only way to see other units in the stake is in a weekly view. This is the reservations for the building not activities.

If by "reservations" you mean the events that block off the use of a room, you are correct. It has been requested that stake leadership be able to see all events so they know if they're stepping on a ward picnic when they schedule something, but so far we've had no indication if the idea has been considered or at what point we might see the feature.

Being able to see the other ward calendars would be very helpful with weddings, funerals, and other events that just pop up quickly. I set my ward up for the year. We do not print copies and the Bishopric is the only one's to post and approve on the ward calendar. It should be easier then it is.

ballen1057 wrote:Being able to see the other ward calendars would be very helpful with weddings, funerals, and other events that just pop up quickly.

Why is that an issue? If the other ward is having a picnic at a local park, then you can still schedule a event for the building.

I want to be able to look and not call to confirm. Also If one unit uses the "entire building" that blocks the other unit from submitting. We have YM /YW the same night. We can't split the cultural hall on the calendar. The best way to avoid problems is to post "other location"

ballen1057 wrote:Also If one unit uses the "entire building" that blocks the other unit from submitting.

That is correct, but I fail to see the connection.

ballen1057 wrote:We have YM /YW the same night. We can't split the cultural hall on the calendar. The best way to avoid problems is to post "other location"

Assuming you share YM/YW events that would be the way to do it.

ballen1057 wrote:The only way to see other units in the stake is in a weekly view. This is the reservations for the building not activities.

Yes and No. The calendar is two fold, an event books a room in the building while at the same time it has a space for describing the activity.

ballen1057 wrote:If I can see all the ward directories with phone numbers, addresses, and email addresses then why not the ward calendars.

You can see everything that is scheduled on all the calendars in the entire stake by just selecting all the stake building and viewing the calendar in the week view. There are two exceptions "No Location" and "Other Location" which will not show in the week view unless it for a calendar that you have subscribed too.

ballen1057 wrote:Being able to see the other ward calendars would be very helpful with weddings, funerals, and other events that just pop up quickly.

If these events are in the building you can see them (in the week view) even if they are on a private calendar layer

ballen1057 wrote:I set my ward up for the year. We do not print copies and the Bishopric is the only one's to post and approve on the ward calendar. It should be easier then it is.

It is easier than you make it. The Bishopric needs to learn to delegate this to the organization leaders and let them post and approve their own events on there own calendar layer.

ballen1057 wrote:I want to be able to look and not call to confirm.

If you look at the week view and the event is on the calendar then its confirmed I see not need to call anyone.

ballen1057 wrote:Also If one unit uses the "entire building" that blocks the other unit from submitting.

Correct but maybe they want the entire building.

ballen1057 wrote:We have YM /YW the same night. We can't split the cultural hall on the calendar. The best way to avoid problems is to post "other location"

Yes, you can most cultural halls have a divider in the center. All that needs done it to have the clerk in the stake clerks office who is over the calendars add both ends of the cultural hall as separate rooms. In the building I attend it is labeled "Cultural Hall Back" and Cultural Hall Front", If you want the whole cultural hall you just schedule both half's.