Calendar Scheduling Problems

We have not been able to add any reservations that require a location other than "no location" since about May 15th to today, May 18th. Several different members of the Stake Presidency have tried with no success. Firefox, Chrome, Explorer and Safari have been tried with no success. Any one else experiencing these issues right now?

I have been able to schedule location with no issues during the times you indicated. Has someone changed permissions to your calendars or modified locations?

what happens? Eternal spinner or an error message? If error what is the message? Is this just with one building, or all buildings in your stake?

I have done some more research on this to try to figure it out. This is what I have discovered so far:
It effects two of the buildings in the Stake which I set up with "blocked - location unavailable" for the weekends. It was decided that only the building scheduler would be allowed to schedule events on those days. I am also the scheduler for both the buildings. Before the 15th of May, I could schedule events on those days with those restrictions in place in both buildings. Since then when attempting to schedule all you see is the eternal spinner of death.
I have removed the restriction "blocked - location unavailable" on some weekends to test and it does allow scheduling on those days now.
It appears something has changed where before a building scheduler could place an event on days and times blocked at a building and now that does not work.
So now I wonder, if what I have found by experimenting that schedulers can no longer create events during times and days blocked, what is the best procedure to restrict a building on specific days so only the scheduler can create events then?

One other interesting bit of information, when I try to create a restriction using blocked on days such as Wednesday's for our Stake offices, I receive an error message as follows:

Message from Webpage
Sorry, data is temporarily not available for this application. Please try again later.

However, if I can create a blocked restriction for Saturday and Sundays with out problems.
Not sure what to make of this error message.

cowvet wrote:One other interesting bit of information, when I try to create a restriction using blocked on days such as Wednesday's for our Stake offices, I receive an error message as follows:

Message from Webpage
Sorry, data is temporarily not available for this application. Please try again later.

However, if I can create a blocked restriction for Saturday and Sundays with out problems.
Not sure what to make of this error message.

At this point, I think that's a different problem, but not sure as to the cause. Could it be because of something scheduled for those rooms on Wednesday?

cowvet wrote:It appears something has changed where before a building scheduler could place an event on days and times blocked at a building and now that does not work.

I've received word back that being able to schedule over a Restriction was considered a bug and has been fixed. If you change the restriction to a unit and attempt to schedule over it, you get a error message. I have reported the eternal spinner in the case of "blocked" as a bug.

cowvet wrote:what is the best procedure to restrict a building on specific days so only the scheduler can create events then?

It seems now that was never an intended functionality of the calendar system. Keep in mind that in order to work properly, each unit must be able to schedule their own events. Having the building scheduler do it, even if it's only for weekends, isn't going to work out too well. All I can suggest is "letting go" and have the units call you to referee if there is a problem. It's either that or control them by setting restrictions and modifying them as needed.

So what exactly is happening do the buildings not show up or you can select them and you get a error when saving the event?

Jeffevanelson: I am the executive secretary, therefore a default administrator and have assigned myself, in the system, as the building scheduler for our stake center. Up until a few weeks ago I have been able to restrict rooms and schedule rooms when creating events on one of the stake calendars. A couple of weeks ago that changed. I can only create an event on a stake calendar that uses "no location". The names of the buildings and rooms show up in the selection box. If I add a room(or building) to the reservation, I get a spinning wheel and the event is not "saved". If I go to the restriction calendar, I cannot restrict the room or building. All I see is the spinning wheel. It doesn't matter if I use FireFox or Chrome-same result. Like I said, I have been doing this since the new functions were available on lds.org. Something in the last couple of weeks has changed and it is not my computer or browser or rights.

davidrichey wrote:Jeffevanelson: I am the executive secretary, therefore a default administrator and have assigned myself, in the system, as the building scheduler for our stake center. Up until a few weeks ago I have been able to restrict rooms and schedule rooms when creating events on one of the stake calendars. A couple of weeks ago that changed. I can only create an event on a stake calendar that uses "no location". The names of the buildings and rooms show up in the selection box. If I add a room(or building) to the reservation, I get a spinning wheel and the event is not "saved". If I go to the restriction calendar, I cannot restrict the room or building. All I see is the spinning wheel. It doesn't matter if I use FireFox or Chrome-same result. Like I said, I have been doing this since the new functions were available on lds.org. Something in the last couple of weeks has changed and it is not my computer or browser or rights.

i sent you a private PM to get your info.

russellhltn wrote:It seems now that was never an intended functionality of the calendar system. Keep in mind that in order to work properly, each unit must be able to schedule their own events. Having the building scheduler do it, even if it's only for weekends, isn't going to work out too well. All I can suggest is "letting go" and have the units call you to referee if there is a problem. It's either that or control them by setting restrictions and modifying them as needed.

Pity, that they changed it. It actually has worked out very well in our Stake since the Church gave us the new calendar a few years ago. When I set up the location for the Stake Center in the calendar, I set up Tuesdays to Thursdays for the 3 different Wards which used the building. Each was given blocks of time distributed equally during the month out of the available Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. Fridays and weekends in the Stake Center are different since we have 5 other Wards which want to use the building or the Ramada next to it for various purposes (they are not listed on the location, I would have to add them so they could schedule events) This is because they use "Sage" plan buildings with very small cultural halls. We also have numerous individuals and groups such as the BSA which utilize the building and the Ramada next to it on Fridays and Saturdays. (No way to set up blocks of time for outside groups with the current system). I found in the past that opening up the scheduling on the weekend led to a certain level of anarchy (This is when I first took over being the scheduler for the Stake Center in addition to being the Stake Clerk). I became less a "building scheduler" and more a "building conflict mediator". The Stake President decided to return to the setup where only one person could schedule for the weekends in the Stake Center. I do have the other Ward buildings set up with open restrictions on the weekend like you suggest since they are utilized to a far less degree and it works fine.
I guess if it is decided to not at least give a category in the restrictions (along with the "blocked - location not available or the units) which would allow only the designated building scheduler to set up events in certain blocks of time such as weekends, the best solution is to block the building on the weekend and utilize a paper calendar to schedule weekend events. Then just list it on the correct Stake calendar with "location other".

cowvet wrote:the best solution is to block the building on the weekend and utilize a paper calendar to schedule weekend events. Then just list it on the correct Stake calendar with "location other".

Seems like you could just edit your restriction and then add the event normally.

One thing I'm not getting from your method is how you're able to schedule different wards and have the event appear on their calendar. I'm suspecting you're not.

And just as a heads up, the functionality of "blocked" is going to change. It's going to behave more like an event than a restriction.

russellhltn wrote:Seems like you could just edit your restriction and then add the event normally.

I did that for a while on the weekend Calendar when Wards wanted to be able to post the event on the Ward Calendar. I would have to go to the restriction, delete it for the day, then set the times open for the Ward, then re-block the rest of the times in the day to prevent others from trying to schedule events without authorization. It was a big hassle, so I just had the Wards make the event on their calendars with "location other" and then they added "Stake Center". I would then record the event on a private calendar at LDS.org I keep for weekend scheduling with the building selected and whatever rooms they wanted to use. The private calendar was because there are many individuals that did not want the entire Stake to see an event they were planning such as weddings and family reunions.

russellhltn wrote:One thing I'm not getting from your method is how you're able to schedule different wards and have the event appear on their calendar. I'm suspecting you're not.

Nope, I do not worry about the Ward level calendars. They do their own scheduling on their own calendars on weekdays when the building is reserved for their use. On weekends I use both methods described above to accommodate whether they are happy to us the "other location" or if they really want to put in the location and rooms. It seemed the best compromise with all the scheduling on weekends that I do for individuals, Stake organizations and outside groups utilizing the building. The "other location" is really useful at the end of the year when all the Wards in the Stake make reservations for their Christmas parties at the Stake Center. The majority of the Wards in the Stake are not listed on the location "Stake Center" (they are listed in their own buildings) so it is very simple for them to record the event on their own calendars with that designation.

russellhltn wrote:And just as a heads up, the functionality of "blocked" is going to change. It's going to behave more like an event than a restriction.

I'm intrigued, can you elaborate on how that will work? I would like to understand better so I can make the best use of it for the future. Thank you for your correspondence regarding the calendar. I am very glad to learn from others experience using it and like to be able to see ideas I can incorporate into how we are working with the calendar here.

cowvet wrote:

russellhltn wrote:And just as a heads up, the functionality of "blocked" is going to change. It's going to behave more like an event than a restriction.

I'm intrigued, can you elaborate on how that will work?

As you've discovered, you can't put an event on top of "blocked". Soon, you won't be able to put "blocked" on top of an event. Just as two events cannot conflict with each other, events and "blocked" will not be allowed to conflict with each other.

I just wanted to warn you in case you develop a new method only to get frustrated when the next release hits production.

Thanks for the heads up. I'll set up things to work around that. I wonder, is there a way to shoot a petition to the people working on the calendar coding to give us the ability to set for location restrictions not just units and "blocked" but also the listed building scheduler? That would seem to fix all the issues we have experienced and also give a very useful tool to Stakes to help prevent conflicts occurring at buildings.

cowvet wrote:is there a way to shoot a petition to the people working on the calendar coding

I don't think "petition" works. But I did forward your post describing what happens at your stake center, since it seems you tried it and it didn't work.

I guess the question I'd have is how is doing it via a Building Scheduler different from "first come, first served" or starting with pre-set set-asides? Seems like you'd have the same situation where someone comes in first but someone else then wants it. The calendar systems isn't a replacement for setting rules and expectations. Could you set rules and expectations about how they schedule themselves? Yes, you'd be "conflict mediator", but as long as they're mostly playing well, that would be less work than "scheduler".

jeffevannelson wrote:

davidrichey wrote:Jeffevanelson: I am the executive secretary, therefore a default administrator and have assigned myself, in the system, as the building scheduler for our stake center. Up until a few weeks ago I have been able to restrict rooms and schedule rooms when creating events on one of the stake calendars. A couple of weeks ago that changed. I can only create an event on a stake calendar that uses "no location". The names of the buildings and rooms show up in the selection box. If I add a room(or building) to the reservation, I get a spinning wheel and the event is not "saved". If I go to the restriction calendar, I cannot restrict the room or building. All I see is the spinning wheel. It doesn't matter if I use FireFox or Chrome-same result. Like I said, I have been doing this since the new functions were available on lds.org. Something in the last couple of weeks has changed and it is not my computer or browser or rights.

i sent you a private PM to get your info.

I just discovered my issue is just with one building. I am can schedule/reserve rooms in other buildings in my stake just not the stake center. It doesn't matter what day I try to schedule/reserve a room and I have checked to make sure no restrictions exist that day. What can be wrong with the set-up of this building in the database? Or is it something else?

davidrichey wrote:I just discovered my issue is just with one building. I am can schedule/reserve rooms in other buildings in my stake just not the stake center. It doesn't matter what day I try to schedule/reserve a room and I have checked to make sure no restrictions exist that day. What can be wrong with the set-up of this building in the database? Or is it something else?

It's most likely something messed up in the database and you'll have to work with jeffevannelson to get it fixed.

Jeffevannelson: I have sent 3 PM's on this issue. Have you not received them?

Our stake is experiencing the same issue as described above - no-one can schedule or move anything in one of the building (the stake center.) The other buildings work fine. When I try (using Chrome on Windows 7) I get the eternal spinner, regardless of whether I'm trying to edit an existing event, schedule a new event, or whether there is an existing "block" on that time slot or not. We can see the calendar, but we can't touch it.
Our stake building scheduler has tried on firefox, chrome & IE with the same results, however he indicates that he gets an error message "the resource is unavailable" (or something close to that.)
Other users in the stake have emailed me with the same complaints.

This all started 2 weeks ago (around May 15 as reported by other users above.) Please help!
Our stake uses the calendar system as follows:
1. At the beginning of the year, priesthood leaders set up a weekly schedule for the building. (Mutual nights, RS Meetings, Cub Pack meetings, etc.)
2. The stake building schedule inputs restrictions according to the leaders' schedule so that only the wards allocated can schedule their events. For example, if the 2nd ward has mutual on Tuesday nights, the restriction is set so that only the 2nd ward can schedule events.
3. The individual ward leaders then reserve locations as they put events on the calendar, so if YW leaders try to schedule the gym for a night that is theirs, they are allowed, but if they try to schedule a night that is not theirs, the will be blocked.

This has worked well for us for 2 full years.

Anyway - we have lost the ability to schedule the stake center. What can be done/changed so that we can access it again? Also, why is only 1 of our buildings affected?

This has been happenign for 2 weeks.

nbarss wrote:Our stake is experiencing the same issue as described above - no-one can schedule or move anything in one of the building (the stake center.)

The problem above was for a specific time slot. It had to do with a repeating event that couldn't be edited. Yours sounds different. Have you tried removing all restriction from that building for that time slot and see if you can schedule?

Yes, even when I try on a day that has no restrictions at all we get the eternal spinner.
This weekend our building scheduler sent the follow update - we are still unable to schedule anything for this building:

"I removed many of the restrictions and searched from Jan through Dec 2014 for overlapping scheduled appointments. After clearing them up I am still unable to create new restrictions. I didn’t go too far back into 2013 but I suppose it could cause a problem as well. Any thoughts? Do we care about the history on the calendar? I could try to just delete anything before 2014…"

russellhltn wrote:

nbarss wrote:Our stake is experiencing the same issue as described above - no-one can schedule or move anything in one of the building (the stake center.)

The problem above was for a specific time slot. It had to do with a repeating event that couldn't be edited. Yours sounds different. Have you tried removing all restriction from that building for that time slot and see if you can schedule?

Russellhltn: I think he is referring to my issue that I posted 5/22. His issue on 5/30 and 6/2 appears to be the same issue I have.

My issue of not being able to reserve a room in our stake center has been resolved.

Our issue has been resolved as well. Here are some details: One of our assistant clerks who works at church headquarters spoke with one of the developers, and they found that 2 of the buildings in our stake were "missing some detail in the database the new conflict management cares about so that was causing the error." Apparently we had 2 of the 44 buildings affected. sometimes I wonder what stakes do who don't have an "inside man."
My thanks to everyone who helped us solve this -
Incidentally, I have always loved the LDS.org Calendar & facility reservation system - it has worked so very well for us for nearly 3 years now!