Events with no location

I am a building scheduler. I know how to see events scheduled for my building by both my home unit and the other units in the building. What I don't know is how to see events from another unit that have been scheduled with no location or other location. For my own unit, I can see this information on the calendar with the location icon. However, I can't see the other units calendars. On the available location selection, I can see all the events schedule by any unit at my building. Where do the events go that have no location or other location. In version 1, we had the "events without a location" selection which was really nice. I know some events truly have no location but this poses a potential problem when the event scheduler thinks all is well and the building scheduler can't see the potential problem. How do we handle this?

wkadams wrote:I am a building scheduler. I know how to see events scheduled for my building by both my home unit and the other units in the building. What I don't know is how to see events from another unit that have been scheduled with no location or other location. For my own unit, I can see this information on the calendar with the location icon. However, I can't see the other units calendars. On the available location selection, I can see all the events schedule by any unit at my building. Where do the events go that have no location or other location. In version 1, we had the "events without a location" selection which was really nice. I know some events truly have no location but this poses a potential problem when the event scheduler thinks all is well and the building scheduler can't see the potential problem. How do we handle this?

You've analyzed the situation well. With v2, there is nothing you can do, since the "Events with no location" option is gone, and thus building schedulers can't see events except those connected to a location (and those on their subscribed calendars, of course). The theory, I believe, is that building schedulers should have rights to see events at their location, but have no reason to have permissions to see other events on calendars they don't subscribe to. I know there are some problems with that theory, but that seems to be the design principle.

You could request that that option be restored, but I don't know what else can be done.

I am a Stake Clerk and been working with Ver 1 for some time now, and now with Ver 2. I totally agree with 'wkadams'. We building schedulers should be allowed to see all events! My priesthood leader wants me to keep an eye on the calendars so they are used appropriately. I understand that perhaps this same responsibility should be at the ward level (ward website admins), so they should handle this at that level, but since I can not see this, I can not help train them, or help them as much.

Another closely-related issue I have seen is that with the current philosophy of letting building schedulers only see events at their buildings, they can make changes that they then can't undo. For example, if an event scheduled by another ward appears to be off-site but an editor scheduled the building anyway, a building scheduler may adjust that event to be at "Other Location" (yes, I know they should have communicated with someone first, but let's focus on the technical issue, not the communication issue).

The scheduler has the ability to make that change. But the instant that change is saved, the scheduler no longer has any ability to see that event. If they subsequently find out that there is a gathering at the building before they depart for the off-site activity, and want to restore the booking of the resource, they will have no way to make that correction. That's a capability lost between v1 and v2 when the "Events with no Location" checkbox was removed from the list of Available Locations.

Thanks aebrown. You mention that I could request this feature be added. How is the best way to make such a request?

wkadams wrote:Thanks aebrown. You mention that I could request this feature be added. How is the best way to make such a request?

A couple people from the Calendar development team are active in the forum here, so they have probably already seen the request. But you can always use the Submit Feedback link on the bottom of the lds.org home page to offer a suggestion. The category would be "Local Unit Websites."

On V1 we could select all locations for specific locations...V2 doesn't give us that option any longer...am I missing something? Is there a setting I can't find to help us resolve this problem? Very similar to the "no location" issue above.

This is causing some conflict between our wards - double booking etc.

We need to be able to see ALL EVENTS - even those without location specified - just to make sure all events are scheduled correctly, avoiding conflict.

Please advise.

tqhuber wrote:On V1 we could select all locations for specific locations...V2 doesn't give us that option any longer...am I missing something? Is there a setting I can't find to help us resolve this problem? Very similar to the "no location" issue above.

You can still see all events for specific locations (I assume you meant "all events" and not "all locations"). It's just that the check boxes for each location are available only on Week view (they used to be available on Month view as well) under "Available Locations."

As for the "No location" issue, that option is indeed gone from V2, as you probably read in this post.

tqhuber wrote:This is causing some conflict between our wards - double booking etc.

I can't imagine how the lack of an ability to see all events could lead to double booking. If calendar editors properly select the correct location and specific rooms within the location as they create an event, when they save the event they will have booked the resource. Anyone who subsequently tries to schedule an event using that resource at that time will get a conflict notification and will be unable to save the event.

If people aren't getting notified of a conflict, it could be that they are not actually specifying locations and rooms when they schedule events. If so, it sounds to me like someone needs to do a little training for calendar editors so that they understand that they have not booked rooms for an event unless they specify the rooms on the events and successfully save.

If there is some other issue leading to double booking, please supply more details as to what the events look like that you say are double booking locations.

tqhuber wrote:We need to be able to see ALL EVENTS - even those without location specified - just to make sure all events are scheduled correctly, avoiding conflict.

If an event does not specify a location, then there will not be a conflict for resources. And if there is a conflict in terms of time, that is because the ward is not managing their events well. But anyone in the ward can subscribe to all the ward calendars and verify that there are no conflicts in terms of time. In my opinion, that is properly a ward function, and does not need to be overseen by anyone at the stake level or a building scheduler, so the Calendar system provides ample capabilities for that.

Yes, I agree ...but it leaves us to the unreliable method of guess and check. It is a waste of time to put something in without knowing that another ward already has the exact same time and location reserved. "Try this date...darn...how about this date?" Surely you can understand the frustration. V1 had the capability and everyone in this building believes we still need it. Is there a suggestions box?
Thanks for your reply.

The suggestion Box is found by sending Feedback from lds.org

tqhuber wrote:Yes, I agree ...but it leaves us to the unreliable method of guess and check. It is a waste of time to put something in without knowing that another ward already has the exact same time and location reserved.

I don't think you understood what aebrown stated. There is no need to guess and check. Before scheduling an event the location can be selected and the specific dates visually scanned for other events scheduled. If there is an event on a date in which you want to schedule your event you can view the details of that event to see what time and resources are scheduled.

The same capability to view locations for open dates and times is still available. It is just that it is not available in month view. Week view must be used to select a location to see the scheduled events.