Astra Schedule

Product Documentation

Astra Schedule 6.0

User’s Guide

 

Table of Contents


Getting Around in Astra Schedule.. 1

Technical Support. 1

1.1 Astra Schedule Overview.. 1

Key References Displayed in the Main User Interface Window.. 2

1.2 The Tabs. 3

Records vs. Fields. 3

Color Codes. 3

Status Codes - Definitions. 4

1.3 Sort Feature. 5

1.4 Grouping Feature. 5

1.5 Find Feature. 6

1.6 Using the Toolbars. 6

The Upper Toolbar. 6

The Lower Toolbar. 7

1.7 Customizing Astra Schedule Views. 9

Customizing the Upper Toolbar. 9

Customizing the Database Layout Tool. 10

Customizing Your Column Widths. 11

Customizing Your Column Order. 11

Choosing a Date Range or Term. 11

Customizing Grouping Options. 12

Creating and Editing a Room Record.. 13

2.1 The Information Tab. 14

Capacity and Max Capacity. 14

Special Features. 14

Regions. 15

2.2 The Configuration Tab. 16

Configuration Information Tab. 16

Configuration Price Plans Tab. 17

Configuration Notify Tab. 17

2.3 The Sharing/Partitioning Tab. 18

2.4 The Control Tab. 19

2.5 The Blocking Tab. 20

2.6 The Details Tab. 21

2.7 The Notes/History Tab. 21

2.8 The Services Tab. 21

Room Effective Date. 22

Expiration Date. 22

Scheduling and Editing an Individual Section.. 23

3.1 Section Editing/Scheduling Flowchart. 23

3.2 The Summary Tab. 24

Scheduling Preferences. 26

Instructors. 26

3.3 The Resources/Services Tab. 27

3.4 The History Tab. 27

3.5 The Notes Tab. 27

3.6 The Details Tab. 28

3.7 Additional Meeting Information Area. 28

The Crosslists Tool. 28

Section Clusters. 29

Exceptions. 31

Additional Rooms. 32

3.8 Holidays. 32

3.9 Creating a Section Record. 33

3.10 Editing an Existing Section. 34

Academic Scheduling Preferences.. 35

4.1 Preferences Overview.. 35

4.2 Preferences Flowchart. 36

4.3 Understanding Preferences. 37

Weighting. 37

Room Type. 37

Room Features. 38

Regions. 38

Building. 38

Room. 38

4.4 Configuring and Applying Your Scheduling Preferences. 39

How are Scheduling Preferences Inherited?. 39

How Often Do I Configure My Scheduling Preferences?. 39

Configuring Preferences at the Meeting Type level. 40

Configuring Preferences at the Subject Level. 40

Configuring Preferences at the Course Level. 41

Configuring Preferences at the Instructor Level. 43

Configuring Preferences at the Section Level. 44

4.5 Applying Scheduling Preferences. 45

4.6 Scheduling Priorities. 45

What is considered when placing sections?. 45

Percentage Decisions. 45

Bulk Scheduling – The Optimizer.. 47

5.1 Bulk Scheduling Overview.. 47

Bulk Scheduling Flowchart. 47

5.2 Understanding the Optimizer. 47

5.2 Understanding the Optimizer. 48

How does the Optimizer help me?. 48

The Algorithm. 48

How can I modify the Algorithm?. 48

How does the Optimizer affect the source file?. 48

Optimizer Objectives. 49

Common Problems Contributing to Unscheduled Meetings. 49

5.3 Running the Optimizer. 49

Before You Start. 49

Optimizer Preview.. 49

5.3 Running the Optimizer. 51

The Optimizer Results Report. 53

5.4 Scenario Modeling. 54

Scenario vs. Production Mode. 54

Creating a New Scenario File. 54

Deleting Unwanted Scenario Tables. 55

Switching Back to Production Mode. 55

Update to Production. 55

5.5 Unscheduled Sections. 56

Locating Unscheduled Sections. 56

Placing Unscheduled Sections Using the Optimizer. 56

Scheduling an Individual Section.. 57

6.1 The Available Rooms Tool 57

Using the Available Rooms Tool. 57

The Conflict Tool. 59

Exam Scheduling.. 60

7.1 Enabling Exams. 60

7.2 Creating the Exam Term. 60

7.3 Configuring Exam Preferences. 61

7.4 Defining the Exam Timetable. 62

7.5 Optimizing Exams. 63

Event Scheduling.. 64

8.1 Event Scheduling Overview.. 64

The Event Wizard. 64

8.2 Event Scheduling Flowchart. 65

8.3 Pricing Plans. 65

8.4 Resources and Services. 66

Resource Trouble Tickets. 66

8.5 Event Types. 67

8.6 Customer Types. 67

8.7 Selecting Customers. 68

8.8 Notification List. 70

8.9 Finding an Event. 71

8.10 Creating an Event. 71

8.11 Using the Daily Room Grid. 74

8.12 Cloning an Event. 75

8.13 Combining Events. 75

8.14 Editing an Existing Event. 76

Finding and Opening an Event Record. 76

The Summary Tab. 77

The Meetings Tab. 80

The Details Tab. 82

The History / Notes Tab. 82

The Costs Tab. 82

The Resources / Services Tab. 82

The Summary Print Tab. 83

8.15 Event Attendance. 83

Attendee Management on an Event Record. 83

Attendee Management in the Event Management Drop-down Menu. 84

Sending Microsoft Outlook Meeting Requests to Attendees. 85

8.16 Requesting an Event. 85

Using the Event Wizard. 85

Using the Daily Room Grid. 85

How Astra Schedule "Handles" Requested Events. 85

8.17 Scheduling a Requested Event. 85

Changing the Status in the Event Record. 86

Scheduling/Confirming an Event with the Message Center. 86

8.18 Scheduling a Rejected Event. 87

Understanding Resources.. 88

9.1 Resources and Services Overview.. 88

Resource Definitions. 89

9.2 Configuring Resources and Services. 89

Configuring a Consumable Resource. 89

Configuring a Resource for Which Quantity Will Not Be Tracked. 91

Configuring a Resource for Which Only the Quantity Will Be Tracked. 93

Configuring a Resource with Serial Numbers. 95

9.3 Configuring a Menu. 97

Configuring a Resource that Can Be Used as a Menu Item. 97

Configuring Menu Items. 97

9.4 Configuring a Resource Collection. 98

9.5 Configuring Services. 99

Booking Resources.. 100

10.1 Booking Resources with Events. 100

10.2 Booking Resources with Sections. 102

Managing Resources.. 103

11.1 The Resource Grid. 103

11.2 Trouble Tickets. 104

Accounting.. 106

12.1 Ledger Entries. 106

12.2 Invoices. 107

12.3 Statements. 109

12.4 Payments. 110

12.5 Payment Centers. 111

12.6 Payment and Ledger Entry Types. 111

Messaging.. 112

13.1 Communication Center. 112

Inbox. 112

Tasks. 113

Sent Messages. 113

Contact Manager. 113

Create Mail. 114

13.2 Chat. 115

13.3 Mail Options. 115

13.4 Template Editor. 115

Notification Types. 116

File Drop-down Menu. 116

Insert Menu. 117

Format Menu. 117

Inserting Bands. 117

Building Your Own Template. 118

Reporting.. 119