Calendar mode — advanced options
PremiumCalendar mode is one of the three timetable types supported by Omniscol, alongside weekly mode and cyclic mode. It is used when the timetable does not follow a regular recurrence: each lesson has a precise date, with no repeating weekly pattern.
Creating a calendar timetable is included in the Premium plan, along with availability in calendar mode and the publication of multiple active timetables in parallel: on a Premium account, these functions are available without any specific activation.
What calendar mode specifically enables
- create a timetable whose lessons are individually dated;
- define a start and end date range;
- use date constraints when they are configured;
- generate only a target window shorter than the timetable's total range;
- ask the solver to compact lessons at the start of the period, at the end of the period, or with no position preference;
- display, publish and view lessons like other timetables but over a date interval;
- use off-grid mode on calendar classes, with explicit start and end times on each lesson.
Complementary functions
Other functions, described on their dedicated pages, naturally complement a calendar timetable:
- Multiple active timetables in parallel to publish several timetables over the same period;
- Availability in calendar mode to collect dated availability;
- Groups of groups to work with transverse groups.
When to prefer calendar over weekly
- Non-recurring programmes: intensive modules, seminars, conferences on varying dates.
- Continuing education: sessions that do not run on a regular academic year.
- External teachers: each one has their own calendar, not fixed weekly service hours.
- End-of-programme courses: projects, thesis defences, juries.
See Calendar mode for typical higher-education cases.
How-to
Creating a calendar timetable
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Create a new timetable in Timetable management. On the type selection screen, choose calendar mode. Enter the start and end dates, then confirm.
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Configure the calendar: label, description, working days and time structure. You can also declare reusable date windows, applied on the time constraints of classrooms, classes, subjects and groups.
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Enter the lessons on precise dates: date, times, group or class, teacher(s) and classroom(s). If a class is off-grid, fill in explicit start and end times.
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Start the generation if you use the solver on this timetable. The available constraints depend on the data filled in: teachers, classrooms, dates, availability and calendar constraints. For a test or a progressive build, use the advanced options to limit the generated date window; enable compacting if you do not want the algorithm to spread lessons across the whole available period.
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Publish and combine: you can publish this calendar alongside a regular weekly timetable. The people concerned see the merged lessons when viewing. See Multiple active timetables in parallel.