Availability and constraints in calendar mode

In calendar mode, we speak of availability: the term wishes stays reserved for a teacher's input on a typical week, upstream of planning, and subject to the planner's approval.

Time constraints of classrooms, classes, subjects and groups

As soon as a timetable is of calendar type, the internal time constraints of these entities are automatically expressed per date, rather than on a typical week. You can additionally set a typical-week recurrence when a constraint repeats identically from one week to the next.

For reusable periods — exam sessions, holidays specific to certain classes, allowed slots — apply a date window as an overlay on these constraints.

Teacher availability

On a typical week, a teacher declares a constant rule — “I am not available on Wednesday afternoons”. In calendar mode, availability is declared date by date, which captures finer situations:

• “I am unavailable only on the morning of Wednesday, March 12”,
• “I can teach a lesson only between January 20 and January 30”,
• “I am available 3 half-days per week, to be chosen depending on the week”.

This is the mode to prefer when availability varies from week to week — typical of higher education, adjuncts and continuing education.

Setting the input mode

On the teacher side, set the Teachers' availability setting (school general settings) to calendar or calendar + weekly to match planning on specific dates. The combined mode additionally lets the teacher simply state that they are never available on a given day of the week, whatever the date (one-off exceptions remain possible) — the teacher-side equivalent of the typical-week recurrence of internal constraints.

Availability levels

The input screen uses a calendar view. The planner or the teacher clicks the relevant dates and qualifies the slot:

• Unavailable: blocking unavailability — generation will not place any lesson there;
• Undesired: strong constraint, to be avoided as much as possible;
• Preferred: positive preference;
• Eraser: clears the availability already set on the covered area.

Input can be done by day, half-day or time slot, depending on the granularity configured for the school.

Who this is for

• Adjuncts and external instructors — do not have a fixed weekly service. See External instructors (adjuncts, visiting faculty).
• Teachers on medical part-time or a specific accommodation — variable weeks.
• Continuing education courses — each session is a one-off.
• Teachers in a partial mobility year — available certain weeks only.