How does Omniscol work?

Omniscol automatically generates an optimized schedule while considering the institution’s constraints (teacher availability, rooms, classes, etc.). It also offers full manual management with a multi-filter view (by class, teacher, room) and different display modes (weekly, monthly).

Can a schedule be modified after creation?

Yes, it is possible to make occasional changes after the initial generation. Updates can be made manually with checks to avoid conflicts.

Why is Omniscol the best scheduling software?

100% online : Accessible anywhere, no installation required. Ultra-powerful generator : Quickly creates optimized timetables. Intuitive user experience : Smooth, fast, and ergonomic interface. Total flexibility : Suitable for all types of timetables (weekly, cycle, calendar). Excellent constraint management : Automatic conflict detection and resolution. Full internationalization : Available in multiple languages. Advanced export and API capabilities : Data accessible and usable in real time. Online availability collection : Saves time in scheduling. Responsive support and expert guidance : Fast and efficient assistance for users.

For which institutions is Omniscol suitable?

Omniscol is suitable for primary schools, secondary schools, high schools, higher education institutions, and adult training centers. Any institution that operates with timetables, subjects, teachers and student groups.

Is Omniscol suitable for all types of timetables?

Yes, Omniscol supports three main types of timetables: * Weekly: based on a repeated week pattern (common in K-12 and sometimes in higher education). * Cycle: timetable over an arbitrary number of days (used in North America). * Calendar: scheduling courses on specific dates without repetition (common in higher education). All these models can be generated automatically.

Is Omniscol compatible with our existing system?

Yes, it has APIs and import/export formats to integrate with other software.

Does Omniscol work on tablets or mobile devices?

Yes, Omniscol is a 100% SaaS solution accessible from any device with a web browser.

Can Omniscol manage complex timetables?

Yes, the software is designed to adapt to the most complex constraints, including advanced group management, lesson hour concatenation, class alignment, and multiple availability of teachers and rooms.

What types of constraints can be configured?

Teacher availability, fixed or flexible rooms, priorities, alignments, concatenation, specific days, variable lesson duration, etc.

How does Omniscol optimize a timetable?

The algorithm minimizes timetable gaps, balances the workload of teachers and students, distributes subjects evenly, and respects the institution's preferences.

Can Omniscol check the validity of a time slot before scheduling a lesson?

Yes, before scheduling a lesson, Omniscol checks if the time slot is free for teachers, rooms, and students.

Does Omniscol detect errors after scheduling a lesson?

Yes, after scheduling, the system flags potential conflicts: double booking of a teacher or room, overlap with another lesson, group imbalance, or missing room or teacher assignment.

How long does it take to set up an account?

Very little! Omniscol allows bulk data import via copy-paste from Excel or any other spreadsheet. Many shortcuts also enable duplicating all or part of the data, with on-the-fly transformation to adapt the information to your organization.

Can teachers enter their availabilities themselves?

Yes, Omniscol offers an online module allowing teachers to directly enter their availabilities before the schedule is created.

How can timetable data be retrieved?

Omniscol offers several export options: * Office formats: Excel, PDF. * API access: Over 200 endpoints, with webhooks to automatically retrieve real-time updates. * Access level: Core provides access to essential data, Premium offers full and advanced access.

How can timetables be shared with teachers and students?

Omniscol offers multiple sharing options: dynamic display on a digital board, export in PDF or Excel, online consultation via a responsive web page, and synchronization with external calendars via iCal. Of course, users can simply log in to the application if you grant them access, in which case they will only see the data relevant to them!

How does Omniscol's artificial intelligence work?

Omniscol uses AI to automatically generate an optimized schedule based on defined constraints and preferences. It also uses AI to detect conflicts, misconfigurations, or intelligently import your data.

Is the automatic scheduling AI mandatory?

No, users can choose to automatically generate the schedule or build it entirely manually. Omniscol then quickly and clearly indicates conflicts on each slot or resource. You may override a constraint manually if necessary.

What are Omniscol's pricing plans?

Omniscol offers an annual pricing plan tailored to each institution's needs. After an initial contact, we can assess the price based on the Core or Premium license and the size of your institution.

What are the differences between Omniscol Core and Premium?

Omniscol Core provides an advanced timetable generator and essential tools for school management. Omniscol Premium includes all Core-level features, along with advanced tools and priority support, ideal for higher education.

Is there a free trial?

Yes, a demo version is available. Contact us to request an online demonstration, and we can provide you with a free trial.

Availability and constraints in calendar mode

Premium

Availability in calendar mode: express time constraints on specific dates — the internal ones of classrooms, classes, subjects and groups, as well as teacher availability — when planning runs on a calendar rather than on a typical week.

In calendar mode, planning happens on specific dates rather than on a recurring typical week. This changes how time constraints are expressed, on two distinct levels:

the internal constraints of classrooms, classes, subjects and groups;
teacher availability.

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.

How-to

Collecting an adjunct's availability on the calendar

For an adjunct who does not have a fixed weekly service (an external instructor for example), typical-week input is not enough. Calendar mode captures availability date by date.
Enable the appropriate mode: set the Teachers' availability setting (school general settings) to calendar or calendar + weekly, depending on the account's needs.
Open the input to the adjunct. Either they sign in with their teacher account, or you generate a direct share link to their availability screen (see Teacher availability). The direct link avoids creating a dedicated account when this flow is used. Any administrator can also enter the availability themselves.
On the adjunct's side: they see a yearly calendar rather than a weekly grid. They click the dates (or half-days, or time slots depending on the school's granularity) and qualify the area with the proposed availability levels.
Check the consolidation on the administration side. The recorded availability is read back by the timetable screens and by the diagnostics that consult constraints.
Run automatic generation on the adjunct's lessons: the solver combines the availability priorities with the lesson's other constraints. Use cases covered: adjuncts, medical part-time, continuing education, teachers on partial mobility.