Step 7: Updating Your Timetable

Introduction

Even the most carefully planned timetable will require adjustments after generation. In this final step, you'll learn how to fine-tune your generated timetable, make manual changes, and handle updates throughout the school year as circumstances change.

Reviewing the Generated Timetable

Before making changes, thoroughly review the generated timetable from different perspectives:

Key Viewpoints to Consider

Teacher Perspective

• Are teaching loads fair and balanced?
• Are free periods distributed appropriately?
• Are there any problematic consecutive teaching periods?
• Do specialist teachers have reasonable travel time between rooms?

Class Perspective

• Is the distribution of subjects balanced throughout the week?
• Are challenging subjects placed at optimal learning times?
• Are there appropriate breaks between intensive subjects?
• Do split classes align correctly?

Overall School Perspective

• Are shared resources (halls, labs, etc.) scheduled without conflicts?
• Do all grades have appropriate access to specialized facilities?
• Are school-wide activities accommodated?

Manual Adjustments

TimetableMaster provides a powerful interface for making direct changes to the timetable:

Using the Drag-and-Drop Interface

The easiest way to adjust your timetable is with the intuitive drag-and-drop interface:

1. Select the view that best suits your changes (teacher or class)
2. Find the lesson card you want to move
3. Drag it to the desired time slot
4. TimetableMaster will check for conflicts in real-time
5. Confirm the change if no conflicts exist

Handling Conflicts

When making manual adjustments, you may encounter conflicts:

Types of Conflicts

• Teacher Conflict: Teacher already scheduled elsewhere
• Class Conflict: Class already has another lesson
• Constraint Violation: Change breaks a hard constraint

Conflict Resolution Options

TimetableMaster offers several ways to resolve conflicts:

1. Auto-Resolve: System suggests alternative placements
2. Swap Chain: Create a chain of moves to resolve the conflict
3. Constraint Override: Temporarily relax a constraint
4. Alternative Resource: Use a different teacher, room, or time

Timetable Distribution

After finalizing your timetable, you'll need to distribute it to stakeholders:

Export Options

TimetableMaster offers multiple export formats:

• PDF: For printing and digital distribution
• Excel/CSV: For further customization or analysis

Distribution Strategies

• Teachers: Individual schedules with class and subjects details
• Students/Parents: Class-specific timetables
• Administration: Master timetable with all details

Conclusion

Creating and maintaining a school timetable is an ongoing process that requires attention to detail and responsiveness to changing needs. With TimetableMaster, you now have the tools to not only generate high-quality timetables but also to manage them effectively throughout the school year.

Remember that the perfect timetable balances multiple competing priorities, and sometimes compromise is necessary. Focus on creating a schedule that supports your educational objectives while considering the practical needs of your teachers and students.