Taking on the timetabler role in any school is a daunting task, and it has for many years been seen as something of a black art. TimeTabler moves it into the 21st century, no more pieces of paper, no more boards, pegs or spreadsheets, just a great tool that does what it says it will do.
 
I had no experience of timetabling when I took it on in my school other than a vague notion of schematics and a brief flirtation with the previous years timetable.
The task seemed twofold to me at the time, I had to learn how to use the software and I had to learn how to timetable.
 
In fact I was wrong.  In the process of investing time in learning to use the software, I learned more about timetabling than I could have any other way.  The program forces you to think rigorously, to plan and to have no uncertainty as to what you are trying to achieve before you begin.
As it has evolved it has got better and each year I look forward to the new enhancements, as I have never found one yet that I could not use.
 
I knew I wanted a technological solution when I started. I had experience of project-planning using software and knew there had to be a solution.
I tried demos of every package I could find.  TimeTabler stood head and shoulders above the competition.
Simply it retained the 'art' of timetabling, but with the science built in.
 
It has clearly been put together by school timetablers, for school timetablers.
 
It allows for infinite flexibility but within a rigorous construct.  It allows me, in minutes, to 'try' scenarios that I would never have considered by hand.  But most of all it kept me right.
 
This is now a vital part of my timetabling.  I have not yet found a situation that cannot be programmed in, nor have I found that the time invested in learning how was wasted.  
My timetable cycle has been shortened, the quality of what is produced has improved and the task itself seems less daunting.
 
I cannot recommend it highly enough.
 
Derek Simpson, Depute, Dunbar Grammar School (ages 12-18) , East Lothian, Scotland

We have been using TimeTabler for about ten years.  For nine of those years I have been the timetabler.  
When I took on the timetabling at this school I had no experience of timetabling or any timetabling programs and my first go at it was a nightmare.  I ended up sacrificing my entire summer holiday and would it not have been for the TimeTabler program and the remarkable HelpLine Service we would not have had a working timetable for that academic year.
 
As my experience grew I also looked at other programs and I discovered that the combination of User-friendliness and the HelpLine Service could not be matched elsewhere.
 
I think that in addition to those two points there are two other advantages to the TimeTabler program: the annual updates and the request for suggestions from those of us actually working on the timetables using this program throughout the world.
To anyone who uses this program it soon becomes clear that it is designed not just by a software company but actually by a teacher and timetabler. This makes it so user-friendly.
As I work in a Steiner Waldorf school where we use a totally different curriculum and the timetable is not the same as in mainstream schools we really appreciate the flexibility of this program and the friendliness of the HelpLine.
 
The program is easy enough so you do not have to depend on the HelpLine, but when you do you it is like talking to a knowledgeable friend or colleague.
 
Ewout Van-Manen
Education Administrator and Timetabler, Michael Hall School (ages 2-19), Forest Row, East Sussex.

Since 1999 I have been able to approach the timetabling season with pleasure, because that is when I began to use TimeTabler.
 
Every year I have appreciated the improvement in the software in response to Users' needs and comments. 
Moreover I have known that if ever I hit a problem, even one specific to only our school, I would always get an appropriate overnight response (the time difference helps here!) by sending an email to the HelpLine.
 
Our school's curriculum has many quirks.  For example, some subjects are taughts over two grade levels, while others are taught by homeroom or according to ability levels; some departments want only double periods, others want a mix of doubles and singles.  Teachers often have commitments to more than one department or to extra-curricular activities, while some teach throughout all age ranges.  Moreover, there are specific requirements for the use of rooms--of which we do not have enough!  In addition the part-time teachers can only teach on certain days.
 
TimeTabler has an extraordinary degree of flexibility built into its programme, which allows it to be used in a wide variety of places.
I find that its methods are consistent with my intuition.  Nor is it software that 'takes over', since I can always overide the 'autofit' mechanism by placing or fixing classes in position in advance of a run.  The administration at my school is appreciative of the fact that I can present them with several saved solutions, so that they can then choose one out of several different timetabled patterns.

Mary Saso, Timetabler, International School of the Sacred Heart (grades 1-12) , Tokyo, Japan

I have used TimeTabler for the last 15 years to write school time tables and manage the staff, students and rooming issues.
Over this time the TimeTabler program has continued to develop and now is an essential central tool in curriculum and school development plans.
I have found it to be an excellent program for construction and maintainance of current school timetables, allowing one to plan current and future staffing and curriculum programmes.
 
Paul Schofield, Principal, St Andrews International School (ages 2-18), Bangkok, Thailand

With such a complicated mixture of teaching sets for different year groups in our school, TimeTabler and Options give me the flexibility and ease to do my timetabling in such a short time.
 
Anton Kok, Director of Studies, King's School (ages 13-18), Bruton, Somerset

TimeTabler has been in my life for twenty years and it has saved me heartache each year when the near impossible timetable has to be created for the next academic year. The software has come along way since the 8-bit software where the only colour was the green text and there was not an image or too many tables in sight but it served the purpose of creating a balanced timetable. Like all software TimeTabler needs some input and it is the skill of the input and the intricacies of the software which makes for effective timetables.
 
One year I had to produce four unique school timetables and if it was not for the ease of use of TimeTabler and the power of the software there would have been embarrassment and a lack of confidence amongst the staff, the pupils and the parents.
Many people are sceptical about using software and still revert to their pins and boards and/or tracing paper because they feel TimeTabler would not cope with their needs.  In my school we have different length of days, we have half-days, we have various meetings, we have part-time staff, we have setting in some year-groups involving over half the subjects taught, and I have never had a failed outcome from the software. Yes, TimeTabler has on occasions told me the matrix is impossible and when analysed, nobody and/or no machine would have rectified the situation.
 
Why have I chosen TimeTabler?
 
-Cost was the first issue and having looked at more expensive software I found they were not as powerful as TimeTabler.
 
-You become part of the Johnson family and the assistance you receive from them is very efficient.  They respect you as a person and not a number.
 
-They listen to their users and are always updating the software taking into account requests they have received during the year.
 
Doing your first timetable using any software can be daunting but I feel the new interface of TimeTabler eases the nerves and the Help pages make you move forward with your quest.  If you would like to know more of my views do contact Keith or Chris Johnson and they will forward your mail to me.
 
Douglas Buchanan, Timetabler, Eagle House Prep School, Sandhurst, Berkshire

As a prep school, our timetable is not as complicated as larger secondary schools, but I have found TimeTabler has made my production of the timetable so much easier. (I have, under difficult circumstances, been able to produce a new timetable in less than one working day! (but don't tell my Headmaster!!)
 
The transfer of data from TimeTabler to SchoolBase is easy and saves so much time.
 
Nigel Kinloch, Director of Information Services, The Pilgrims' School (ages 4-13), Winchester, Hampshire

I have used TimeTabler for 8 years now.  
I’ve reviewed other products, but they simply don’t match up in terms of ease of use and flexibility.
 
The support has been great, you have always responded quickly to queries and helped out with problems.
In my last school where I had 50 classes and 50 students, I was able to rewrite the whole school timetable in one evening when we had to add an extra class and change all the staffing.
It makes my job easier because I know that once I have collected the data, I can play around with the timetables, produce different variations easily make changes to suit individual staff.
 
I would not use any other software.  TimeTabler is cost effective and works well in big and small schools.
 
Options was great in my last school as it allowed us to prepare individualised timetables for Years 10 to 13.

John Todd, Head Teacher, Compass International School, Doha, Qatar

I can’t remember how long I have been using TimeTabler, but do remember using it as far back as the days of MS-DOS, so I suppose it is some time in the early nineties…!  As an eternal Mac user the shift from that interface to the world of backslashes was pretty traumatic, but compared to manual timetabling it was a welcome change (especially not having to manually write out the class and staff timetables when finished!).
 
I had come across your book on Timetabling, and thought that this was a unique chance to have the programme that was literally written by the guy that ‘wrote the book’!
And the basic programme has always been an extremely powerful timetabling tool.  Over the years the interface has become friendlier and friendlier, and I must say that the inclusion of the Visual Builder (drag and drop timetabling) has made an enormous difference.  In the early days I used TimeTabler but kept the old board and replicated the decisions on the machine with pins on the board, so that I could have a better look at what the day was looking like for a particular class. Now I have discarded the old board, as it is just as easy to see class timetables on the screen.
 
I’m sure I won’t remember all the things that have endeared me to TimeTabler, but one very powerful tool that has always been there is the FIT feature, when a particular lesson cannot be found a place without moving something else. There were times when one would stare at the board for hours trying to find a solution (and then trying to remember the different moves!!) whereas TimeTabler lays them all out for you, and even tells you how good they are.
The prospect of even being able to see solutions that might involve moving option blocks with large teams is something that would have been impossible before, and even if you spotted a possibility, the number of pins that had to be moved might have deterred you anyway.
 
The other thing that makes this programme special is the fact that every time you assign a lesson it recalculates the tightest activities and shows them to you on the priority list.  No timetabler could do that, and I used to operate with the rules of thumb that told you which activities to place first, second, third, and so on (often passed on by the previous timetabler).
 
Options is another boon, as every year you can really optimize student choices quite easily. I remember that often one would offer a fixed menu of option blocks where students would choose one of each, rather than design the blocks on the basis of student choices. The fixed choices were based on the perception of past results, but clearly Options for Timetabler changed things radically, and its integration with TimeTabler allows you to produce personalized timetables for your students.
It is a very easy programme to use, and the flexibility of being able to re-draw you Option blocks and see what happens is wonderful.
 
I can recommend TimeTabler and Options to anyone wanting to produce a quality timetable in a minimum of time. I have never been totally stumped with any of my timetabling needs, as there have always been way to get round problems (with Special Resources and Locations, dummy teachers, etc., and all the tips and tricks outlined in the manual).
 
But perhaps the most powerful argument would be the very helpful support at the other end of a telephone, where the people doing the support know more about timetabling than I do!
I always get prompt answers to my e-mails (don’t need to phone anymore!). Admittedly I haven’t used other timetabling programmes, but then never have I felt a need to. I assume that a programme that was produced specially for this purpose is likely to be more powerful that the modules included in school management packages, and besides… the other guys didn’t write the book!
   
John Mackenzie, Headmaster, Dunalastair International School (ages 5-18), Santiago, Chile

TimeTabler
We have been using TimeTabler at Cokethorpe since 2005 taking advantage of the annual updates ever since.  Previously the timetable was constructed using a complicated spreadsheet which although it worked was very time-consuming and there was still the possibility of occasional errors.
Right from the start TimeTabler not only made the job easier but increased confidence in the product.  It is easy to see that each class has been allocated the right number of lessons with the right teachers, and it is impossible to double-book a class or a teacher unless you absolutely want to do so.  
Of course, a point is sometimes reached when the ‘perfect’ answer is just not possible but the joy of using TimeTabler is that a range of options can be tried out and saved and the relevant people consulted as to which compromise is acceptable.  However, the ‘Fit’ routine means that it is often possible to find a multi-way swap that avoids the necessity for any compromise at all, and presents a solution that would have taken days to achieve in the past if it had been reached at all.
 
I use two 19” screens attached to my computer and it is fantastic to be able to see the whole of our timetable (which, being a 10-day schedule is rather large) at once and from more than one point of view – eg. staff on one screen and pupils on another.
 
The support is excellent, if sometimes rather humbling in that the question asked is covered in the manual, but better still is the fact that one can suggest enhancements or features that would fit our situation and make the software even better and they are often incorporated in the next release.
 
The printouts are clear and easy to produce showing only the information that is required. They can be exported in HTML format so that it is not always necessary to make a paper copy.
 
The export into our MIS (WCBS / PASS for Windows) works well and enables everyone in the school to use the timetable on a day to day basis. Once completed we are able to produce individual timetables for our pupils despite the huge combination of options that are available.

StaffCover
As you would expect, the completed timetable can be read straight into StaffCover in order to produce the daily cover list. It is perceived by staff as being fair; I am always happy to show colleagues the way it works and the weightings that are applied when selecting someone to cover for an absent teacher.  Of course, the computer can be over-ridden at any time and it is possible to add events that need cover (such as exams) and a record is kept of who has done what cover.  The ability to edit the absence reasons is a useful feature although with so many possibilities not all are used very often.
We produce slips for each member of staff required to do cover which I get into pigeonholes before 8.00 each morning having started the job at about 7.30 – half an hour later than I used to when I did it manually.  
We also use the email facility to let them know and post both a paper and web version of the master copy.
The new facility enabling the master copy to be emailed means that I can let the housemasters know which of their tutors are missing each morning as well as keeping the school office and Director of Studies informed.

Options
Options has helped me to make timetabling and curriculum decisions for four years now.  At Cokethorpe we take a liberal view of GCSE choices so with five option blocks and a very full range of subjects across a year group of 90 the possible permutations are huge.  Options enables me to try as many as I like, and helps to maximise choice whilst minimising waste, both of my time and of curriculum allocation.
The ability to switch pupils around to order, to spread groups as evenly as possible, to remove and replace groups and test out the consequences, all help to make it an essential part of the process.
It is also crucial in the creation of group lists, linking with our school data management system very smoothly and effectively.  I see no need to look elsewhere for a different system, and I could not envisage the process without its help.

Overall
I think that it is safe to say that we thoroughly recommend all three products which not only save us a great deal of time but have enabled us to offer a better experience for staff and pupils alike.
 
Ted Fenton and David Williams, Cokethorpe School (ages 5-18), Witney, Oxfordshire

In 2002, as the leader of the timetabling team at The Henry Lawson High School, I sought out a better way of doing the timetable than I had experienced at other school or was the current practice at THLHS. After viewing many alternatives I decided on Options and TimeTabler because they provided several key advantages.
With the Options software I was able to prepare basic information such as subjects and student names before students made their subject choices. That made it very easy to input data, examine the clash table and design a pattern of study that suited the students at our school. This quick and easy task also provided me with immediate feedback at to the make-up of a class as well as achieving a line structure that made it possible to provide instant information to the Principal and Deputy so that decisions could be made regarding future teaching needs based on reliable information.
 
The TimeTabler software has been invaluable on a number of different counts. Now that I better understand now the program works it has been easy to up-skill new members of the timetabling team as well as other head teachers. The program and its results are used at our school to assist with important decisions regarding curriculum options for students, staffing needs and structure of the school’s 10 day cycle. TimeTabler has been particularly useful at times when timetable changes are necessary due to staff changes, or rotation of electives.
 
Students find the printed timetable easy to read as the program allows subjects to be fully named, teachers’ names attached to classes as well as room numbers.
 
The feature that I find invaluable is what I call the 'no double-up allowed' feature that makes it impossible to timetable a teacher in two places or one two classes at once or two classes in the same room together (unless that is the intention).
The use of colours for each year/form and/or subject has been popular with teaching and ancillary staff as well as students.

Our school has continued to use TimeTabler for the past 6 years and have no intention of changing.  
Its valuable new features are added regularly via up-grades.
TimeTabler has continued to be great value for money and the online support has always quick to respond and very helpful.

Danny Kotel, The Henry Lawson High School (ages 11-18), Grenfell, New South Wales, Australia

I was initially introduced to TimeTabler by my predecessor so naturally I fell into using it.  However, I was given opportunities to view other timetabling programs but I found TimeTabler much easier to use than the one offered by my school system.
 
What I find really great about the program is that it is really easy to use.  It is easy to move around the different menus and it offers the option to save changes regularly throughout as you move from one area to another.  Over the years, the different upgrades have made seeing the overall picture much more straightforward too.

The support offered by Keith and Chris Johnson and their team is excellent.
If I have been confused at any time about the best way forward or any problems that I personally have encountered I have simply e-mailed Chris or Keith and the response is very quick and very helpful.
 
Further benefits come from the upgrade that is produced every year - and it really is seamless. As a result of using the program you sometimes find yourself thinking "I wish I could do ........ on TimeTabler".  e-mail this to Keith and Chris and if it is possible and beneficial it may even be incorporated into the next Upgrade. They really do listen to timetablers at schools.

I was contacted by a local school and was asked if the Deputy Head could come and see how TimeTabler worked. Since his visit this school is now using TimeTabler too.
 
To end, I have found TimeTabler and Options invaluable tools and without them I'm not sure that I would be able to produce a new timetable for Amman Valley School and the options process would be much more difficult.
 
Beth Ledger, Timetabler, Amman Valley School (ages 11-18) , Carmarthenshire, Wales