2.  Gold-Start : enhanced Support for New Users
 
Gold-Start is a scheme providing Enhanced Support,
• for new timetablers, and
• for staff who are new to TimeTabler or Options or

We offer all our Users a wide range of Support - the HelpMovies, HelpScreens, Worked Examples, the KnowledgeBase, QuickStart Guide, 'How do I...?' Guide, Courses, Support Centre, etc.  More details here.
  
But Gold-Start offers you enhanced Support for New Users.
   
It is included free with all new purchases of TimeTabler and of Options and of StaffCover.
It can also be purchased as an Extra if your school already has TimeTabler or Options or StaffCover and you are New to the software.

More details at: www.timetabler.com/gold-start
See below for details of the Welcome Webinars.

The name of this HelpMovie [No. 8 in the Library] is "Tidying-up last year's data, ready to do a New schedule".

Have you just moved to TimeTabler from another timetabling program (Nova T6 or Facility)?

To see the 10 (ten!) Main Benefits of moving to TimeTabler, use the Search Box in the 24/7 Support Centre:

5.  Collecting your Staffing Data
 
One of the unique features in TimeTabler is a great method for getting the Name of who should teach each group, from your Heads of Subjects/Departments.
 
This is done electronically, so that the Head of Department does the work and you just import the results into TimeTabler.
This is a great time-saver.  TimeTabler is the only program to have this feature.
 
There will be more on this topic in next month's NewsLetter, but if you want to know more about it now there is a HelpMovie [No. 27] in the HelpMovie Library on 'Collecting Staffing Data'.
 

7.  Some thoughts about new hardware
 
Schools sometimes have some 'spare' money in the kitty at this time of year, ...so now might be a good time to put in a bid for better hardware.

Computer : If you have found the FIT 'musical-chairs' part of TimeTabler slow, then look for a faster processor ...but make sure that a new machine can support at least two external VDUs.

VDU monitors : If you have been doing all your work on just one screen then it's a real improvement to work on dual monitors (or even three).  For example, one configuration is shown here :

For more details see the article in the KnowledgeBase.
Just type 'monitor' or 'VDU' into the Search Box:      
Touch screens : These are common now ...and TimeTabler and Options and StaffCover all work well on a touch screen.
You can select and drag with your finger-tip or with a stylus, directly on the screen (as well as using your mouse).

'Smart' interactive whiteboards : If you are timetabling as a team of two or more people, and if you have a data-projector and a 'Smart' interactive whiteboard then the large scale might enable you to work better as a team?  We haven't worked this way ourselves and we'd be interested to hear from anyone who has.

If it's hard to get out of school to go on a course, then a good solution is to sign up for a Webinar.
Some are Free; most are low-cost.
 
Some are shown in blue above.  Many more are shown at:
http://www.mistservices.co.uk/Services/Timetabling_webinars.aspx
 
Try one and see?

12.  Checking the Options replies : Drawing up a Clash Table
 
The first steps in analysing the students' Choices (when you get their results from TOOLS, or from the completed Options Forms) are:
 
(i) Checking that the students have followed any Rules that you specified (eg. "must take at least one Science"; "must choose both parts of a double-option", etc).  See page 47 in the CookBook and page 19 in the orange Options Handbook.
If your school is implementing the ideas of Progress-8 or the 'EBacc' (English Baccalaureate) then this checking may be more extensive.
 
(ii) Drawing up a Clash Table, in order to decide how many Groups need to be staffed for each subject this year, to see if you can afford them.  See page 48 in the CookBook and page 22 in the Options Handbook.
 
Both of these tasks are easily done by our Options software.  It's quite fun to use!
 
It's easier to use, with more features, than the one supplied with your school admin system.
If you haven't seen Options recently, there are more details and a video and free Tutorial at: www.timetabler.com/options1
 

Scottish schools looking for ways to include greater 'Personalisation of learning' to satisfy "A Curriculum for Excellence" will find that using the Options/Electives software will help you do this.  Over a third of all Scottish secondary schools already use Options to do this.
And the free TOOLS system helps your Guidance Counsellors or Pupil Support Staff to work more efficiently.
See www.timetabler.com/scotland 
Contact the HelpLine if you wish to discuss it : support@timetabler.com
 

13.  Deciding the Option Blocks for the new timetable
 
Sections 3.7 - 3.12 in the CookBook cover the process if you are doing it manually, ...but the Options program will do it all for you ...quickly and efficiently.
 
AutoCreate will quickly build the Option Blocks for you, to satisfy students' requests as neatly as possible. 
 
If you are using 'Pathways' then see the solutions in the article in the KnowledgeBase in the
To find the article just type 'pathways' in the Search Box:

To get a PDF of the latest Options Handbook, click on: www.timetabler.com/Options-Handbook.pdf  or for a printed & bound copy go to www.timetabler.com/paypal
 

14.  Exporting from Options  to  SIMS  or  iSAMS  or  Progresso  or  Bromcom  or  PASS  
 
You can export your completed Options Pattern, with all the students' final Choices, from Options directly into an MIS.
It's a big time-saver !
More at: www.timetabler.com/export/exporting-from-options/
 
We provide detailed documentation on this process, for SIMS and for iSAMS and some other MIS.
You can find these PDFs in the KnowledgeBase in the Support Centre, by typing in the Search Box: