Schedules Documentation

Colabmacs11/25/25About 4 min

Schedules Documentation

Overview

Schedules in Colabmacs allow you to define when resources and locations are available or unavailable. This feature helps manage resource booking, maintenance periods, holidays, and specific time slots for facility usage.

What are Schedules?

Schedules are time-based rules that control resource availability. They can be used to:

Block out maintenance periods
Define holidays and closures
Create specific availability windows
Manage recurring events
Control booking permissions

Schedule Types

Colabmacs supports two types of schedules:

Available Schedule

Defines specific periods when resources ARE available for use.

Use Cases:

Creating specific booking time slots (e.g., 9 AM - 5 PM weekdays)
Limiting access to certain hours
Defining operational hours
Constraining availability to designated periods

Example: A laboratory that only allows bookings between 8 AM and 6 PM Monday through Friday would use an Available Schedule.

Unavailable Schedule

Defines periods when resources ARE NOT available for use.

Use Cases:

Blocking out holidays
Scheduling regular maintenance
Marking equipment downtime
Preventing bookings during specific events

Example: Annual maintenance shutdowns, statutory holidays, or equipment calibration periods would use an Unavailable Schedule.

Accessing Schedules

Go to Resources in the main menu
Select Schedules from the submenu
The Schedules list page will display all existing schedules

Schedules List View

The schedules page displays a table with the following columns:

Checkbox - Select multiple schedules for bulk actions
NAME - The name of the schedule (sortable)
EVENTS - Number of events assigned to this schedule
TYPE - Schedule type indicator:
- AVAILABLE (green badge) - Resource is available during these periods
- UNAVAILABLE (red badge) - Resource is blocked during these periods

Schedule Actions

Each schedule row includes action icons:

⋯ (Three dots) - Additional options menu
👁 (Eye icon) - View schedule details
✏ (Edit icon) - Edit schedule settings
🗑 (Delete icon) - Delete the schedule

List Features

Search Bar - Filter schedules by name
Filter - Use the filter icon to refine your schedule list
Pagination - Navigate through multiple pages of schedules
Bulk Selection - Select multiple schedules using checkboxes

Creating a Schedule

Create Schedule

Step 1: Access Creation Form

Navigate to Resources > Schedules
Click the "Create Schedule" button (blue button, top right)
The schedule creation form will open

Step 2: Fill in Schedule Details

Name (Required)

Enter a descriptive name for the schedule
Examples: "Alberta Holidays", "Safety Training Schedule", "Equipment Maintenance"
Keep names clear and descriptive for easy identification

Description (Optional)

Provide additional context about the schedule's purpose
Use the rich text editor with formatting options:
- B - Bold text
- I - Italic text
- 🔗 - Insert links
- 🖼 - Add images
- ⛶ - Fullscreen mode
Toggle between Write and Preview modes

Type (Required)

Select schedule type from the dropdown:
- Available - Resources are available during scheduled events
- Unavailable - Resources are blocked during scheduled events

Step 3: Save the Schedule

Choose one of three options:

Cancel - Discard changes and return to schedules list
Create & Add Another - Save this schedule and immediately create another
Create Schedule - Save and return to schedules list

Applying Schedules

Schedule Application Scope

Schedules can be applied to:

Locations

When attached to a Location, the schedule automatically applies to all Resources within that Location
Useful for facility-wide events (e.g., building closures, holidays)
Simplifies management of multiple resources

Individual Resources

Apply schedules to specific equipment or facilities
Useful for resource-specific maintenance or availability
Allows granular control over individual assets

Schedule Enforcement

Enforce Schedule Booking Rule

Schedules are enforced through the Enforce Schedule Booking Rule. This rule:

Prevents bookings during Unavailable schedule events
Restricts bookings to only Available schedule periods (when using Available schedules)
Ensures compliance with defined availability windows
Protects resources during maintenance or closure periods

Note: Schedules must be properly configured and applied to resources for enforcement to work correctly.

Common Schedule Examples

Example 1: Alberta Holidays Schedule

Type: Unavailable
Events: 18 (statutory holidays throughout the year)
Purpose: Block resource bookings on provincial holidays
Application: Applied to all locations in Alberta

Example 2: Safety Training Schedule

Type: Available
Events: 11 (monthly training sessions)
Purpose: Define specific times when safety training rooms are available
Application: Applied to training facility resources

Example 3: Equipment Maintenance

Type: Unavailable
Events: Varies based on maintenance schedule
Purpose: Block equipment during regular maintenance windows
Application: Applied to specific equipment resources

Managing Existing Schedules

Viewing Schedule Details

Click the eye icon (👁) next to a schedule
Review schedule information including:
- Schedule name and description
- Schedule type
- Number of events
- Applied resources/locations
- Event details

Editing a Schedule

Click the edit icon (✏) next to a schedule
Modify schedule details:
- Change name or description
- Update schedule type
- Add or remove events
Save changes

Deleting a Schedule

Click the delete icon (🗑) next to a schedule
Confirm deletion
Warning: Deleting a schedule removes it from all associated resources and locations

Bulk Actions

Select multiple schedules using checkboxes
Access bulk action menu (⋯)
Perform actions on multiple schedules simultaneously

Best Practices

Naming Conventions

Use clear, descriptive names that indicate purpose
Include date ranges if applicable (e.g., "Q4 2025 Maintenance")
Standardize naming across your organization

Schedule Organization

Create separate schedules for different purposes (holidays, maintenance, training)
Avoid overlapping schedules that conflict
Document schedule purposes in descriptions

Regular Maintenance

Review schedules periodically for accuracy
Update maintenance schedules as needed
Remove obsolete schedules to keep the list clean

Testing

Test new schedules on a single resource before applying broadly
Verify enforcement rules are working as expected
Confirm that booking restrictions align with intentions

Troubleshooting

Q: My schedule isn't blocking bookings. What's wrong?

A: Check the following:

Verify the schedule is applied to the correct resources/locations
Ensure the Enforce Schedule Booking Rule is enabled
Confirm events are properly configured in the schedule
Check that the schedule type (Available/Unavailable) is correct

Q: Can a resource have multiple schedules?

A: Yes, resources can have multiple schedules applied. When multiple schedules apply:

Unavailable schedules take precedence
Events from all schedules are combined
Conflicts are handled according to booking rules

Schedules control when resources can be booked
Multiple resources can share the same schedule
Resource-specific schedules override location schedules (when both apply to unavailability)

Locations

Location schedules apply to all resources within that location
Efficient way to manage facility-wide closures
Simplifies holiday and maintenance management

Booking Rules

Schedules work in conjunction with booking rules
Enforce Schedule Booking Rule must be enabled
Other booking rules can work alongside schedule rules