1. Getting Started Hints - Screen navigation and key functions.

Screen Navigation - "Getting around".

First click on the Windows [Start] button in the left bottom corner of the screen...
Select [Programs] and then find Visual Classroom Scheduler in the list.....
Click on the VCS tab to start the program.

VSS has four integrated views or screens, one each for:

Details added or changed in any view are instantly available or integrated into any other view.
This means you can view your schedules from four directions and easily remove clashes, make improvements and speed up the whole process by 80%.
Yes, we did just say an 80% reduction or 1/5th of the manual scheduling time!

Each view has similar "windows or panels"

Activities are drawn as colored rectangles in the same row as the "name" on view.
Monday activities are drawn in the "Monday" column. Morning classes to the left of the column and evening classes further across the cell.
The position and length of each colored rectangle is relative to the start and finish time in the column.
If there are two 9AM classes scheduled in the same room....a "clash" occurs......
Clashed class activity rectangles are drawn on top of each other in the cell.
VCS does not prevent clashes - it helps resolve them - easily - click drag and drop... to another room - doesn't hold you up - gives you time to make a good decision.

Screen Navigation - "Mouse Moves".

Wave the mouse around the screen and see what happens in the "Zoom" window down below....

Notice that when the mouse is passed over a colored class activity, details appear in the "Zoom" window.
These details include the class start and finish time, room name, teacher name, subject and class group name.
Other numbers shown indicate available details such as seats available, students in the class and begin and end week for the activity.

Notice that when the mouse is passed over the "Names" window on the left side, details also appear...

Screen Navigation - "Dragging and Dropping with the Mouse"

Activities or colored rectangles can be dragged with the mouse to another room or another day.
Click on one now...hold down the left mouse button, and drag the rectangle down the screen.
Let go the button and the rectangle drops where you released it and the allocation has changed!
Try click, hold and drag to the left or right and drop in a different day!
If another activity is already in the same day at the same time dropping in the cell will cause a "clash".
Click on one of the clashed activities, hold, drag and drop somewhere else to clear the clash!

In the default "update" mode, a single click on an activity will open up the "Update" dialog box and details can then be reviewed or immediately amended.

Screen Navigation - "Mouse Tricks"
To change class times quickly - position the mouse over an activity - don't click.
Now press one of the number keys.....and the class time will change.
8 will set start time to 8AM, 9 = 9AM, 1 = 1PM, 2 = 2PM etc....'-' = 11AM, '=' = 12AM.
',' = 5 minutes less, '.' = 5 minutes more. Hold down the comma or period to repeat by 5 minutes.

Screen Navigation - "Color Options".

VCS uses activity colors to help you make decisions and speed up the scheduling process....
Select the menu option (C)olor, (B)ackground and select a color you like.....
Sorry about the 'demo' background color - looked good on the laptop but terrible on the desktops...
On the background dialog box, choose [Reset] to select the 'window' standard colors.

Select (C)olor, (P)eriod to color activities by time of day.
This is the most popular selection by customers using VCS...
Morning color is 'Green /Blue', afternoon classes are 'Red / Pink' and evening classes are 'Mauve'
The simple color scheme quickly shows where opportunites are for more classes.
Blank spots in the cells can be used for more classes or changes to existing classes...

Select (C)olor, (S)ubjects to color activities by subject or module (my personal favorite).
All subjects will have the same color and opportunities seen to re-allocate classes with the same color.
Great for deciding where to allocate a class...
In Teacher view, choose a Teacher already allocated activities with the same color.
In Room view, choose a room with activities with the same color, & check why colors are different - position the mouse and check the 'Zoom" window details.
In Class view, check whether similar classes have similar color combinations - it's just quicker with VCS!

More colors
Select (C)olor, (T)eacherto color activities by teaching staff member.
Drag and drop and swap teachers in the 'Room' view so they are in the same 'home' room all the time.
Teachers will tend to care for their 'home' room, keep equipment in good order, neat and tidy.
Select (C)olor, (F)aculty to color activities in the Campus by 'Faculty' or section - Engineering or Languages, IT etc - your choice of Faculty names.
Select (C)olor, Stat(I)stics. Green = OK, Red = Classes too small for the room size, Blue = too many students.
Select (C)olor, Rando(M) when there is a lot of very short classes close together - makes them easier to see.
Select (C)olor, Add/Move and VCS will change the activity color as you work, showing where you have been.
Whew! This is not the whole story with VCS colors, there is more in the manual and we will put it up on the web.
Colors are a great help when scheduling and a great feature for VCS.

Special Hints and Tips.

VCS displays and prints alphabetically - so use names that suit your needs.
Simply click on the name to update details at any time.
VCS masterfiles can be used to speed entry and standardise details across the Campus.
Term Breaks and Public Holidays can be entered for the serious user.

VCS provides local management support during the semester also.
Classroom events or activities can be "split" if re-allocations are made mid semester.
The ongoing activity can then be re-allocated without disturbing other weeks.
"Absent" staff can be recorded and the class re-allocated to another staff member.
The Teaching timetable print can then be used as this weeks timesheets.

These split and absent functions are easy to use.
As situations occur during the week, position the mouse over the event.
Don't click. Press 'S' to split, 'T' to triple split, or 'A' in teacher view for absent.
VCS will split multi week events so this week or ongoing weeks can be easily re-allocated.
'Absent" events are automatically created for this week and the existing class then easily re-allocated.

VCS Tailoring and Alterations to suit your Campus

VSS will specially tailor calculations etc for individual customers or markets.
A number of "Markets" are already catered for including teaching awards in Australia, in the USA and for Universities.
VCS already provides a selection of Teaching type names (T)eacher / Instruc(T)or / Lec(T)urer .
Timesheets could be specially formatted or details written to file for entry to payroll.

What makes VCS the best?

Unique merge facilities allow Campus models to be built from departments, section or faculty timetables.
Unique "main window" design shows opportunities for more classes or alterations and colors helps this too!
VCS has AI capabilities to speed data entry - it remembers previous entries and suggests allocations.
VCS can access your Campus masterfiles for teaching staff, rooms, courses and subjects to speed entry and maintain integrity and accuracy of "Campus" wide information.
VCS timetables and schedules can be made available across the Campus LAN and over the Internet.
VCS is written in industry standard Java for flexibility, speed and Internet compatibility.
VCS has many optional features which allows you to use a little or a lot, now or later - no stress...
Save 80% of your manual scheduling time - Yes use 1/5th of the normal time...VCS works!!
Be up and running with your first timetable in a couple of hours, Campuses in one or two days.

It is so easy to see spare capacity in VCS. Increase room usage by 10 - 20% - EASY.
Fill up your best computer rooms, pension off the old ones and re-allocate the room to something more useful.
Save money you would have spent on replacing the old computers, spend it on something else - everyone wins!
Come back from off Campus locations or other buildings or faculties. There is plenty of space at home with VCS.
Move Teaching staff to 'home' rooms, and they will help care for the room equipment.
Move Class groups to 'home' rooms, and they won't have to travel between classes and will feel at home.
Give teaching staff and class groups a day off and still make their hours.
Sounds too much?
Sounds too hard?
Not with VCS... just drag, drop and swap. Use the colors - it's fun....
Need help with anything - e-mail or just call us here at VSS.

VSS can also support your Campus to make serious savings and improvements with VCS.
This includes consultation, implementation, installation, timetabling, training and support services of all sorts.
You can recover your invesment in VCS in the first semester and continue making savings for years.

Sample Timetables, Reports and Graphic Prints.

The VCS 3 step method to build a test schedule or timetable.

VCS General Information

• The Visual Scheduling System Introduction
• Product Information
• Visual company History

Customer Service

• Visual News
• Training Course Information
• NEW Sample timetable outputs

Demo download

• FREE Demo version and graphic view of the classroom scheduler

Masterfile Set-up

• Masterfile set-up instructions for your own lists of Course Groups, Subjects, Room Details, Instructors and teaching Staff. Use MS-Excel or your favourite spreadsheet program.

Import / Export Data to VCS

• Import or Export Schedule Data from MS-Excel or your favourite spreadsheet program.

Printed Headers and Logos

• Headers and Logos Set-up instructions to personalise your VCS timetables with Header and Logo files from your PC screen using MS-Paint

Special instructions for Block Release or non-weekly programs

• Block Release instructions for fast set-up of the programs that repeat every few weeks

Calendar Release V3.3 Features

• Calendar Release V3.3 Features and Settings for Semester Weeks, Term Breaks, Public Holidays, On Screen Calendar Display Options, Masterfile Display and access and more...

Planning Year Release V3.4 Features