E10 - Lines: Lines to periods

Modified on Wed, 15 Apr at 6:08 AM

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Preamble
When to use Lines to periods
How to use Lines to periods
- Steps to enter Lines to periods
- Clearing the lines to periods table
Timetable Flexibility
Future files

Preamble

The Lines to periods feature enables you to predetermine when classes in a dataset will run before line generation. It removes the later step of scheduling these lined classes in Grid > Master Grid, as the system will read the Lines to periods table and schedule them there automatically. All other classes not included in the dataset will be timetabled as normal.

NOTE
Traditionally, elective line generation has been treated as a separate task from overall timetabling, often handled by someone not responsible for later scheduling. This can lead to issues that only become apparent when assigning staff and building the timetable. Effective line generation should consider student preferences, school resources (staff and rooms), and part‑time staff requirements from the outset. While Tes Timetable incorporates these factors, schools may have contextual knowledge specific to their requirements that can be entered before or during line generation to support smoother later timetabling.

When to use Lines to periods

When school already knows the fixed pattern of lines on the timetable (e.g. what lines run on which days or periods)
When only certain lines, or specific periods within lines, must occur at set times (e.g. VET classes on Wed afternoon)
When school wants lined classes automatically timetabled, reducing classes to be scheduled later in the Master Grid
When datasets include classes taught by a number of part time staff whose stipulated days off must be avoided during line generation

IMPORTANT 
Ensure that all known part-timers' days off are accurate in Teachers > Teacher data > Unavailable column before line generation. These part-time information should be updated as soon as it becomes available so that any implications on the line solution can be identified early.

By mapping lines to periods, constraints can be checked dynamically during line generation, to ensure the lines only work well themselves, but that they are not causing clashes with part-time days off or with other years when using multi-year datasets or the timetable around feature.

How to use Lines to periods

NOTE
You may complete all or part of the Lines to periods table.

Example 1 - Completely filled

School has a known timetable structure that looks like this:

It does not really matter which classes get put on which lines - this will follow normal generation parameters.

Let's say that in this scenario, there is a particular teacher who cannot work on Tuesdays, and who is the only teacher for the subject 11ART. This means 11ART will not be placed on Lines 1,2,3, 4 or 6, as these lines all run on Tuesdays. Therefore, 11ART will be placed on Line 5.

Example 2 - Partially filled

Below is another example of set periods that must run in the school. Line 5 must be placed in the periods as shown, and two periods of Line 7 must run on Wednesday Period 5.

This means any teacher who has has been hardcoded as not working Mondays cannot have a class in Line 5.

Steps to enter Lines to periods

Navigate to Lines > Elective Data F10 > Courses.
Navigate to the Action bar to check the Parameters, particularly the '#Elective Lines' and 'Periods per line'.
Note that the 'Periods per line' is the default number of periods per line, and may be adjusted later in Classes > Class data F6 if some classes do not need to run for the default number of periods.
Navigate to Lines > Elective Data F10 > Lines to periods.
Drag and drop each Line cell from the right to their desired periods. Complete all or part of the Lines to periods table.

IMPORTANT 
Lines to periods table reads specified Unavailable days off, not the flexible '1day off' type entries.

4. Check Teachers > Teacher data > Unavailable entries for part time staff who need particular days off. The flexible type entry, e.g. '1dayoff' is used when generating lines as per default parameters, but is not the type read by the Lines to periods feature.

5. Generate lines (Lines > Elective data > Courses > Action bar: Generate lines)

6. Create classes (Lines > Line results > Action bar: Create classes)
The mapped periods for each line will be hard coded into the Classes > Class data > Periods column, and the classes automatically assigned to the master grid.
To edit this later:
- delete the hard coded period entries in Classes > Class data F6 Periods column
- either enter the new hard coded period, or allow the change in the Master grid F11

Clearing the lines to periods table

To quickly clear the lines to periods table, click on the 'Clear lines to periods' button from the Action bar.

Timetable Flexibility

The Lines to periods table should not be used by schools who wish to give full timetabling flexibility to the Master Grid, and who will manually solve any part timer issues during the construction phase.

NOTE
Although the  Lines to periods may have been used, lines can still be moved later during timetable construction by removing the hardcoding in Class data > Periods.

Future files

Once a Lines to periods pattern has been entered for a dataset, the data will remain in rolled over files for subsequent years until edited.