Timetabling

Features designed for timetablers, by timetablers.

o!Timetabling has been designed on input from actual university timetablers struggling with real-word problems.

Technical

Runs on standard office level PC.

Flexible data structures and user options allows for even the most unusual requests and constraints to be defined.

Define complex constraints for a perfectly customised solution for your institution.

System Requirements

Software Requirements

Microsoft SQL Server 2000 or higher.
Microsoft Excel 2000 or higher.
Preferably Internet Explorer (version 5 or higher)
Internet Information Services (IIS) (This is a component of the operating system which must be installed when the operating system is installed)
One of the following operating systems is required (it must be a server operating system) :
- Windows 2000 Server
- Windows XP

(Note : Internet Information Services (IIS) comes with Windows 2000 and XP Server)

Hardware Requirements

The following describes the minimum specification of the computer that is needed to run the Optimiser. Databases can be on a separate server that needs the Software Requirements, but can also be stored on the same machine.

Pentium IV processor (2,4 GHz or faster)
512MB memory (1GB is recommended)
40GB Hard Disk Drive
CD-ROM player
Screen card and screen that can handle a resolution of at least 1024x768 (preferably 17” screen or larger)

By using the Microsoft SQL database structure, the maximum number of students, resources, classes or timetable slots are limited only by available system resources. o!Exam has been used to create exam timetables for more than 30,000 students on three different campuses taking more than 1000 subjects, using only a few minutes on a standard Intel-based PC.
o!Timetable has been used to schedule more than 1000 subjects, 400 lecturers and 100 venues for a university with about 13,000 students taking full-time classes.

Feature Lists

Below is a list of more timetabler-specific features and capabilities of our software.

o!Exam features :

Timetables are created for the entire institution, even across multiple campuses.
Initial data can be imported from comma delimited files in a single batch process to save time.
Authorised personnel from different faculties can enter subject data and constraints via an intuitive web interface, or all data can be entered by a single institutional timetabler.
Timetables are created by start- and end-dates, and a number of sessions for each day.
Papers can be locked on certain dates and times and/or in certain venues.
Papers can be prevented from being scheduled on certain slots or in certain venues. (Blocks)
The system provides warnings and reports on errors caused by locking or blocking papers in clashing slots or venues.
Users can specify preferred slots for different papers.
The Optimiser will schedule for best exam paper spread, and attempts to keep a user-specified number of days or slots open between the papers of as many students as possible.
Final timetables can be exported to the WebViewer, or to comma-delimited formats for upload to other systems.
Volume distribution is also optimised, to ensure that most papers are written earlier in the exam period, without compromising exam paper spread for students.
Certain curricula or subject choices can be given preference for spread.
Special needs and blocks can be accommodated, like blocking of Saturdays for certain religious groups.
Drag-and-drop changes can be made to any solution that the Optimiser generates; the Rebuilder shows available slots and number of clashing students.
After making changes, the new timetable can be exported to the WebViewer for immediate access to changes via the web.
By using dummy data, it is possible to perform “what if” projections for changes to the academic structure, calendar or even venues on campus.
Users can specify to have exams with different durations always write in different venues, if it is needed.
Equivalent exams are catered for, with warnings about possible clashes. (Same exam for different subjects)
The Optimiser will assign venues to exams to minimise the number of cross-venue splits, while using available venues to full capacity.
Users can specify the maximum number of students that can write exams per session.
Full reports and statistics are provided about student paper spread, venue utilisation, etc.

o!Timetable features

Timetables are created for the entire institution, across multiple campuses and terms.
Initial data can be imported from comma delimited files in a single batch process to save time.
Authorised personnel from different faculties can enter subject data and constraints via an intuitive web interface, or all data can be entered by a single institutional timetabler.
Contact sessions can be locked on certain days and/or sessions, or in certain venues.
Large subjects can be split into multiple groups, and each group being handled as a separate subject, with its own venues and lecturers.
Multiple lecturers and venues can be assigned to contact sessions.
The system provides warnings and reports on errors caused by locking or blocking contact sessions in clashing slots or venues.
Users can specify preferred slots for different subject contact sessions.
Users enter curricula to create the clash matrix.
Curriculum editing allows for compulsory and optional subjects.
Curricula planning can be performed by testing the effect of changes on the size or spread of the timetable.
The Optimiser will schedule all contact sessions, so that all defined curricula are clash-free, no lecturers have clashes, and all contact sessions are scheduled in venues of sufficient capacity.
Venues can be organised into Areas according to multiple criteria, like geographical proximity or type of equipment available.
Subjects can be constrained to certain Areas, so that all subjects from a certain department can be scheduled in nearby buildings, or so that any venue with network connectivity can be used.
Final timetables can be exported to the WebViewer, or to comma-delimited formats for upload to other systems.
Drag-and-drop changes can be made to any solution that the Optimiser generates; the Rebuilder shows available slots and clashing contact sessions.
After making changes, the new timetable can be exported to the WebViewer for immediate access so that changes can be seen immediately.
By using dummy data, it is possible to perform “what if” projections for changes to the academic structure, calendar or even venues on campus.
Parallel and consecutive contact sessions can be specified.
Full reports and statistics are provided about venue utilisation, etc.