What is Bromcom (web) Timetable
Secondary schools and post-16 institutions follow an annual process to create a schoolwide timetable which is then maintained throughout the academic year. The timetable enables the curriculum to be delivered to all students according to a pre-defined curriculum prospectus for that academic year.
Bromcom’s wTimeTable facilitates this process by presenting key variables in an intuitive manner which can be brought together to help timetablers complete this important and complex task.
The whole process is integrated into the Bromcom MIS but does retain independent modelling capability so that timetables and related areas can be updated as desired.
Key Features
- Setup using a Project Wizard
- Create multiple Timetable versions
- Relationships page
- Subject Information page
- Staffing page
- Block Planning page
- Curriculum Plan
- Class Definition
- Drag and drop functionality
- Check for Classes missing staff/rooms
- Optional automatic staff/room assignment
- Backup process
- Timetable Manual Scheduling
- Timetable Auto Scheduling
- Timetable Specifications – Staff on Days, Subjects on Days, Blocks on Days, Part-Time Staff, Non-Contact Codes, and Limitations
- Conflict checking
- Conflict Analysis
- Part-time Staffing scheduling assistance
- Copy Project
Features & Benefits
| FEATURE | WHAT IT DOES | BENEFITS |
| Setup using a Project Wizard | · Creates a folder for the timetable · Allows user to manage entities | ·Use data directly from the MIS ·Step through process to add or exclude staff, subjects, rooms, year groups and non-contact codes required for the timetable · The excluded list removes unnecessary clutter from all planning pages · Set staff contact time · Refresh entities from MIS |
| Create multiple Timetable versions | · Each project requires a timetable · Enables a new version using the same project entities · Redirect to create a new period structure from within the project | · All entities are contained within a project enabling the same data to be used for variations of the timetable · Select the period structure from the existing list or create a new one without leaving the project · A new Timetable can be added for the same project with a different period structure |
| Relationships page | · Allows user to add staff and rooms to subjects to form a relationship · Multiple staff can share a room relationship | · Subject controls relationships on the Curriculum Plan · Allows contact time to be added for a specific year group · Staff can be added to their main subjects · Rooms can be added to subjects · Staff/Room can be combined for preferences · Multiple staff can be assigned to “share” a room |
| Subject Information page | · Enables user to add the number of periods/classes by subject and year group · Enables simple combinations of Options and Linear Groups · Creates Preview for each Year Group to identify total session requirements by subject or group type | · Allows for pre-planning of staff requirements using Subjects, periods, and number of classes · Enables comparison of total periods by year group added against the period cycle count · Create basis curriculum plan structure for Simple, Option and Linear blocks · Add different period counts for Options to create Complex Blocks |
| Staffing page | · Enables adjustment of overall contact time · Allows allocation of staff contact time to year groups by subject · Contact Time summary · Allows user to identify understaffed year groups | · Users can review available contact time for subjects / departments / staff ·Comparison against Subject Information requirements by year group / department / subject · Filterable overview to identify surplus/gaps · Improves possible conflict identification process |
| Block Planning page | · Ability to split classes into bands by group · Create a band distribution for classes on a block by block basis · Options are cross band by nature but can be assigned to separate bands if required · Allows Generation of Blocks to the Curriculum Plan · Allows user to amend the planned blocks and generate new plan | · Before generating the blocks, the user can spot issues for staffing and subjects across all the year groups · User can create bands for whole year groups or just blocks as part of planning · Blocks can be generated automatically and added to the curriculum plan for each year group · Making changes to and applying the Generate Blocks process more than once will create new versions of the Timetable where a year group already had blocks on the curriculum plan · Reuse the Block Planning for a year group where all blocks have been deleted from that year on the curriculum plan (no need to start from scratch) |
| Curriculum Plan | · Displays blocks and bands by year group · Year Group will show entities in the side panel: Staff, Room, Subject as well as Blocks · Availability is tracked by staff/room subject, but conflict status is managed according to type · Year Group filter will update based on staffing relationships · Toggle to display all staff for all year groups · Search options in side panel according to panel selected · Block side panel has 2 modes: Curriculum and Scheduling · Editing blocks from the side panel brings the block into focus automatically · Better processes for assigning staff, creating complex blocks etc. · Simple view and expanded views for managing blocks · Pagination for blocks and bands · Curriculum Overview · Side Panel Blocks – will have 2 modes: Curriculum and Timetable | · Filtering by Year Group refines the entities that have a relationship with the year group for ease of use · Staff and Room side panel will display availability in a more visual way, including identifying real or advisory conflicts · Subjects will filter to those assigned to the year group · Blocks in Curriculum mode will enable Edit which will bring the selected block into focus in expanded view. No searching for it on the plan · Simple view enables adding staff/rooms directly to all periods · Expanded View shows greater detail and allows better manipulation of the blocks · Linear blocks staffed by subject not by block · Free sessions added automatically to keep a block in balance for complex blocks · Simple swap actions within a block · Plan focuses on block manipulation · Pagination for blocks · Pagination will keep the focus and cross band work will be displayed in each block · Pagination for managing blocks in expanded view · Swapping staff within classes in a block made easy · Complex blocks will automatically include free sessions to keep a block square · Block mode curriculum, expanded view to check details · Filterable Overview of the complete plan including staff and room modes |
| Class Definition | · Allows user to create custom class definitions by individual Year Group · Double free text capability to allow better editing | · Users can create different definitions for class by year group · Editing some cases has a default free text but additional free text field expands flexibility |
| Drag and drop functionality | · Allows the user to drag and drop entities from the side panel into the curriculum plan or blocks · Allows the user to drag and drop from the side panel into the Timetable schedule | · Ease of manual assignment if not using the auto processes · Users can simply drag subjects staff or rooms into blocks on the curriculum plan · Users can simply drag subjects staff or rooms into blocks on the scheduling page · Users can resolve conflicts for staff or rooms by dragging classes into free staff or room on the scheduling page |
| Optional automatic staff/room assignment | · Using the relationships and staffing pages, staffing can be performed by a range of combine options: Year, Department, Subject | · Saves time adding all staff/rooms into the curriculum plan by block · Optional selection of staff only, room only or both if relationship exists · No need to manually assign specialist subject teachers throughout the year groups · Complements any manual staffing/rooming · Quickly remove all assigned staff for selected subjects and year groups |
| Backup process | · A manual process | · Much of the timetable work is saved automatically so user can decide to back up when required. · Up to 15 backups available |
| Conflict checking | · Summary of Conflicts which redirects the user to the selected conflict · Filterable to selected year group · All conflicts are visually identified on the curriculum plan · Conflict Analysis | · User can easily resolve conflicts in the plan · Conflicts can be focussed on a single year group · Temporary conflicts may not require resolution · Improved Timetable Rules management · Manual clash analysis page for reviewing staff swapping considerations · Post-16 clash analysis using student choices alongside staffing |
| Timetable Scheduling | · Manual · Side Panel Blocks – will have 2 modes: Curriculum and Timetable · Allows user to move sessions around · Allows user to add non-contact codes to fill in blanks · User will have auto schedule feedback to identify possible issues before applying as model · Staff and room modes · Simple view mode · Timetable specifications · Auto Schedule pre-schedule routine | · Timetable mode will show blocks in more detail than curriculum view by default · User keeps control · System will be an active assistant · Staff View to review by department/subject · Room view · Expanded Timetable overview to review the whole timetable in simple view · Staff view allows easy identification of scheduled classes missing staff · Simple view with user-defined colour coding to highlight select blocks · Set rules for scheduling with visual indicators to assist manual scheduling · Auto scheduling feedback and suggested actions on all blocks selected using the pre-scheduling routine |
| Check for Classes missing staff/rooms | · Checking on curriculum plan or scheduling page will identify all staff or rooms as required · Side panels will filter to any free item with a relationship for that subject class by staff or room · Check for all available items · Unassigned class actions | · The checking page will enable the user to filter to classes missing staff or room for ease of correction · Available items will be viewable without effort once a class is selected · All classes missing staff/room easily visible on scheduling page · Switch to staff or room mode and view all scheduled but unassigned classes. · Filterable to departments and subjects · Drag and drop solution |
| Copy Project | · Any existing project can be copied to reuse the entities · Keep all settings from last year to create and update for next year’s project. | · Start a new timetable without having to set everything up again · Copy an existing project to have a play with without affecting the main project |
| Reporting | · Full suite of reporting tools including selected built in reports | · Curriculum overview · Scheduling overview · Conflict/clash analysis · Department/subject · Free staff/rooms by period · Individual staff/room timetables |
Future Development
- Linear Block advanced scheduling process
- Split Lunch
- Automated Backup setting
- Enhanced pre-planning using Departments
- Data collection
- Interaction with Heads of Department/Subject
- Updates and improved feedback
- Enhanced integration with Options module
- Enhanced integration with MIS including
- Non-contact codes page
- Day to day management
- Reverse engineering for users of other timetable software