Time periods

To get to know the notion better, please read the settings of the types of time periods.

A time period is defined by:

• a start date
• an end date
• a type of time period
• the resources to which they apply

In the other menus of the “Parameters” module, you can set up hours of operation, the duration of time slots, the prices, etc. for each type of time period. Defining a time period allows you to specify the rules that are going to apply to selected resources on selected dates.

For all clients, in all sports, the same examples apply. Globally, most clubs work like described in Example #1.

Nothing changes during the year: the hours of operation of your fields/courts never change, as well as the duration of the time slots, the prices, the off-peak hours or the resources that can be reserved online.

You can also make changes whenever you feel the need.

The only type of time period is the “default” one. This notion is not relevant for you and you don’t need to provide any information in the “Parameters” menu.

For clubs where the rules change according to the summer or winter, your parameters for time periods can be like the following:

• By default (any time period that is not summer) for all resources
• Summer: from June 1st, 2011 to August 31, 2011 for all resources
• Summer: from June 1st, 2012 to August 31, 2012 for all resources

All resources work with the “default” rules except during the summer where the “Summer” period applies,

or

• By default (any time period that is not winter) for all resources
• Winter for all clay tennis courts

All resources work with the “default” rules except when the clay courts are unavailable to reservation,

or:

• By default (any time period that is neither summer nor winter) for all resources
• Summer from June 1st to August 31, 2011 for all resources
• Winter from December 1st, 2011 to March 1st, 2012 for all resources

All the resources work with rules for summer or winter following the dates. The default rules apply on days when no specific time period has been set up.

There are differences between the school term and the holiday break in your club.

• By default (any time period that is not summer) for all resources
• Holiday break: from October 22nd, 2011 to November 3rd, 2011 for all resources
• Holiday break: from December 17th, 2011 to January 2nd, 2012 for all resources
• Holiday break…

All resources work with the “default” rules except during the holiday breaks when the “Holiday break” time period (or set of rules) applies.

If you have overlapping time periods, the shortest time period is used. That is to say, if your course, field or court is selected in a “summer” time period between April 1st and October 30th and in the “Competition” time period between April 7 and 8, then the type of time period (or set of rules) will apply as follows:

• “Summer” from April 1st to April 6
• “Competition” from April 7 to April 8
• “Summer” from April 9 to October 30

Tags: overlapping time periods, overlapping rules

Sometimes it happens that, even if nobody has made changes to the schedule, it turned to gray or it is not working as it should. It may be because a time period has expired.

The time periods work from a specific date to a specific. Clubs often schedule time periods in advance and they don’t go back to that menu again and the time period expires. Two cases may arise: (1) a new time period was scheduled for your resource(s) and did not expect it or (2) there is no active custom time period and the default time period applies.

In the 2nd case, if you have not specified the rules for the hours of operation, time slots, prices, access… the whole schedule will be gray.

Tags: schedule not working, calendar not working, schedule problem, calendar problem gray schedule, gray calendar

Sometimes you may want to change occasionally some rules like hours of operation, duration, quotas, prices, fields, courses or courts that are authorized for the various member types. However, you know that this change is not meant to last even though it can happen again. It is often the case for instance when there is work or a competition. In the “Parameters” module and in the “hours of operation”, “hour range”, “time slots”, “prices”, “reservation system” and “quota” (if you click on the small blue “+” next to the type of period), you can copy all or just a part of the rules set up for reservation to another type of reservation. It enables you to change the rules that apply in your club, to copy them in another time period then, to edit them, to check that these changes match what you need to do and finally, to program the dates and resources they will affect.

Tags: occasional change in the rules of reservations, occasional change, edit occasional reservation

You may want to change your rules of reservation, hours of operation, duration, quotas, prices, fields, courses or courts that are available for the various member types. This is not a common operation and you want to be sure you won’t make mistakes. To make changes safely, you can follow the following steps:

1. Create a new type of time period in “Settings” ⇒ “Type of period” that you can call “Test time period”.
2. Copy the properties of the active time period to “Test time period”. In order to do this, on the “Parameters” module, then in the “hours of operation”, “hour ranges”, “time slots”, “prices”, “reservation system” and “quota” menus, click on the little blue ”+” next to the type of time period.
3. Edit the rules for reservation of the “Test time period” according to your needs (hours of operation, hour ranges, etc.).
4. Check that these changes correspond to what you need. To do this, choose dates and resources to which the “Test” will apply that will not disturb your employees or your clients (for instance, set the date to 2 months ahead). Next, use an administrator account (that will allow you to see alert messages without being blocked) and test it by making reservations on the schedule and adjust your settings if required.
5. Program the actual dates and resources of the “Test time period”.

Tags: changing a rule of reservation, change price of reservation, schedule a price change, edit rules of reservation.