How to create group schedules

Group schedules let your agency block out color coded time slots and tie each one to a client group. You build them on the **Schedules** tab, either one schedule at a time or as a randomized series generated by color.

### Overview

A schedule is its own record made up of a **Color**, a **Description**, a **Group**, a start and end date, a start and end time, and a **Location**. The **Schedules** tab shows a month calendar and a sortable table, both loaded with the schedules that fall in the month you are viewing, so your staff can see which color or group is covered on any given day. Agencies running color line programs, group reporting days, and group orientation use schedules to lay out the pattern first and to review inbound call activity that lands inside each scheduled window.

### Prerequisites

Before you create a group schedule, make sure you have:

- An eCourtDate account that can reach **Events** > **Schedules**
- **Default Groups** filled in under **Admin** > **Settings** in the **Events** section, because that comma separated setting fills the **Group** dropdown
- At least one location under **Admin** > **Locations** if you want to set a **Location** on the schedule

### How-To Steps

#### Step 1: Open the Schedules tab

1. Click **Events** in the top navigation.
2. Click the **Schedules** tab.

#### Step 2: Create a single schedule

1. Select a **Color** in the **Create Schedule** form.
2. Enter a **Description** for the schedule.
3. Select a **Group**.
4. Enter the **Start Date**, which is required.
5. Enter the **End Date**, which is required.
6. Enter the **Start Time**, which defaults to 00:00.
7. Enter the **End Time**, which defaults to 18:00.
8. Select a **Location**.
9. Click **Create**.

#### Step 3: Generate a randomized series

1. Scroll to the **Create Random Schedules** form.
2. Click a color badge in the **Available Colors** list to add it to **Enabled Colors**.
3. Select **Weekly**, **Monthly**, or **Biweekly** in the frequency dropdown that appears for each enabled color.
4. Enter a **Description**.
5. Enter the **Start Date**.
6. Select an **End Date** duration of **1 year**, **1 month**, **3 months**, **6 months**, or **9 months**.
7. Leave **Random Time Slots** checked to let eCourtDate pick the times, or clear it and enter a **Start Time** and **End Time**.
8. Review the comma separated **Default Colors** field while **Create Default Schedules** is checked, or clear that checkbox to hide the field.
9. Select a **Location**, or select **Random**.
10. Click **Create**.

Click **Reset** if you want to clear the form and start the series over.

#### Step 4: Review schedules on the calendar

1. Read the month and year shown above the calendar grid.
2. Click **Prev**, **Today**, or **Next** to move between months, which reloads the schedules for the dates on screen.
3. Click a schedule inside a day cell to open it.

#### Step 5: Find a schedule with the search form

1. Enter text in **Search**.
2. Enter a **From Date** and a **To Date** to limit the range.
3. Select a **Color**.
4. Select a **Group**.
5. Check **Archived** or **Trashed** to look at records you removed from the active list.
6. Click **Search**.

#### Step 6: Edit a schedule

1. Click the edit button at the start of a row in the schedules table, or click the schedule on the calendar.
2. Update **Color**, **Description**, **Client Group**, **Start Date**, **End Date**, **Start Time**, **End Time**, and **Location** in the **Edit Schedule** form.
3. Click **Save**.
4. Review the **Related Schedules** list to confirm the rest of the series looks right.
5. Click **Close** to return to the schedules list.

#### Step 7: Archive or trash schedules you no longer need

1. Select the checkbox on each row you want to act on. **Select All** appears once one row is selected and takes in the rest of the loaded schedules.
2. Click **Archive** or **Trash**.
3. Click **Confirm** on the message that asks you to confirm the action, or click **Cancel** to back out.
4. Use the row level **Tools** dropdown instead when you only need to archive or trash one schedule.

### What to Expect

A single schedule is saved as soon as you click **Create**, and it appears in the schedules table and on the calendar once its dates fall inside the month you are viewing. A randomized series is generated in the background: eCourtDate answers with "Generating random schedules. We'll email you once complete." and emails you when the series is ready, so the new records show up after the job finishes rather than instantly. Nothing on the **Schedules** screen sends messages to clients. Once a schedule is open, the **Inbound Messages** list shows inbound voice messages received between the schedule's start and end date and time, or shows "No messages found" when there are none.

### Best Practices

- **Set both a color and a description.** The calendar, the table, and the **Related Schedules** list all label a schedule with its description and color, and the **Edit Schedule** form will not save when both are blank.
- **Reuse one color and description across a series.** **Related Schedules** matches on color and description, so a consistent pair keeps the whole series linked from any record in it.
- **Keep Default Groups short and consistent.** That single setting fills the **Group** dropdown on schedules, on client records, and in the search form, so stray values spread quickly.
- **Leave Random Time Slots checked for compliance programs.** It lets eCourtDate vary the times across the series instead of repeating the same window.
- **Search by From Date and To Date before a large cleanup.** Confirm you are looking at the right range before you archive or trash a batch.

### Frequently Asked Questions

**Q: Where do the options in the Group dropdown come from?**

A: They come from **Default Groups** under **Admin** > **Settings** in the **Events** section, which holds a comma separated list. If that setting is empty, the **Group** dropdown has no options.

**Q: Does creating a schedule notify clients or create events for them?**

A: No. A schedule is a standalone record with a color, description, group, date range, time range, and location, and nothing on the **Schedules** screen sends a message.

**Q: How long does Create Random Schedules take?**

A: It runs in the background. eCourtDate confirms with "Generating random schedules. We'll email you once complete." and emails you when the series is finished.

**Q: What does the Related Schedules list show?**

A: Every other schedule that shares the same color and description as the one you have open, so you can page through a series from any record in it.

**Q: What does Reset All Schedules do?**

A: The **Reset All Schedules** button at the bottom of the page sends a reset request for your agency's schedules and then reloads the page. It does not ask you to confirm first, so use it only when you intend to start over.

### Troubleshooting

**Issue:** The **Group** dropdown is empty.

**Symptoms:** The **Group** field on the **Create Schedule** form and the **Search Schedules** form shows only a blank option.

**Solution:**

1. Go to **Admin** > **Settings** and open the **Events** section.
2. Enter a comma separated list in **Default Groups**.
3. Save the settings.
4. Reload **Events** > **Schedules** and open the **Group** dropdown again.

**Issue:** A schedule will not save and shows a red message.

**Symptoms:** "Please enter a color or description", "Please enter a start and end date", or "Please enter a start and end time" appears above the **Edit Schedule** form.

**Solution:**

1. Set at least one of **Color** or **Description**.
2. Fill in both **Start Date** and **End Date**.
3. Fill in both **Start Time** and **End Time**.
4. Click **Save** again.

**Issue:** A schedule you expected is missing from the table.

**Symptoms:** The schedule does not appear in the list or on the calendar, and the results header shows a lower count than you expect.

**Solution:**

1. Clear the **Search**, **From Date**, **To Date**, **Color**, and **Group** fields, then click **Search**.
2. Check **Archived** to list archived schedules, then clear it and check **Trashed**, since only one of the two can be checked at a time.
3. Open the record and use **Tools** > **Restore** if you find it there.

### Related Articles

- [How to create schedules](/how-to-create-schedules)
- [How to Manage Client Groups](/how-to-manage-client-groups)
- [How to Manage Events](/how-to-manage-events)
- [How to create calendars](/how-to-create-calendars)
- [How to Create Locations](/how-to-create-locations)