How to create schedules

Schedules let your agency lay out color coded blocks of time and tie each one to a client group and a location. You build them on the **Schedules** tab under **Events**, either one record at a time or as a randomized series that eCourtDate generates in the background.

### Overview

- **What it is:** A schedule is a standalone record made up of a **Color**, a **Description**, a **Group**, a **Start Date**, an **End Date**, a **Start Time**, an **End Time**, and a **Location**.
- **Why it matters:** Color line programs, group reporting days, and group orientation all run on a repeating pattern. Schedules give your staff one place to see which color or group is covered on any given day.
- **Who uses it:** Agency administrators, court clerks, and program staff who plan group coverage.
- **Expected outcomes:** A set of schedule records that appear on a month calendar and in a sortable table you can search, export, archive, or trash.

### Prerequisites

- An eCourtDate account that can reach **Events** > **Schedules**
- A role that covers events, such as **Create Events**, **Update Events**, and **Trash Events**, since **Users** > **Roles** does not list a permission of its own for 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 a 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

Use the **Create Schedule** form in the left column.

1. Select a **Color**.
2. Enter a **Description**.
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 starts at 00:00.
7. Enter the **End Time**, which starts at 18:00.
8. Select a **Location**.
9. Click **Create**.

#### Step 3: Generate a randomized series

Use the **Create Random Schedules** form below the create form.

1. Click a color badge in the list of available colors to add it to **Enabled Colors**.
2. Select **Weekly**, **Monthly**, or **Biweekly** in the frequency dropdown shown for each enabled color.
3. Click the remove button beside an enabled color to take it back out of the series.
4. Enter a **Description**.
5. Enter the **Start Date**.
6. Select an **End Date** of **1 year**, **1 month**, **3 months**, **6 months**, or **9 months**.
7. Leave **Random Time Slots** checked to let eCourtDate vary the times, or clear it to enter your own **Start Time** and **End Time**.
8. Review the **Default Colors** list while **Create Default Schedules** is checked, or clear that checkbox to hide the field.
9. Select a **Location**, or select **Random**.
10. Click **Create**.
11. 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 month you land on.
3. Click a schedule inside a day cell to open that record.

#### Step 5: Narrow the list with the search form

1. Enter text in **Search** to match against the description.
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: Sort and export the schedules table

1. Click a column heading such as **Color**, **Group**, or **Start Date** to sort by that column.
2. Click the arrow button beside the sorted heading to switch between ascending and descending.
3. Click **CSV** to download the results as a file.
4. Click **PDF** to open your browser print view for the results.

#### Step 7: Edit a schedule

1. Click the edit button at the start of a row, 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 check the rest of the series.
5. Click **Close** to return to the schedules list.

#### Step 8: Archive or trash schedules you no longer need

1. Select the checkbox on at least one row, which opens the action bar above the table.
2. Click **Select All** in that bar if you want every row currently loaded.
3. Click **Archive** or **Trash**.
4. Click **Confirm** on the message that asks you to confirm, or click **Cancel** to back out.
5. Use the row level **Tools** dropdown instead when you only need to archive or trash one schedule.

### What to Expect

A single schedule saves as soon as you click **Create**, and it appears in the schedules table and on the calendar for the dates you set. A randomized series runs in the background: eCourtDate answers with "Generating random schedules. We'll email you once complete." and emails you when the series is ready, so those records show up after the job finishes rather than instantly. Nothing on the **Schedules** screen sends messages to your clients. When you open a schedule, the **Inbound Messages** card lists 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

- Fill in both **Color** and **Description**, because the calendar, the table, and the **Related Schedules** list all label a record with that pair, and the edit screen refuses to save when both are blank.
- Keep the same color and description across a series, since **Related Schedules** matches on those two fields to link the records together.
- Keep **Default Groups** short and consistent, because that one setting feeds the **Group** dropdown on schedules, on client records, and in the search form.
- Leave **Random Time Slots** checked for compliance programs so the times vary across the series instead of repeating one window.
- Set a **From Date** and a **To Date** and click **Search** before a bulk **Archive** or **Trash**, so you act on the range you meant to.

### 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. When that setting is empty, the **Group** dropdown shows only a blank option.

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

A: No. A schedule is its own 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 as a background job. eCourtDate confirms with "Generating random schedules. We'll email you once complete." and emails you when the series is finished.

**Q: Can I get an archived or trashed schedule back?**

A: Yes. Check **Archived** or **Trashed** in the search form and click **Search**, then open the record and use **Tools** > **Restore**, or select the rows and click **Restore**.

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

A: The **Reset All Schedules** button at the bottom of the page removes every schedule for your agency in the region you are working in, then reloads the page. It appears only when the table holds at least one schedule, and 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 on the **Search Schedules** form offers 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. Click **Save**.
4. Reload **Events** > **Schedules** and open the **Group** dropdown again.

**Issue:** A schedule will not save.

**Symptoms:** The **Edit Schedule** form shows a red message such as "Please enter a color or description", "Please enter a start and end date", or "Please enter a start and end time". On the **Create Schedule** form, the browser blocks the submit until **Start Date** and **End Date** are filled in.

**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 **Create** or **Save** again.

**Issue:** A randomized series has not appeared.

**Symptoms:** The confirmation message appeared, but the table and calendar look unchanged.

**Solution:**

1. Wait for the email that tells you the job finished.
2. Enter a **From Date** and a **To Date** that cover the series and click **Search**.
3. Click **Next** on the calendar to move to the months the series covers.

### Related Articles

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