Calendar best practices/policies

[craiggsmith]

Sorry, this will be long. I am a new stake scheduler in a new stake, but I set up the calendar in my former stake, trained others in its use, and served as a backup scheduler. I see that the calendar still often isn't used properly but some things have changed. My current leaders are not too familiar with the calendar and didn't have answers for my questions, so I wanted to compile some best practices to present to them. This is only a temporary assignment so I hope to get as much straightened out while I can.

• Can wards in the stake schedule any building, i.e. can they schedule the stake center even when that is not their building? It seems like they can but I don't remember.

I see a number of private events scheduled on ward calendars, and a number of ward events scheduled on the building calendar. The Church says this:
"Building schedulers are responsible for overseeing events related to their assigned location, but they do not schedule stake or ward events. The stake and ward calendar editors schedule their own events and reserve the needed building and rooms without contacting the building scheduler. ... If members ask building schedulers to schedule the building for Church events, schedulers should encourage the members to instead contact a stake or ward calendar editor to create an event on a stake or ward calendar, which also reserves the building. ... Building schedulers monitor the events being scheduled and make sure they conform to handbook and other local building policies."

The guidelines also say this: "[Schedulers] have the ability to make appropriate changes to events associated with the building, even events on stake and ward calendars, assisting the editors of the various calendars." I think I can change the details of a ward calendar event but I cannot change the calendar it's on unfortunately; I cannot move it to the location calendar, which makes it more difficult to correct. So one person has to delete the old one before the other can reschedule it on the correct calendar, which introduces a risk unless that is synchronized.

• Do you recommend I try to educate the members and have them correct these events? Or just ignore the existing events and encourage people to do it correctly going forward? I guess since everyone can see the location calendars now it's not as critical.

I hate to question leaders who have created private events on their orgs calendars, but the bishop is supposed to approve all private events according to the guidelines and I'm supposed to ensure that.

• Now that all members can see the location calendars, where we put private events, I've seen recommendations here to create a separate private calendar for private events. Is that indeed the general recommendation, even though it's not in the instructions?

• My former stake (and indeed the facilities manager) restricted building use on Monday nights. I see a private youth athletic event reserved every Monday night. Are there any Church guidelines on this?

Thanks.

P.S. I guess they don't have reservations anymore?

[craiggsmith]

I was told today that a ward had to jump through hoops to schedule an activity on another ward's night. Without reservations is this just managed offline?

[russellhltn]

Can wards in the stake schedule any building, i.e. can they schedule the stake center even when that is not their building? It seems like they can but I don't remember.

The stake admins control that on a building by building basis.

I think I can change the details of a ward calendar event but I cannot change the calendar it's on unfortunately; I cannot move it to the location calendar, which makes it more difficult to correct. So one person has to delete the old one before the other can reschedule it on the correct calendar, which introduces a risk unless that is synchronized.

I think you can delete the event. Then, you can re-create it on the location calendar.

Do you recommend I try to educate the members and have them correct these events? Or just ignore the existing events and encourage people to do it correctly going forward? I guess since everyone can see the location calendars now it's not as critical.

In my personal opinion, the primary purpose of the calendar is not to schedule the building, but to help leadership communicate events to the members. This can be really important to members who can't always attend Sunday meetings. Yes, it does schedule the buildings - and you want to the two functions connected so that changes to events are reflected on the building scheduling.

All members can see the public calendars for thier ward and stake. They can see it though the webpage, Member Tools, and can even sync selected calendars to their personal device. To fully support the last part, thought has to be given to what calendars are used and what events go on which calendar.

I hate to question leaders who have created private events on their orgs calendars, but the bishop is supposed to approve all private events according to the guidelines and I'm supposed to ensure that.

If I saw private events on the EQ calendar, I'd probably drop that calendar from syncing to my personal device. If I miss a few activities, oh well. That's the price leadership pays for abusing the calendars.

Now that all members can see the location calendars, where we put private events, I've seen recommendations here to create a separate private calendar for private events. Is that indeed the general recommendation, even though it's not in the instructions?

I think members have always been able to see the location calendar - but it's only visible on the web page. As for the members seeing it, do you have a problem with moochers or party crashers?

My former stake (and indeed the facilities manager) restricted building use on Monday nights. I see a private youth athletic event reserved every Monday night. Are there any Church guidelines on this?

I'd check the handbook. I think single are allowed, especially if they're not living with family. But youth doesn't sound right to me.

P.S. I guess they don't have reservations anymore?

The calendar had to be re-written in a hurry due to security issues. V4.0 wasn't fully developed when it was rolled out. I'm not sure of the status of reservations, if it was deferred or dropped. I know there was a lot of confusion over it's use. Some building schedulers were trying to use it to schedule events because by default they don't have calendar edit rights. And then they got surprised when the building was "double-booked" by the same ward.

[craiggsmith]

Can wards in the stake schedule any building, i.e. can they schedule the stake center even when that is not their building? It seems like they can but I don't remember.

The stake admins control that on a building by building basis.

I am a ward clerk and doesn't look like I can schedule the other building. That means I would have to schedule ward activities if they want the building I am over (stake center), which goes against the guidelines. Reservations would make this issue easier. But we have a small stake center so there is no value in using it, except the pavilion area. I believe I was able to make that available separately in my old stake but not sure.

I think I can change the details of a ward calendar event but I cannot change the calendar it's on unfortunately; I cannot move it to the location calendar, which makes it more difficult to correct. So one person has to delete the old one before the other can reschedule it on the correct calendar, which introduces a risk unless that is synchronized.

I think you can delete the event. Then, you can re-create it on the location calendar.

Ok true, thanks, although going the other way (back to the ward calendar) isn't as easy.

Now that all members can see the location calendars, where we put private events, I've seen recommendations here to create a separate private calendar for private events. Is that indeed the general recommendation, even though it's not in the instructions?

I think members have always been able to see the location calendar - but it's only visible on the web page. As for the members seeing it, do you have a problem with moochers or party crashers?

Members could definitely could not see location calendars in the original releases of the calendar. It was problematic because it wasn't easy for them to see when the building was available. Of course now because the weekly view is useless I can't even easily see when it's available.

My former stake (and indeed the facilities manager) restricted building use on Monday nights. I see a private youth athletic event reserved every Monday night. Are there any Church guidelines on this?

I'd check the handbook. I think single are allowed, especially if they're not living with family. But youth doesn't sound right to me.

Good point, I didn't see anything under the calendaring section but I found this:
20.5.3 Monday Nights
No Church activities, meetings, or baptismal services should be held after 6:00 p.m. on Mondays.
Leaders ensure that Church buildings and other facilities are closed on Monday nights. Receptions and similar activities may not be held in Church facilities on Monday nights.
As an exception, young single adult wards and single adult wards may hold activities on Monday nights, including in Church buildings.

P.S. I guess they don't have reservations anymore?

The calendar had to be re-written in a hurry due to security issues. V4.0 wasn't fully developed when it was rolled out. I'm not sure of the status of reservations, if it was deferred or dropped. I know there was a lot of confusion over it's use. Some building schedulers were trying to use it to schedule events because by default they don't have calendar edit rights. And then they got surprised when the building was "double-booked" by the same ward.

Most people didn't understand reservations. Interesting that after so many years it was done in a hurry. I do remember finding some security flaws but not sure why it required such a rewrite.