mimosa scheduling · pdf fileinvoke mimosa scheduling software ... change the timetable you...

Mimosa SchedulingSoftware

© Mimosa Software Ltd. 2018

www.mimosasoftware.com

Tutorial for beginners

© Mimosa Software Ltd. 2018 10-Jan-18

About this tutorial

� This slideset contains the basic features of Mimosa Scheduling Software (including also trial versions)

� It is intended to be used as a starting tutorial without going into technical details, which can be found from the help pages

� Mimosa help documents can be found at:

– www.mimosasoftware.com/help

(help start page)

– www.mimosasoftware.com/help/mimosa_help-file.htm

(all pages as .htm file)

– www.mimosasoftware.com/help/mimosa_help-file.htm

(all pages as .pdf document)

What you get from Mimosa?


� Various types of schedules of all of your resources plus up to nine fully configurable useful reports and statistics for web and printer

� Export the schedules to your own calendars and mobile device

� Export, import and add Mimosa data across other applications with Clipboard and text files

Mimosa is famous of the following:

� It is the solution to your scheduling challenges, however complex they may be.

� It is already helping people to produce timetables in thousands of schools and universities in over 80 countries.

� It has an easy-to-use point-and-click user interface that actively prevents you from making mistakes.

� It contains built-in tools for schedule optimization, automatic allocation of resources, load-balancing, etc. to help you create better schedules and faster.

� It produces customizable timetables and calendar feeds for use from web, mobile or desktop applications.

� It is easily integrated with other applications and management systems.

� It has a one-time purchase price that includes free software upgrades and free support, forever.


Mimosa is widely used


� Used in all school types, form kindergartens to universities

� Used in companies, organisations and conferences

� Used in over 80 countries, on all continents

� School types: Adult education centres, Art schools, Aviation institutions, Boarding schools, Business schools, Charter schools, Christian schools, Colleges, Commercial institutes, Comprehensive schools, Conferences, Dental schools, Departments of corrections, Elementary schools, Factories, Health care organisations, High schools, Hotel and culinary institutes, Institutes for arts and handicrafts, Intermediate schools, International schools, Islamic schools, Junior high schools, Kindergarten, Marine training facilities, Military institutions, Naval institutions, Nursery schools, Police academies, Polytechnic institutes, Pharmaceutical schools, Preparatory schools, Primary schools, Private schools, Public schools, Rehabilitation centres, Religious schools, Retail stores, School boards, Schools of agriculture, Schools of early childhood, Secondary schools, Seminars, Sports colleges, Steiner and Waldorf schools, Technical instiutes, TV stations, Universities, Veterinary schools, Vocational schools, Vocational universities,...

Three ways to learn to use Mimosa


When you first time click the workspace in Mimosa, you will see

the three ways:


Create your own file in few steps

� On the following pages you are instructed to create timetables based on a couple of resources and events

� This small example does not represent a real school, but it gives you a quick view how Mimosa works

� Since Mimosa is used in many different kind of schools, universities and companies, it probably has much more features and tools than you think you need at the moment

� The 4 sample files based of this example were automatically installed along with Mimosa (in data subfolder). You can open them by selecting File|Open a sample file:

What are “Resources”?

� You create timetables for your resources. In schools and universities resources are, in most cases, teachers, rooms and students or fixed sets of students (=groups or classes)

� You can define in Options|Categories whatever resources you like and, with the help of resource categories, you can give names and shortcuts for each type of resource you create.


Resources for group

timetables

Resources for personalised

timetables

What are “Events”?

� Events are sets of activities that connect one or more resources to be present at same specific times in the timetable. Events may also contain from one to 240 resources. In most cases, an event is a course.

� In schools and universities, events are typically sets of lectures on a particular subject that require the presence of a teacher, a group of students and a room but they may also be used to schedule exams, meetings, planned absences or any other events requiring the availability of one or several resources in the same time.

� Simple examples of event structures:

– One group, teacher and room

– Two groups, one teacher and room (combined groups)

– One group, two teachers and rooms (split group)


How to redefine resource names?

� You can redefine up to seven resource types and event types (or categories) in selection Options|Categories

� For the current example, we recommend you keep the default categories and their names – changing them afterwards do not change the resources or events


Four Mimosa views

� Mimosa has four views, and one of them is in turn activated

� All views access the same data, but from a different angle

� You can change the view anytime by clicking the appropriate icon on top of the screen

� Mimosa views are: Resources view, Events view, Weeks view and Timetables view



Step 1 – Invoke Mimosa and get started!

� Invoke Mimosa Scheduling Software

� Select File|New from the menu

� You are prompted to select a file containing default settings and captions in pre-defined languages

� Select the file or skip the selection with the [Cancel] button (you can change your preferences anytime later on)

� Next you are prompted to change your options

� Skip this selection with the [Cancel] button

� Now you are ready to start to enter your own data!


Step 2 - Your first resource

� By default, you have activated Resources view

� Click the [+] button on top left to create your first resource

� Enter the Code, Name and select its Resource category

� For instance, type Form-A as the code, Group “Form-A” as the name and check that G:Groups is selected as its category

� Click [OK] button to accept your input

Here you enter the Code, Name and the Category for each

resource

Click this [+] button to add new resources


Step 3 - Create more resources

� You have now created your first Resource in Resources view! (Resources are the name for the things you are going to create timetables for, such as teachers, students, rooms etc.)

� Add next more resources with the [+] button - for instance, 2 more groups, 3 teachers and 3 rooms and remember to select an appropriate category for them

� Later on you will learn the meanings of columns *, PLANNED, ALLOCATED, SCHEDULED and LINKS

List of resources you have created, sorted by the Category (*) and Code


Step 4 - Create your first event

� Click the Events icon on top to activate Events view (Events connect your resources together)

� Click the [+] button on top left to create your first event

� Enter the Code, Name and Category plus the number of times this event will take place in PLANNED field

PLANNED

Resources you CAN select

Resources you HAVE selected

This event has:Code = MathematicsName = Basic mathematicsCategory = BasicPLANNED = 6 (periods)(No resources selected)

Use this button to add resources to event


Step 5 – Connect resources

� Suppose your event is course where teacher Brown teaches the group Form-A in the room 123

� Select the resources you need from the box on the RIGHT:

1) Click each resource in turn and then click [Add], or

2) Keep [Ctrl] down, click resources one by one and click [Add]

� Accept the result by clicking [OK]

This event is now complete: you have selected also the resources which are attached to this event

This event is now ready to be scheduled to the timetables of its resources in Timetables view

Resources you have selected

Use these buttons to add, remove or swap resources


Step 6 – Add some more events

� In a similar way, create other events consisting of one group, teacher and room

� Explanations for the other columns in this view:

� * is a shortcut for the event category (you can edit your categories in selection Options|Categories)

� PLANNED: maximum number of periods you have entered

� ALLOCATED: periods allocated to weeks (in one week case, all periods are automatically allocated to this week)

� SCHEDULED: the number of scheduled periods (zero at start)

� LINKS: the number of resources attached to this event

When you click an item on the list, the tooltip displays the list of resources attached to this event


Step 7 – Look at resources!

� Click again the Resources icon on top to activate it

� The information you entered in events is now shown from a different angle, and the values in the columns PLANNED, ALLOCATED, SCHEDULED and LINKS are automatically calculated on the basis of the information you entered in Events view

� Resources and Events views are very similar and they both mirror the same data

� With this information you can already create timetables!

When you click an item on the list, the tooltip displays the events having this resource attached


Step 8 – Start scheduling!

� Click now the Timetables icon on top

You will next see Green check-marks which indicate the slots where you can schedule

� [Double-click] an empty slot to schedule a period in it (√√√√)

� [Double-click] a slot with a scheduled event to unschedule it

� When all periods are scheduled, check-marks (√√√√) disappear

� Press next the [F3] key to find other events to schedule or change the timetable you want to schedule next

[Double-click] to schedule

Press [F3] or click this button to find other events to schedule [Double-click]

to unschedule


Step 9 – Unavailable slots

Since several events use the same resources, scheduling to all slots is not possible – these have a red “no entry” symbol

� Double-click this slot to find out why you cannot schedule

� Select slot(s) and type [SPACE] to set or remove bookings (bookings prevent scheduling of events to specific slots)

Select here the timetable you want to schedule next

Double-click the cells to schedule/remove periods

Type [SPACE] to set or remove bookings


Step 10 – More events and colours

� You may like to create more events having different structures, representing other cases, such as exams, meetings and so on

� You may like to set colours to your events and/or resources to better highlight them on screen or in published timetables

� If you have several weeks or terms, you can use the tools of Weeks view to distribute or allocate the periods of events to several weeks and reuse them several times

Colours buttonPrint or publish button


Weeks view (1)

� This view is required, if you maintain schedules for two or more weeks

� The layout in Weeks view is analogous with a spreadsheet (Excel) table: (Rows = Events, Columns = Weeks or terms)

� In Weeks view you can reuse the same event many times on several weeks and have a better picture about events, their order and distribution of their periods by resources

� Alternatively, you can also copy from your Mimosa file weekly Mimosa files

� Select the number of weeks in Options|Limits or click the grid on the week you want to select


Weeks view (2)

� Basic operations:

� [Double-click]: This selection displays/hides the the weekly sums of periods for the resources of the current event; it enables you to control that none of the resources will be overloaded

� Copy by columns: Use Edit|Copy week and Edit|Paste week or Edit|Paste week Special selections if some weeks are similar with others so that copying them across weeks can reduce your workload

� Copy the whole table: Use Edit|Copy on the Clipboard and Edit|Paste from the Clipboard selections if you want to transfer the table to a spreadsheet application and back

� Use the Insert, Delete, Split selections in Edit menu to manage the columns in this table when necessary

� You can also Edit the event structure in this view by typing the [F2] key; you do not need to switch to Events view


Weeks view (3)

Weeks view lets you control how the periods are allocated to weeks (or terms)

before they are scheduled.

[Double-click] the grid to show/hide the total number of periods by resources


Examples of events

� The structures of events or courses create the core of the scheduling information in Mimosa

� Each environment requires different kind of events and you may need to use several of them

� Mimosa is very flexible and it allows you to create complex event structures easily and you can use the same event concept for courses, exams, meetings and room bookings

� Each event can consist of up to 240 resources you can select from the currently available list of resources

� In the following pages you can various examples of events that have been created and used with Mimosa

� If Mimosa is used only for room reservations, each event consists of one room, but in practice the event structures are variable and more complicated

Typical examples of eventsExample 1: A simple example of a typical school course (one class/group, teacher and room):


Example 2: Teacher is teaching students from two classes/groups at the same time:

Example 3: Students of one class/group are split for two teachers:

Example 4: Students of two classes/groups are split for three teachers:

If a class/group is split for two events and they are run concurrently, they should be combined in a same event, containing all resources they require:

More examples of events

Example 5: Personalised teaching for six students by one teacher:


Example 6: An example of a meeting event (requiring one room and two or more teachers):

Example 7: Conference presentations or sessions can also be interpreted as events:

Example 8: Music/theatre rehearsals constitute also events:

Typically conference attendees can act in up in different roles which you can attach in Events

view (Edit|Manage roles)

In music rehearsals, also instruments and other needed equipment can be included as resources and scheduled.


Parallel events - example

� If you must mix students from many classes (groups) with many teachers, create a table which describes all the simultaneous selections as shown on top right

� Select all resources from the first column and top titles (of the matrix on top right) and add them to create the event for Mimosa

� You can change their order with arrow keys to show them in a meaningful and informative order in timetables

� You may alternatively insert subjects to underline the content of each group

Both event structures have the same information, but the appropriate order of the resources on reports

improves readability


Event sections

� Sometimes events consist of different sections, each requiring slightly different set of resources.

� If you include all resources in all events, even when some are only needed occasionally, it will prevent using any of them in other events even though some would actually be available.

� In this case you can use Edit|Split tool in Events view

In this example the event “English” course is split into five separate Mimosa events, to represent the different sets of resources it requires during its lifetime.

Timetables or schedules

� A timetable is a mapping of events (and hence its resources) in a scheduling context to calendar time so that each resource is required by only one event at any single point in time.

� In other words, the same resource is not allowed to be scheduled in the same time. Mimosa creates, publishes and prints timetables in several formats for each resource and does not allow clashes.



Some Mimosa features not covered:

� You can import all data from your spreadsheet application

� You can create over 8,000 resources and events

� Each of your events can contain up to 240 resources

� You can manage timetables of up to 255 weeks in the same file

� You can define any kind of events, such as exams, meetings, split and merged groups, meetings, student sets and so on

� You can publish and/or print your timetables and other data and copy results to your spreadsheet application

� You can export the timetables to other calendar applications and mobile devices

� You can create all or selected sections of your timetables automatically and let Mimosa create compact timetables

� You can define all your parameters in Options menu selection

� You can merge Mimosa files with other users

� You can import/export your data in text format

Most of these topics are explained in the following pages


Dependencies of items in timetables

� The main task of Mimosa is to create and print or publish timetables for classes, teachers, students and rooms (or other resources user has chosen)

� To create timetables, you must first know the required number of periods for each event

� To construct events, you must have the resources available and then pick those which are connected to them

� The various views in Mimosa have their own roles, but they always access the same data from a different angle

� You can switch to any view in any order and you do not have to complete the data in a view before proceeding to next view


Creating timetables is art and science

� Creating timetables is like solving a puzzle

� The advantages of using Mimosa:

– You do not have to fear of making mistakes (such as conflicts)

– You schedule automatically, manually and mix both approaches

– You can get the reports you like

– You can undo/redo your changes in timetables

– You can have alternative solutions always at hand

– You will see root causes of restrictions and scheduling problems

– You can keep track on all events you enter

� Whatever method or software you are using…

– Outsiders cannot usually finalise working timetables for you

– Technically the best solution does not always work in practice

– You must be prepared for accidental changes

– You have to know the environment and also the persons who will use their timetables


Timetabling challenge

� Several events using the same resources must be able to schedule in timetables so that

– Teaching requirements are met

– Timetables do not contain any conflicts

– Timetables are usable - for instance• Gaps in timetables are minimised

• Weekly teaching load is balanced for each resource

• Block lengths for each event are appropriate

• Event prerequistities are taken into account

• Blocked areas (bookings) in timetables are not used

• Personal requirements are taken into account


Get data into Mimosa easily

� The easiest way to get data into Mimosa is to use Clipboard and your spreadsheet application (such as Excel)

� Mimosa has in Edit menu the following selections:

– Paste from the Clipboard

– Copy to the Clipboard

� Every view has their own selections in Edit menu to Copy and Paste data and you can generate about 40 different reports with the help of Edit|Copy to Clipboard command

� Tools menu has also Clipboard selections for time-saving tasks used in companion with a spreadsheet application

� You can also use the buttons Copy and Paste in many Mimosa dialogs to copy contents to and from the Clipboard

� Selections File|File Import, File|Export and File|File Addcan be used to import, export and merge data in text format and to enable use Mimosa in a network of several users


With the Clipboard you can:

� Input data from other applications (such as spreadsheets):

� Resources,

� Events,

� Event collections,

� Weekly allocated periods

� Scheduled timetables

� Create your own reports, print, graphics, integrate the data with other applications and spreadheets

� Reorganise and remap your codes

� With the Clipboard you can increase your productivity!


Resources view

Once resources have been created, you can use them

also in upcoming years

[Double-click] to show/hide the events using the current resource


Resources view

� Input the resources (in schools classes, teachers, students,rooms and equipment) you are going to create timetables for

� Select Edit|New resource, click the [+] button or type the[Insert] button to add a new resource

� Input a descriptive code (up to 15 characters) along with thename (up to 200 characters) and select the appropriatecategory for that (such as teacher, group, room etc.)

� Use Edit|Edit resource or [Enter] or [F2] key to edit andEdit|Delete or [Delete] key to delete an existing resource

� The resources are by default sorted according to their categoryand code

� To change the sorting order, click the title line or select Sortcommands in Tools menu


Events view

Creating events is a task where you attach specific resources to a specific activity (typically event is a course)

[Double-click] to show/hide the resources attached to current event


Events

� Events and their list of resources are the core elements inMimosa and they define the resulting timetables

� After you have created (at least some of) the resources, youcan start creating events; events synchronises the schedules ofeach connected resource

� Select Edit|New event, click the [+] button or type [Insert]to add a new event

� Input a descriptive code (up to 15 characters) along with thename (up to 200 characters) and select the appropriatecategory for that event (basic, advanced, meeting etc.)

� Input also the maximum number of periods in PLANNED andcreate a list of resources for the event (=collection)

� Use Edit|Edit event or [Enter] or [F2] key to change andEdit|Delete or [Delete] key to delete an existing event


Events (New/Edit)

Use these buttons to move resources across lists or double-click them. Resources on the left

are those you already have selected. Resources on the right are those you have not selected.

Select the number of periods for each event (=PLANNED).

This is the maximum number of times this event will appear in

timetables (and it can larger than needed)


Timetables view

In this view you solve the timetable puzzle manually by double-clicking the cells on the top left timetable. Mimosa shows what is possible and what not.


Timetables

� Double-click is the most important tool to edit timetables; right-click to show the most important tools in the current connection

� Create your first timetables manually, since– the tools in Tools|Optimise do not necessarily guarantee that

all lessons go exactly into the slots as you are thinking

– in many schools at least some of the lessons and bookings must be placed in specific slots

� If you think that the cells are loaded with too much information, select View|Cell display options to turn some of the selections off; you might turn them on later again

� Mimosa takes care of the most difficult tasks while preventing them and even allows you to Undo/Redo your previous operations on the timetable

� Use [F3] key to find the next unassigned timetable or use the drop-down boxes in navigation


Timetables view – samples of symbols

The green “OK” indicates that you can schedule a lecture into this cell

The red “Stop sign” indicates you cannot schedule a lecture here

The number [-x] indicates how many tables prevent scheduling or how many

gaps you can eliminate, respectively


Timetables: workflow

� If your file consists of several weeks, complete the first week and consider to copy as much as possible of your work from a completed week to upcoming weeks

1. Go to Weeks view

2. Click the grid on the week you copy content from

3. Select Edit|Copy week

4. Click the grid on the week you want to copy content to

5. Select Edit|Paste week or Edit|Paste week Special... depending on the content you want to copy

� Click [Ctrl+U] to lock events you do not want to change

� Double-click on the grid to see how periods are distributed across resources

� Right-click to show a pop-up menu of the most important actions


Timetables - summary

� It is important that you now know the main tools how to edit Timetables effectively, but they are often learnt automatically just by clicking the timetable cells on top left

� You also now know that you do not have to keep track about the conflicts and the right number of periods

� You are the timetabler and Mimosa is your humble slave

� You can use the selection Tools|Optimise to perform some of your tasks automatically

� It is a good hint to save your work at several stages on disk (especially if you want to test dramatic changes); you can also save alternative variations of your final solution

� You can use Edit|Undo and Edit|Redo selections to go regret what you have done


Event info

� Click [Ctrl+H] to activate the Event info window to view and edit events in all views

� The root of the tree shown is on the active event or resource� Click Edit? to edit the active item� Double-click any item on the tree to expand or collapse its branches

� Click an item on the tree and click Select to edit its content

� Click Back to go to previous selection

� Click Previous or Next to select previous or next resource or event from the list

� Click Copy to copy the tree contents to the Clipboard

� No need to go to Events or Resources views when edit them instantly


Make and cancel bookings

� You can set bookings in timetables and weeks to prevent allocating and scheduling periods in protected areas

1. Bookings in timetables: select the area in Timetables viewand type [SPACE] (or use the Edit menu selections)

2. Bookings in timetables: select the cell in Weeks view and type [SPACE] (or use the Edit menu selections)

3. Set/remove bookings in several timetables at once: select Options|Limits, select the area in the timetable grid and click Make/Cancel bookings button

4. Copy bookings across weeks: go to Weeks view, select Edit|Copy week on the source week, click target week and select Edit|Paste week special|Bookings to this week or Bookings to remaining weeks

5. In Tools|Show timetables you can also copy bookings across weeks


Mimosa enables team work

� Several (up to 255) users can combine (or merge) their Mimosa files and process them simultaneously; all networks support this feature (File|Network)

� The same task can be done incrementally in File|File Add

� When files are combined, Mimosa automatically removes the conflicting events from the resulting file

Write to network

Read from network

I will leave my bookmark

in this file...

Wish I could say the last word...

I will leave my

bookmark in this file...

Wish I could say the last word...

Write to networkWrite to network

Read from network

Write to network

Read from network

Write to network

Read from network


Using of the Clipboard

� Commands Edit|Copy to the Clipboard and Edit|Paste from the Clipboard are useful time-saving tools to move data between Mimosa and other Windows applications:

Copy to the Clipboard

Paste from the Clipboard


Example: Add events from the Clipboard

� Events must be added in two steps (event titles and event resources), by using the selections:

1. Edit|Paste from the Clipboard|Codes, names, categories and PLANNED

2. Edit|Paste from the Clipboard|Replace event resources

1. First add

events

2. Then add event resources


Hints about reports and publishing

� Use Reports 3 and 6 in File|Print to print/publish timetables

� Report formatting styles vary a lot by school, but there are several ways to change the output parameters; you can maintain profile files of your selections in File|Profile

� Add your web timetables to your school’s website

� Study also the Clipboard selections, since they give more flexibility to format the output and to paste them into existing documents

� With readable and up-to-date timetables you will gain a lot of recognition and admiration among your students and colleagues!

These pages cover only the most basic tools of Mimosa. For detailed information, download the 260+ page

”mimosa_help_file.pdf” at

www.mimosasoftware.com/mimosa_help_file.pdf

© Mimosa Software Ltd. [email protected]

mimosa scheduling · pdf fileinvoke mimosa scheduling software ... change the timetable you...

Documents