Scheduler Rules #

Rules help validate your schedule and are located on the Rules sheet. When you break a rule, the relevant cell will be highlighted in Red with a comment explaining the issue.

Adding Rules #

Add rules by putting the rule name in the first row of the Rules sheet. Each column represents a new rule with its options listed below the name.

Example:

Two Important Notes:

• Rules must be named exactly as they are in the documentation.
• Names of classes and cohorts must be consistent.

When configuring rules, empty cells will be used as breaks to separate different options. Notice the break (empty cell) between Latin and 1st above.

Available Rules Reference #

AllCohorts #

This rule ensures that every cohort in your schedule matches an entry in your valid cohort list. For example, if you enter “53rd” in the schedule but it’s not in your list, it will be marked as an error.

Configuration:

List all possible cohorts.

Example:

ClassRequiresTravel #

This rule prevents certain cohorts from having specific classes back-to-back.

Use it when:

• Classes need setup or teardown time
• Teachers must travel between cohorts
• Mobile classes (like “Lunch Cart” or “Latin Cart”) move between different buildings

Configuration:

Follow this pattern:

1. Class Name
2. Break (empty cell)
3. Group of cohorts located near each other, each in its own cell
4. Break
5. Another group of colocated cohorts
6. Continue with breaks and cohort groups as needed
7. Double break before starting a new class

Example:

Here we have two classes that need to travel to each cohorts homeroom Latin Cart and Lunch Cart.

This example shows:

• 1st, 2nd, 3rd are in the same building
• 4th, 5th, 6th are in another
• and 7th, 8th, 9th in yet another

7th, 8th, 9th do not take the Latin Cart class in this example, so they are not included in the latin cart options.

Here is an example schedule that would give one error:

We get an error for Latin Cart at Monday, 10am because the cart cannot travel from wherever 1st is located to wherever 4th is located in the transition time.

We do not get an error for the Lunch Cart because 1st and 2nd homeroom are located close to each other.

CohortBlacklist #

This rule prevents specific cohorts from having any classes during designated time slots. Use it for:

• Lunch periods
• Recess/Break times
• Assembly periods
• Other times when a cohort should not be scheduled for regular classes

Configuration:

Follow this pattern:

1. Cohort name
2. Break (empty cell)
3. Blacklisted time slots, each in its own cell
4. Break
5. Break
6. Next cohort name and its blacklisted time slots

Example:

In this example:

• 1st grade has blacklisted time slots from 11am-12pm on Monday
• 2nd grade has blacklisted time slots from 12pm-1pm on Monday
• 3rd grade has blacklisted time slots from 1pm-2pm on Monday

If any class is scheduled for 1st grade during Monday at 11am, an error will be flagged.

OneClassAtATime #

This rule ensures that a cohort is not scheduled for multiple classes during the same time slot. It helps prevent schedule conflicts where a single cohort would need to be in two places at once.

Configuration:

This rule doesn’t require any configuration values - simply add the rule name “OneClassAtATime” as a column header in the Rules sheet to enable it.

Example:

When this rule is enabled, the system will check every time slot and flag any instances where a cohort appears more than once in the same time slot.

For example, this schedule would generate an error:

The error would flag that 1st grade is scheduled for both Math and Art during Monday at 9am.