Scheduler Rules

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:

AllCohorts ClassRequiresTravel More Rules…
1st Latin
2nd
3rd 1st
2nd
3rd

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:

AllClasses
1st
2nd
3rd

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:

AllClasses
Latin Cart
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
6th
Lunch Cart
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
6th
7th
8th
9th

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:

Monday, 9am Monday, 10am Monday, 11am Monday, 12pm
Latin Cart 1st 4th
Lunch Cart 1st 2nd

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.