PowerScheduler Checklist: Load Only

Published: 17 June, 2022
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For schools that want an automated process to schedule students into classes. The process loads students into the master schedule, i.e., assigns sections to students so that they have schedules for the upcoming school year. These schools usually create the master schedule manually, or by copying the master schedule from a previous year. Keep in mind that the Load Only process assumes that there are no changes to Days, Periods, or Terms.

PowerScheduler Checklist: Load Only

Load Only: For schools that want an automated process to schedule students into classes. The process loads students into the master schedule, i.e., assigns sections to students so that they have schedules for the upcoming school year. These schools usually create the master schedule manually, or by copying the master schedule from a previous year. Keep in mind that the Load Only process assumes that there are no changes to Days, Periods, or Terms.

Build and Load: For schools that want an automated process both to create the master schedule and to schedule students into classes. The Build Process creates a schedule of classes, i.e. builds the schedule into which students can enroll. When the Build is complete, the master schedule has classes, teachers, rooms, departments, etc.

Note: Users will need to go back to a Build and Load if the number of Days, Periods, or if new Terms will be made available in the upcoming school year. This is also suggested if a large number of Courses will be added.

Load Overview

The PowerScheduler Load process contains the following phases.  Click the links below for additional details on the required and recommended steps within each phase.

♦ = Indicates required elements as you move through the article.

 

Create Years & Terms on the Live-side

Before running Auto. Scheduler Setup, make sure to create your years and terms on the live-side.

  1. From the Start page, click on School Setup
  2. Click on Years and Terms
  3. Create your Years and Terms for the next school year.
  4. Repeat at the District level.

Prepare: Create Scenario and Copy Master Schedule

Note: Perform the following functions in the order listed.

 ProcessDescription & Resources
 Enable Access

Enable access to PowerScheduler for specific security groups.

 

Resources: Controlling Access

 Create Scenario: Auto. Scheduler Setup

Create your scheduling scenario at PowerScheduler > Auto. Scheduler Setup. The scheduling scenario is the basic framework for your schedule before sections and students are added. The scenario includes the terms, periods, days, and courses for the schedule. It is strongly recommended to run the function at every school in the district, regardless of whether the school uses PowerScheduler.

 

Resource: Automatic Scheduler Setup

 Set Schedule Year

Set the Schedule Year to associate the scenario with the Years & Terms created using the Auto. Scheduler Setup. The function is located at PowerScheduler > Functions > Set Schedule Year.

 

Resource: Setting the Schedule Year

 Copy Master Schedule

Copy the schedule from a previous school year at PowerScheduler > Functions > Copy Master Schedule. This function copies sections into the schedule, including all associated settings, such as expression, room, teacher, term, etc. Make sure to run any Auto Generate functions after copying the Master Schedule.

 

Resources:

 Download Scheduling Engine

Download the latest version of the scheduling engine from PowerSource: Home > PowerSchool > Downloads > Scheduling Engine.

 

Resource: Permissions errors when installing Scheduling Engine

Setup: Courses, Rooms, Build Constraints

 ProcessDescription & Resources
 Add New Courses and Sections

Add new courses to PowerSchool at Start Page > District > Courses. New courses must be associated with the course catalog on the live-side and then associated to the catalog in PowerScheduler.

 

Resources:

 Load Constraints

Load constraints restrict the actual loading of students into the master schedule. To set up load constraints, navigate to PowerScheduler > Constraints.

 

Resource: PowerSchool Online Help

 Create Rooms

Rooms are associated with sections during the Copy Master Schedule process; however, they may still need to be created for the current scenario. If rooms are not valid, sections will not display in the master schedule. Mass create Rooms at PowerScheduler > Functions > Auto Generate Rooms. Manually create Rooms at PowerScheduler > Rooms > New.

 

Resource: PowerSchool Online Help

Setup: Students and Teachers

Reminder: Set up courses and student scheduling preferences before entering student course requests.

 

 ProcessDescription & Resources
 Set Teacher Scheduling Preferences

The mandatory scheduling fields for teachers are Schedule This Teacher and Maximum Consecutive Periods.

Note: This is necessary to verify and set for teacher. If a teacher is not checked to be scheduled, the load validation or load displays the following error message: Error: The Master file contains an invalid teacher.

 

Resource: Scheduling Preferences for Students and Teachers

 Set Student Scheduling Preferences

The mandatory student scheduling preferences are Next School, Next Year Grade, and Schedule This Student.

 

Resources: Scheduling Preferences for Students and Teachers

 Enter Student Course Requests

Important: It is necessary to set up new courses and student scheduling preferences before entering student course requests.

Student course requests must be entered before running a Load.

Students can enter their course requests via the PowerSchool Public portal using a course request screen.

 

Resources:

Load Students

Note: Perform the following processes in the order listed.

 ProcessDescription & Resources
 Review Master ScheduleReview the Master Schedule by navigating to PowerScheduler > Master Schedule and make final manual modifications.
 Load Validation

Run a load validation after the schedule is complete and students have entered requests. Navigate to PowerScheduler > Load (Q) (click Load), select the checkbox for Validate only, and click Execute. The PowerScheduler engine will run a load without creating any student schedules.

 

Resource: PowerSchool Online Help

 Fix Load Errors

Review and fix Load errors or warnings in the Load Results Log at PowerScheduler > Load (Q).

 

Resource: Load (Q) Results Log: Errors and Definitions

 Load

Run a load by navigating to PowerScheduler > Load (Q) (click Load).

Resource: PowerSchool Online Help

 Import Schedules

Import load results to view student schedules in PowerScheduler. Navigate to PowerScheduler > Load (Q) (click (Q)) and click Import to transfer the data into PowerScheduler. Important: Each time a new load is run and imported, all manual changes to student schedules are lost.

 

Resource: PowerSchool Online Help

Review Post-Load Schedule

 ProcessDescription & Resources
 Run Load ReportsPowerScheduler includes a group of reports designed for analysing data after running a Load. To access the reports, navigate to PowerScheduler > Reports > Post-Build Reports.
 Re-Load Entire Schedule

Run another Load to create new student schedules.

Important: Each time a new load is run and imported, all manual changes to student schedules are lost.

 

Resource: PowerSchool Online Help

 Reschedule Specific Students

In order to run a Load for a specific group of students, navigate to PowerScheduler > Students, and create a selection. Next, navigate to PowerScheduler > Load (Q) (click Load). Select the Reschedule the selected x student’s option.

 

Resource: PowerSchool Online Help

 Make Manual EditsMake final manual modifications to perfect the schedule.

Commit Schedule

Note: Complete all scheduling processes before committing the schedule.

 ProcessDescription & Resources
 Back-up DataVerify that there is a current backup of your PowerSchool data.
 Commit the Schedule

Commit the schedule from PowerScheduler to the live side. Perform this action after the schedule is complete and school is out of session, but before the End-of-Year (EOY) process has been run. Ensure that the year term has been created on the live side before committing your schedule.

To commit your schedule, navigate to PowerScheduler > Commit. It is possible to replace student schedules, sections, or both, on the live side.

Note: This process will allow students and parents to view the upcoming years schedule in the Public Portal provided the Calendar is populated.

 

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