Scheduling software

[Danny Boone]

In answer to Michael Wathen's inquiry about scheduling software:

At Baylor University, we use FileMaker Pro in the School of Music to schedule
recital halls, rehearsal rooms and classrooms.  It is a flat database that
networks well.  It is not part of the vax, but is local to the School of Music.
  Our Concert and Promotion Director keeps the schedule on his computer, and I
can retreive a copy directly from his computer onto mine.  Only he can change
any of the schedules.

I have regular, weekly time reserved in all recital halls.  If I need to tune
in a hall at a time other than my regularly scheduled time, I can look at the
schedule to determine if anyone is scheduled in there.  This saves a lot of
futile trips to the halls.  Instead of having to go to the office and look in
a notebook, or call the office and ask what is scheduled in a hall, I have
instant access to the schedule.

The format of the schedule is an hourly view of one day, with a column for
each of the halls.  The recital halls are on one document, the rehearsal halls
on another, and classrooms on yet another.  A click of the mouse takes you
forward or backward one day at a time, or you can use "Find" and find any day
of the year.  This schedule can be accessed from any computer in the school.

My own work schedule is also on FileMaker Pro.  It is a daily calendar also,
but has an additional section for Baylor Events which can be automatically
updated from another computer in the School of Music.  My schedule is in my
own computer and I have complete control over it.

If you use FileMaker Pro, your scheduling program will have to be designed by
someone who is familiar with FileMaker Pro.  Once designed and debugged, it
works great.  However, there should be programs out there specifically
designed for this need that you can just open up and start using.  I don't
know what they are.  Hopefully, others will be able to add to this discussion.


This subject would be an excellent topic for the College & University
Technician's Newsletter, of which I am editor.  I will try to compile any
information that comes through pianotech listserver.  Everyone please feel
free to write an article on this subject for the newsletter.  The deadline for
the October issue is September 1.

Danny Boone