Timetable data collection guidance
There are 4 key elements of data collection:
- Establishing timetable requirements.
- Data checking and preparation
- Scheduling
- Communications
These 4 elements translate into a 5 stage process which will help ensure the timetables are produced in an accurate, timely and effective way.
This guidance assumes the reader has been trained in the use of the timetabling software (Syllabus Plus).
Stage 1: Establishing timetable requirements --- Stage 2: Data checking and scheduling --- Stage 3: Initial data check --- Stage 4: Timetable confirmation --- Stage 5: Checking room allocations --- Summary
Stage 1
Establishing timetable requirements
In order to establish the timetable requirements for the coming year, checks need to be made against the University’s Module Catalogue to ensure that the teaching quoted matches the teaching scheduled for the timetables.
PLEASE NOTE: the University is open to appeal if the published information in the module catalogue does not match reality.
To facilitate this process, the teaching quoted in the module catalogue is imported into the module information in the timetabling software (S+). This appears in usertext 1 of the module.
It is recommended that a spreadsheet is produced in stage 1 showing a full list of all the active modules for the coming year – see example below. The deadline for changes and updates to the module catalogue each year is March 31st and therefore this spreadsheet should be produced at the beginning of April to ensure the information is accurate and up-to-date.
Example spreadsheet
Instructions to produce the above spreadsheet
- In S+ open a module screen
- Filter this screen by ‘Department’ to leave the modules relating to your school
- Click on any of the modules in the list and press ‘CTRL’ and ‘A’ on your keyboard to select all your modules
- Go to ‘File’ and ‘Save as’. From the ‘Format’ drop down menu select ‘Spreadsheet’
- In the box – bottom left of the screen – select ‘ModCat list’
- Click on the ‘Browse’ button and navigate to a folder where you would like to save this file, e.g. Desktop. Click on Save. This will save the modules to a text file.
- The next step is to import this text file into Excel.
- Run Excel and click on ‘Open’
- Navigate to where you saved the above text file. Change the ‘Files of Type’ to ‘Text Files’ and select the text file you saved in step 6.
- Click on Open
- Keep clicking ‘Next’ through the Text Import Wizard and then ‘Finish’
- Remove the first row of the spreadsheet and then resize your columns as appropriate.
Once you have this base spreadsheet you can then add extra columns for tracking purposes. An example of this is shown below:
Armed with the module information you may need to check with teaching staff the details of the activities to be taught. A data collection form can useful for this purpose. A generic form is available for you to send out to colleagues to collect this information. Please click on the link below to download this form.
If you would like this form modifying to meet your particualr requirements, please email timetable@leeds.ac.uk for advice.
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