Teaching Timetables in MS Outlook Calendars Guidance for Staff We have improved accessibility to your individual teaching timetable by also making this visible in your University MS Outlook Calendar. You can still view your teaching timetable via the Timetable Report in the usual way and in addition your calendar now provides a consolidated view of your non-teaching activities and your teaching activities presented in MS Outlook calendar format. Please note that if your teaching timetable is not currently provided in electronic format via the Timetabling system you will not be able to view teaching activity in your Outlook calendar. 1.

Setting up your calendar You do not need to do anything to set up your consolidated calendar view. When Outlook is launched your teaching activity will automatically be displayed in your calendar.

Figure 1

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All teaching activity details come via the Timetabling system. Module codes will appear in the subject line, the module description and lecturer name will appear in the free text area.

Figure 2 2.

Disclaimer Disclaimer text will display in the free text area of every timetabled teaching activity in your calendar. Teaching activities in your calendar will only be updated if the change is made via the Timetabling system. You are advised to NEVER amend, move, delete or add attachments to teaching activities as any changes you make may be overwritten if your timetable changes. Example You attach PowerPoint slides of your lecture content to a timetabled teaching activity in your Outlook calendar. A location change is subsequently made to the activity as it cannot be delivered in the original room. The Timetabling system is updated to reflect this new information and because there has been a change, the activity will update in your Outlook Calendar. As your attachment is not part of the timetabling system, it will be removed from the activity appointment in your calendar. You can however, continue to add, amend and remove non-teaching activity in your calendar in the usual way.

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3.

How can I access my Outlook calendar on the device of my choice? You first need to synchronise your University email account to your device. Once this has been done, you will need to enable your University MS Outlook calendar. Detailed guides on how to do this, for the majority of devices, are available at IT Guides for Staff.

4.

Queries and contacts If you have any queries or encounter any problems not covered in Frequently Asked Questions, please contact the IT Helpline who will look into your query and forward to the relevant department that can help you. The Frequently Asked Questions below will also be available in IT KnowHow.

5.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1.

What if my timetabled activity is not displaying or does not display correctly in my calendar?

A.

Contact the IT Helpline who will answer your query if possible or forward it to the relevant department that can help you.

Q2.

Will non-teaching entries in my calendar be amended?

A.

No.

Q3.

How often will my calendar be updated with my timetabled teaching activities?

A.

There will be an initial update prior to the start of each academic year. Your calendar will subsequently update every time a change is made on the Timetabling system that affects your teaching activity.

Q4.

How long does it take to update my calendar when something has changed in the Timetabling system?

A.

Updates should normally be visible in your calendar within 5 – 10 minutes of the Timetabling system being updated. In some cases it may take a little longer. If your timetable has been updated and you do not see the same change in your Outlook calendar after 30 minutes, contact the IT Helpline.

Q5.

What happens if my timetabled activity is postponed or cancelled in the Timetabling system?

A.

The activity will be removed from all Timetable views and from your Outlook calendar.

Q6.

What happens if details such as date, time or location of a timetabled activity, is changed in the Timetabling system?

A.

Any changes made in the Timetabling system will be reflected in your Outlook calendar.

Q7.

What happens if I am removed from a timetabled activity?

A.

This activity will be removed from your Timetable and Outlook calendar.

Q8.

What if I am added to a new timetabled activity?

A.

This new activity will be added to your Timetable and as an appointment in your calendar.

Q9.

What happens if I have a teaching and non-teaching activity clash?

A.

Both activities will display in your calendar side by side (see example in Figure 1, Friday 10th, 13:00 – 15:00). It is your responsibility to resolve the clash. Non-teaching activity should be re-scheduled. Only exceptional

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changes will be made to teaching timetables post-publication and these must be requested via the agreed University process. Q10.

What if I have already manually entered my teaching activity into my calendar?

A.

This will not be updated but will show as a diary clash. Please refer to Q2 and Q9.

Q11.

What happens if I delete a timetabled teaching activity from my calendar?

A.

The appointment will stay deleted unless details of that activity are changed in the Timetabling system then a new appointment will be created in your calendar with the new details. You should not make any changes to a timetable entry in your Outlook calendar.

Q12.

What happens if I alter a timetabled teaching activity or add an attachment to it in my calendar?

A.

You are advised never to change a timetable activity, as this will no longer match the Timetabling system and any change you make will be lost if a subsequent change is made via the Timetabling system.

Q13.

Will colleagues still be able to view my availability?

A.

Yes, if you use the Scheduling Assistant in Outlook when organising meetings, both non-teaching and teaching activity will be included in free/busy information so colleagues will have a clear picture of your availability.

Q14.

Will I receive meeting requests by email for every teaching activity that is in my calendar?

A.

No, you will not receive meeting requests for teaching activities. You will still receive meeting requests in the usual way for your non-teaching activities.

Q15.

Can I opt out of the system?

A.

No, the University has adopted this mechanism for the publication of timetabled activity to staff and students to enhance the student experience, reduce manual effort and ensure we drive student satisfaction. This ‘One University’ solution supports the implementation of the University’s Timetable Policy and Principles.

Q16.

Can I still view my teaching timetable via the Timetabling Reports on the website?

A.

Yes, your teaching timetables are still available via the Timetabling Reports.

Q17.

I do not receive my teaching timetable electronically via the Timetabling system. Will I still be able to view my teaching activities in my calendar?

A.

No, all teaching activity details come from the Timetabling system therefore if your teaching timetable is not held electronically on the Timetabling system you will not see your teaching activity in your calendar.

Q18.

Can timetable activities in my calendar be colour coded?

A.

Unfortunately not, as there is no way to systematically colour-code these activities and guarantee that we avoid colour clashes with existing calendar entries.

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Q19.

Why are there timetabled activities in my calendar that I am not due to deliver?

A.

Information in your Outlook calendar is based on timetabling information provided by your Faculty and reflects your existing electronic timetable. This situation may arise where multiple staff are assigned to a timetabled activity rather than those who will actually deliver that activity. This will be resolved from Semester 2, 2014-15, by only timetabling staff against activities that they will deliver themselves.

Q20.

Why is my teaching available in my electronic timetable but not in my Outlook calendar?

A.

You must have a University computer ID to access your electronic timetable and receive your timetable via your Outlook calendar. The above scenario may occur if your University computer ID has not been included in your staff record on the Timetabling system. Please contact the IT Helpline in this scenario.

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