SIMS.Net & Timetable planning

[Sivadam]

One wonders why any SIMS users would even contemplate using Timetable packages other than NT6 ................

[Keith-Johnson]

In response to "Sivadam"'s question :
it is because TimeTabler includes features that T6 does not have, and is thought by many many Users to be more friendly and intuitive than T6.

See the Testimonials at:
Users' Comments and Testimonials about TimeTabler

[MattMitchell]

I'm beginning to think that Sivadam is a shareholder rather than a partner!

Seriously though, it makes sense for a school to continue to use their existing timetabling solution, as long as it works with SIMS. Timetabling and the software to do it are complex, and retraining to use a new package can be risky, time-consuming and costly.

[vikpaw]

I'm beginning to think that Sivadam is a shareholder rather than a partner!

[MattMitchell]

One wonders why any SIMS users would even contemplate using Timetable packages other than NT6 ................

To be fair, we get Nova-T6 as part of our LA SIMS package, along with various essentials like AM7, etc. In that situation, it makes sense to go with Nova unless there is a strong business case to do otherwise!

Nova does seem pretty good. We have a complex timetable, with streams, mixed streams, sets that divide streams up, sets that cross the entire year, offsite provision, etc, and Nova handles all of these.

Also, I've not tried the demo of Timetabler yet, but it looks like you have to assign teaching staff before arranging the timetable. This may not always be the best method: we have a number of staff skilled in more than one subject area, and restricting staffing in this way wouldn't fulfil our needs.

Also, does timetabler cover rooming? Nova does integrate with SIMS very well, and certainly at the moment I can't see a case for moving away from it for us.

[DavidHayton]

One wonders why any SIMS users would even contemplate using Timetable packages other than NT6 ................

Because, from a timetabling perspective (I'm a school timetabler, not a systems manager), I find Timetabler to be far superior. The way in which it prioritises activities during scheduling, and searches for solutions when they don't appear to fit at all is astonishing.

When I've finished scheduling it transfers the timetable into SIMS.net in just the same way as T6. From there on we use SIMS to print timetables, arrange cover, etc, etc.

David Hayton
King Henry VIII School, Coventry

[DavidHayton]

Also, I've not tried the demo of Timetabler yet, but it looks like you have to assign teaching staff before arranging the timetable. This may not always be the best method: we have a number of staff skilled in more than one subject area, and restricting staffing in this way wouldn't fulfil our needs.

Also, does timetabler cover rooming? Nova does integrate with SIMS very well, and certainly at the moment I can't see a case for moving away from it for us.

No you don't have to assign teachers to subjects before you start scheduling with Timetabler. You can assign subjects to an activity at any stage during the timetabling process.

Timetabler does the rooming very well. When editing the rooming at the end of the process it has a very powerful drag-and-drop facility that can move activities between rooms quickly and intuitively.

Timetabler integrates with SIMS. net in exactly the same way as T6 does - it uses the same import wizard.

David Hayton
King Henry VIII School, Coventry

[wilmslow]

I find the Johnson package superior that why I use it but at the end of the day its what you are happy with. As a timetabler in a large school(2000 pupils, 500+ sixth form, 120+ staff) I find the fit facility a tool I could not live without.