Academic structures, calendars, and timetables

1. Overview & Business Value#

This comprehensive operational guide details the architecture, business workflows, configuration parameters, and execution steps for Academic structures, calendars, and timetables within SmartERP.

SmartERP School Core and Academic modules configure the institutional hierarchy and daily operational timetable of the school.

{screenshot:academic-calendar-and-timetables-overview-dashboard}

2. Prerequisites & Security Access Groups#

• Required Modules: smarterp_school, smarterp_academic
• Security Groups:
  • Teacher / Instructor (Technical ID: smarterp_school.group_school_teacher)
  • Academic Registrar (Technical ID: smarterp_school.group_school_registrar)
  • Principal / Headmaster (Technical ID: smarterp_school.group_school_manager)
• Master Data Dependencies: Academic grade levels (Primary, Middle, Secondary), curriculum syllabus, examination schedules, fee structures, and guardian records.

3. Step-by-Step Configuration & Execution#

Step 1: Navigating to the Module Interface#

1. Log into your SmartERP instance at https://smarterp.et/odoo.
2. Open the main App Switcher (grid icon in the top-left corner).
3. Select the School Management app icon.
4. From the top navigation bar, open School Management → Students / Classes / Attendance / Gradebook.

{screenshot:academic-calendar-and-timetables-app-switcher-navigation}

Step 2: Creating and Parameterizing Records#

1. Click the New button in the top-left control panel.
2. Complete the mandatory fields in the record form:
   • Student Full Name (Mandatory): Legal name matching Ministry of Education student census
   • Grade & Section (Mandatory): Assigned academic level and classroom division
   • Guardian Emergency Contact (Mandatory): Primary parent/guardian phone number and address
   • Academic Term / Year (Mandatory): Current academic operational calendar year
3. Configure optional operational parameters and localized tags as required:
   • Transportation Route (Optional): Designated school bus route and stop
   • Extracurricular Activities (Optional): Student sports, clubs, and academic societies
   • Medical Notes & Allergies (Optional): School nurse emergency health details
4. Click the Save icon in the control bar to commit the record.

{screenshot:academic-calendar-and-timetables-record-creation-form}

Step 3: Validating and Processing Transactions#

• State Transitions: Execute operational state progression (Application → Enrolled → Active Student → Continuous Assessment → Final Assessment → Promoted / Graduated).
• Ledger & System Impact: Tuition fees create customer invoices in Accounts Receivable; fee receipts post to bank and cash clearing journals.
• Audit Verification: Automated recording of author ID, timestamp, and immutable revision history.

{screenshot:academic-calendar-and-timetables-transaction-processing-state}

Academic calendar configuration#

Schools define their operational calendar aligned with the Ethiopian academic schedule:

• Academic Year: Configured with start and end dates (e.g., 2026/2027 Academic Year / 2019 ዓ.ም).
• Academic Terms / Semesters: Subdivided into quarters or semesters (e.g., Semester I: September–January, Semester II: February–June).
• Active Year Constraints: The system enforces that only one academic year is flagged as active per campus, preventing teachers from mistakenly entering grades into historical periods.

Programs, grade levels, and sections#

1. Academic Programs: Defines curriculum frameworks (e.g., Ethiopian National Curriculum, Cambridge International, IB Primary Years).
2. Grade Levels: Structured progression from Kindergarten through Grade 12.
3. Class Sections: Physical student groupings per grade (e.g., Grade 9A, Grade 9B) with room capacity limits and designated homeroom teachers.

Conflict-free timetable scheduling#

flowchart TD
    SUB[Subject Syllabus: e.g. Physics 4h/week] --> ALLOC[Assign Qualified Teacher: Mr. Abebe]
    ROOM[Classroom: Lab 2] --> TIME[Time Slot: Monday 09:00 - 10:00]
    ALLOC --> SEC[Section: Grade 10B]
    
    SEC & TIME & ROOM --> ENGINE{SmartERP Timetable Scheduler}
    ENGINE -->|Check Teacher Double Booking| OK1[No Clash]
    ENGINE -->|Check Room Availability| OK2[Room Free]
    ENGINE --> PUBLISH[Publish Live Class Schedule]

Timetables are published directly to teacher and student portals, with automatic email and SMS alerts if emergency room or teacher substitutions occur.

4. Advanced Configuration Points#

• Automated Actions & Scheduled Tasks (Crons):
  • School: Generate term grade report cards (smarterp_school.ir_cron_gradecards): Runs at the end of each term to compile student transcripts
  • School: Daily parent attendance notification via SMS (smarterp_school.ir_cron_attendance_sms): Runs daily at 09:30 to notify guardians of student absences
• Custom Print Templates & Reports:
  • Official Student Report Card & Academic Transcript
  • Classroom Daily Attendance Register
  • Term Tuition Billing & Fee Collection Ledger
• Multi-Company Rules: Record-level security isolation under Company 1 (Ashewa Technology Solutions S.C.), preventing cross-company ledger leakage across parent and subsidiary legal entities.

5. Comprehensive Troubleshooting Matrix#