Automated Timetable Scheduling & Facility Allocation

1. Overview & Business Value#

This comprehensive operational guide details the architecture, business workflows, configuration parameters, and execution steps for Automated Timetable Scheduling & Facility Allocation within SmartERP.

Generate conflict-free university timetables, allocate lecture halls and laboratories, and resolve scheduling collisions.

{screenshot:timetable-scheduling-and-facility-booking-overview-dashboard}

2. Prerequisites & Security Access Groups#

• Required Modules: smarterp_higher_education, smarterp_student_records
• Security Groups:
  • Admissions Officer (Technical ID: smarterp_higher_ed.group_admissions_user)
  • Registrar / Academic Dean (Technical ID: smarterp_higher_ed.group_registrar_manager)
  • Faculty Member / Instructor (Technical ID: smarterp_higher_ed.group_faculty_user)
• Master Data Dependencies: Faculties, departments, ECTS modular curricula, academic semesters (Ethiopian/Gregorian calendar), tuition fee schedules, and student master files.

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 Higher Education app icon.
4. From the top navigation bar, open Higher Education → Academic Registry → Students / Admissions / Courses / Grading.

{screenshot:timetable-scheduling-and-facility-booking-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 ID Number (Mandatory): Unique institutional student registration identifier
   • Full Name & National ID (Mandatory): Legal name matching Ministry of Education (MoE) enrollment records
   • Academic Program & Faculty (Mandatory): Approved undergraduate or postgraduate modular program
   • Semester Term (Mandatory): Active academic term adhering to ETA curriculum guidelines
3. Configure optional operational parameters and localized tags as required:
   • Course Prerequisite Override (Optional): Authorized waiver for advanced module enrollment
   • Tuition Sponsorship (Optional): Cost-sharing agreement or private employer corporate sponsorship
   • Dormitory & Campus Facility (Optional): Assigned residential block and meal plan access
4. Click the Save icon in the control bar to commit the record.

{screenshot:timetable-scheduling-and-facility-booking-record-creation-form}

Step 3: Validating and Processing Transactions#

• State Transitions: Execute operational state progression (Applied → Admitted → Registered / Enrolled → Active Study → Grades Finalized → Graduated).
• Ledger & System Impact: Semester registration automatically generates student tuition invoices in Accounts Receivable; fee settlement via Telebirr/CBE Birr marks student financially cleared.
• Audit Verification: Automated recording of author ID, timestamp, and immutable revision history.

{screenshot:timetable-scheduling-and-facility-booking-transaction-processing-state}

Automated Timetable Generation Engine#

SmartERP incorporates a constraint-satisfaction heuristic engine that optimizes lecture, laboratory, and tutorial schedules across the university.

The engine processes multidimensional constraints:

• Hard Constraints (Must Zero Collisions):
  • No professor assigned to teach two classes simultaneously.
  • No student section scheduled for two lectures in the same timeslot.
  • No lecture room booked beyond its verified seating capacity.
  • Specialized courses (e.g., Chemistry Lab) must be placed in compatible facilities.
• Soft Constraints (Optimization Targets):
  • Minimize student idle gaps between classes.
  • Distribute faculty teaching loads evenly across the 5-day week.
  • Avoid Friday afternoon bookings for core mandatory courses where possible.

Executing Timetable Optimization#

1. Navigate to Higher Education > Timetable > Automated Scheduler.
2. Select Academic Term: Semester I (2026/2027).
3. Select campus or faculty scope.
4. Click Run Constraint-Based Timetable Generator:
   • The engine iterates through genetic algorithms to resolve assignments.
5. Review the collision report:
   • If collisions occur, the dashboard highlights the specific bottleneck (e.g., "Insufficient computer lab capacity on Tuesday mornings").
6. Manually adjust flagged timeslots or add secondary facility rooms.
7. Click Publish Master University Timetable.

Room Booking for Ad-Hoc Academic Events#

For public lectures, guest seminars, and departmental defenses:

1. Open Higher Education > Facilities > Room Booking Calendar.
2. Select date and timeslot.
3. The system filters available rooms meeting capacity and multimedia criteria.
4. Submit booking; the Facility Manager approves or rejects based on campus maintenance schedules.

4. Advanced Configuration Points#

• Automated Actions & Scheduled Tasks (Crons):
  • Education: Compute semester GPA and cumulative CGPA (smarterp_higher_ed.ir_cron_cgpa_calc): Runs at the end of each examination period to compute student academic standing
  • Finance: Generate semester tuition fee invoices (smarterp_higher_ed.ir_cron_tuition_invoices): Runs prior to semester registration deadline
• Custom Print Templates & Reports:
  • Official Student Academic Transcript (MoE & ETA Standards)
  • Semester Course Registration & Clearance Slip
  • Student ID Card with Cryptographic QR Verification
  • Examination Results & Faculty Grade Distribution 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#