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Calendar & Scheduling Management - FAQs

Getting Started & Access

Q1: How do I access the Calendar & Scheduling Management module in Smart360? 

A: Navigate to the main dashboard and click on "Calendar & Scheduling" from the setup menu or utility configuration section. You'll see two main areas: Holiday Management and Working Days Schedule configuration. Only authorized users (Utility Administrator, System Admin, O&M Manager, Meter Reading Supervisor) can modify calendar settings.

Q2: Who has permission to modify calendar and scheduling settings?

 A: Calendar modification permissions are role-based:

  • Utility Administrator: Can add/modify holidays and working hours for their specific utility
  • System Admin (IT Director): Can configure settings across all utilities
  • O&M Manager: Accesses calendar for field operations scheduling
  • Meter Reading Supervisor: Uses calendar for precise working hours management

Q3: What are the two main sections in Calendar & Scheduling Management? 

A: The module has two primary sections:

  1. Holiday Management: Import standard holidays, add custom holidays, and manage holiday types
  2. Working Days Schedule: Configure weekday working hours, set weekend status, and use quick time presets

Holiday Management

Q4:Q3: What types of holidays can I configure in Smart360? 

A: Smart360 supports three holiday types:

  • Federal Holiday: Government-mandated holidays (e.g., New Year's Day, Independence Day)
  • Company Holiday: Organization-specific holidays (e.g., Founder's Day, Company Anniversary)
  • Observed Holiday: Holidays observed when federal holidays fall on weekends

Q5:Q4: How do I add a new holiday manually? 

A: To add a holiday manually:

  1. Navigate to the Holiday Management section
  2. Click on the calendar to select the desired date
  3. Click "Add Holiday" or the "+" button
  4. Enter the holiday name (required field)
  5. Select the holiday type from the dropdown (Federal, Company, or Observed)
  6. Click "Save" to add the holiday
  7. The holiday will appear color-coded on the calendar

Q6: Can I import standard holidays instead of adding them manually? 

A: Yes, Smart360 provides an option to import standard holidays. This feature automatically adds commonly recognized federal holidays to your calendar, saving time and ensuring consistency. You can still add custom company holidays manually after importing the standard set.

Q7:Q5: How do I edit or delete an existing holiday?

 A: To modify existing holidays:

  1. Click on the holiday date in the calendar view
  2. Select the holiday you want to edit from the list
  3. Click "Edit" to modify the name or type
  4. To delete, click "Delete" and confirm the action
  5. Remember to click "Save Changes" to apply modifications

Q8: What validation rules apply when adding holidays? 

A: Holiday validation includes:

  • No duplicates: Cannot add multiple holidays on the same date
  • Required fields: Holiday name and type must be specified
  • Valid dates: Only valid calendar dates can be selected
  • Holiday type: Must select from the three predefined types (Federal, Company, Observed)

Working Days Schedule Configuration

Q9:Q6: How do I configure working hours for my utility? 

A: To set up working hours:

  1. Navigate to the Working Days Schedule section
  2. Select each day of the week individually
  3. Set the day as "Working" or "Non-working"
  4. For working days, configure start and end times (e.g., 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM)
  5. Use the time sliders or direct input to set hours
  6. Click "Save Changes" to apply the configuration

Q10:Q7: What are the available quick time presets?

 A: Smart360 provides several quick time presets for common work schedules:

  • 8AM-3PM: 7-hour shift (early morning)
  • 8AM-4PM: 8-hour shift (standard)
  • 8AM-6PM: 10-hour shift (extended)
  • 7AM-3PM: 8-hour shift (very early)
  • 9AM-5PM: 8-hour shift (traditional office hours) Select any preset to automatically configure those hours for the selected day.

Q11:Q8: How do I set up weekend working hours? 

A: Weekend configuration options:

  1. Non-working weekends: Set Saturday and Sunday as non-working days (most common)
  2. Working weekends: Configure specific hours for Saturday and/or Sunday
  3. Partial weekends: Set one weekend day as working and one as non-working
  4. Different hours: Weekends can have different working hours than weekdays

Q12:Q9: Can I set different working hours for different days of the week? 

A: Yes, Smart360 allows individual day configuration. For example:

  • Monday-Thursday: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
  • Friday: 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM (early weekend start)
  • Saturday: 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM (half day)
  • Sunday: Non-working Each day can be configured independently to match your operational needs.

Q13:Q10: What time format does the system use? 

A: Smart360 uses 12-hour format with AM/PM indicators. Working hours must be between 00:00 (12:00 AM) and 23:59 (11:59 PM). The system automatically adjusts to your organization's timezone as configured in the organization setup.

Calendar Visualization & Navigation

Q14:Q11: How do I navigate between different months and years in the calendar? 

A: The calendar interface provides:

  • Month navigation arrows to move forward/backward
  • Year selection dropdown for quick year changes
  • "Today" button to return to current date
  • Monthly view as the default display
  • Annual view option for broader planning

Q15: How are different holiday types displayed visually? 

A: The calendar uses color-coding to distinguish holiday types:

  • Each holiday type has a distinct color (specific colors may vary by system theme)
  • Holidays are clearly marked on their respective dates
  • A legend shows which colors represent which holiday types
  • Selected dates are highlighted differently from regular holidays

Q16:Q12: Can I view holidays for multiple months at once? 

A: No, The system primarily displays monthly views, but you can:

  • Quickly navigate between months using navigation controls
  • View annual summaries of holidays
  • Export holiday lists for broader planning
  • Use the calendar overview to see patterns across months

Operational Impact & Integration

Q17: How do holiday settings affect other system operations? 

A: Holiday configurations impact:

  • Billing cycles: Holidays may delay bill generation and delivery
  • Meter reading schedules: No readings typically scheduled on holidays
  • Field operations: Work orders and maintenance scheduling avoid holidays
  • Customer service: Call center hours and response times adjusted
  • Payment processing: Automatic payment dates may shift around holidays

Q18: How do working hours affect system functionality? 

A: Working hours configuration influences:

  • Service request scheduling: Appointments only scheduled during working hours
  • Emergency response: Different protocols for after-hours emergencies
  • Staff scheduling: Automatic shift assignments based on configured hours
  • System maintenance: Updates and maintenance windows planned around working hours
  • Customer communications: Automated messages sent during business hours

Q19: Can I set up different working hours for different departments?

 A: The current system provides utility-wide working hours configuration. For department-specific schedules:

  • Configure the most common working hours as the default
  • Use the flexible day-by-day configuration for variations
  • Consider setting up multiple utility profiles if departments have vastly different schedules
  • Coordinate with your System Admin for complex multi-department scheduling needs

Troubleshooting & Common Issues

Q20:Q13: Why can't I save my holiday or working hours changes? 

A: Common issues preventing saves:

  • Missing required fields: Holiday name and type must be specified
  • Invalid time ranges: Start time must be before end time
  • Duplicate holidays: Cannot add multiple holidays on the same date
  • Permission issues: Ensure you have the necessary role permissions
  • Network connectivity: Check your internet connection
  • Session timeout: You may need to log in again

Q21:Q14: I added a holiday but it's not showing up in the calendar - what's wrong?

 A: Troubleshooting steps:

  1. Verify you clicked "Save Changes" after adding the holiday
  2. Check if you're viewing the correct month/year
  3. Ensure the holiday type is properly selected
  4. Refresh the calendar view
  5. Verify the date was selected correctly
  6. Check if there are any validation errors displayed

Q22:Q15: My working hours configuration isn't being applied - what should I check?

 A: Verify the following:

  • All days have a defined status (working or non-working)
  • Start and end times are within valid ranges (00:00-23:59)
  • You clicked "Save Changes" after configuration
  • No conflicting schedules exist
  • Your user role has permission to modify working hours

Q23:Q16: How do I handle holidays that fall on weekends?

 A: For weekend holidays:

  • Federal holidays: Add as "Federal Holiday" on the actual date
  • Observed holidays: Add as "Observed Holiday" on the weekday when it's observed
  • Company policy: Some organizations observe both the actual date and the observed date
  • Documentation: Clearly indicate your organization's policy for weekend holidays

Best Practices & Advanced Configuration

Q24:Q17: What's the recommended approach for setting up a new utility's calendar? 

A: Best practice setup sequence:

  1. Import standard holidays: Start with federal holidays for your region
  2. Add company holidays: Include organization-specific holidays
  3. Configure working hours: Set standard business hours first
  4. Test integration: Verify how calendar settings affect other modules
  5. Document policies: Maintain clear documentation of holiday and working hour policies
  6. Regular review: Schedule periodic reviews to update holidays and hours as needed

Q25: How often should I review and update calendar settings? 

A: Recommended review schedule:

  • Annually: Review and add upcoming year's holidays
  • Quarterly: Assess working hours effectiveness and adjust if needed
  • Monthly: Check for any special events or temporary schedule changes
  • As needed: Update for organizational changes, new regulations, or business requirements

Q26: Can I create templates for common holiday sets?

 A: While specific templating features aren't detailed in the documentation, you can:

  • Document your standard holiday configurations for reuse
  • Import standard holidays as a starting point
  • Maintain a master list of company holidays for consistency
  • Coordinate with other utilities in your organization for standardization

Q27: How do I handle time zone considerations? 

A: Time zone management:

  • The system uses your organization's timezone from the initial setup
  • All working hours and holidays are displayed in your local timezone
  • Coordinate with field operations across different time zones if applicable
  • Document timezone policies for multi-location utilities
  • Consider daylight saving time impacts on scheduling

Q28: What should I do if I need to make emergency changes to the calendar? 

A: For urgent calendar changes:

  1. Immediate updates: Add emergency holidays or modify working hours as needed
  2. Notification: Inform relevant departments about changes
  3. Documentation: Record the reason for emergency changes
  4. Review impact: Check how changes affect scheduled operations
  5. Follow-up: Plan for any necessary adjustments to affected schedules

Communication: Ensure all stakeholders are aware of temporary changes

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