Overview
As with all other applications, the best starting point to learn more about the program is by getting familiar with its user interface. RAPLA is a powerful tool with the most intuitive user interface design. If you have used other timetabling software before, RAPLA is pretty much the same, except for the features we’ve discussed in the introduction of this documentation, as to why we chose RAPLA. It’s just a matter of familiarising yourself with all the menus, buttons, and all possible functionalities you can do with it. This knowledge article will give you a comprehensive discussion of its interface for everyone who are already familiar, and the (not so familiar) new users of timetabling application.
Navigation
Section 1: Side Menus
The left hand side of the window shows the Configuration Tree. This section is divided into two: the top section is composed of all the main configuration folders (Resources, Users, Event Type, Categories, and Periods) while the section at the bottom contains the folder Conflicts which will show you the number of conflicting events created, and which resources are making the conflicts. This section will also affect the main calendar view of RAPLA (see below for examples).
Configuration Folder | Definition | Visibility |
|---|---|---|
 | Resource is a very generic definition. In a provider/institution context, resources can be rooms, laptops, projectors, staff members (teachers, tutors, etc.). By default (depending on your business or institution’s requirements), your RAPLA is configured into 3 Types of Resources: Facility, Equipment, and Staff. Related Page: Add New Resources in RAPLA | Yes to ALL Users |
 | User can be an administrator or non - administrator, e.g. reception, registrar. Any RAPLA users with an administrator level can add new users to RAPLA. Related Page: Add New Users in RAPLA | Admin Only |
 | Allow full customisation: By default, we’ve set it to Student Booking, Generic Meeting, Generic Event, and Paradigm Session. The Event Type in creating sessions to be imported to Paradigm should be set as Paradigm Session. Related Page: Create Sessions or Events in RAPLA | Admin Only |
 | Configuration for advanced users. Unless it’s necessary, this configuration folder is best left managed by our team. Please feel free to contact our Support Team if you have any questions on this section. | Admin Only |
 | RAPLA provide support for fixed periods/terms. Simply enter the start and end date and enter the customised Period name. e.g. ‘2022 Semester 1’. This section should be updated every time you add an event which relates to a specific time period. The time period set here should also match the time period you’ve coded in Paradigm. Related Page: Add Time Periods in RAPLA | Admin Only |
 | Conflict happens when two scheduled meetings (or any events) have the same time and date or using the same resources (teaching staff or room facility). This section will give you the details of the conflicting resources. The number specified on the right of the configuration folder is equivalent to the number of conflicting resources you’ve created. | Admin Only |
How Side Menus when Selected Affect the Main Calendar View
NOTE: Selecting the Side Menus is only one of the many ways you can control the Main Calendar View of RAPLA. The screenshots in the example below shows an output when one of the Side Menus is selected with a Calendar Type used as Week.
Selecting the Resources Configuration Folder
– it will display all the colour coded sessions or events created within the specified date, calendar type, and other filters
Selecting one of the Resources e.g. Facility > Room
– it will display all the sessions or events created using the selected facility or room within the specified date, calendar type, and other filters
Selecting one of the Resources e.g. Staff
– it will display all the sessions or events created which has the name of the staff or member selected within the specified date, calendar type, and other filters.
NOTE: If you are an admin, you can also select the Users Configuration Folder and select any of the users registered, and you can view all the sessions or events each of the user created within the specified date, calendar type, and other filters.
Section 2: Top Menu Bar
The top menu bar gives you control over the view you can see in Section 3: Main Calendar View. This contains the normal menus (File, Edit, View, and Help), the current logged in user (red texts on the upper right section, e.g. User silverband 
If you are an administrator, you have the option to switch in between accounts, see below Switch Account View for more details), the two types of Filters you can use, and all the other buttons and menus to control the main calendar view (please check the table below for each button and menu description).
Buttons | Description |
|---|---|
 | Top Menus (File, Edit, View, Help) The only menu item here that you would normally use is the Edit > Options > Calendar if you want to make some changes on the Main Calendar View. Expand the section below for more details on what settings you can change in the Main Calendar View: Calendar Edit Preferences |
 | Currently Logged In User. If you are an admin user, you can switch in between accounts if you want to change some configuration / settings to other users of RAPLA. Expand the section below if you want to know how to: Switch Account View |
 | Save button for the left side of the filter setting (mainly for resources and Person) |
 | Publish URL button, popular option is HTML Publish. This is useful if you want to give a copy of the sessions or events created to non-RAPLA users. To learn more about this feature, jump to 7. Publish HTML Calendar View. |
 | Minimise the left side of the configuration tree, if selected, RAPLA only displays the main calendar view. |
 | Calendar type view allows you to switch between Week, Week/Resource, Month, Day/Resource, Day, Appointments, Events. See the expand section below (Calendar Types) for more details on how this menu works. |
 | Date selection bar allows you to either enter a new date or click the forward and back arrows ◀ ▶. |
 | Select this option before creating any Paradigm Session event type. You can also select this option if you want to check the events created in a particular time period. |
 | There are two types of filters you can use in RAPLA to control your main calendar view. The first one on the right will let you filter the view by Event Type while the one on the left is by Resource Type. See the expand section below (Applying Filters) for more details on how these filters work. |
Calendar Edit Preferences
NOTE: Changes you will be making on this menu will impact the view of your Main Calendar View section and for all other users of RAPLA in your business or institution.
1 Choose Edit > Options menus on the Top Menu Bar.
2 An Edit Preferences pop up window will appear with all the possible settings you can change. see the table below for a reference on what each field setting does.
Calendar | What it does |
|---|---|
Rows per hour | By default, you have 2 rows per hour, representing 30 mins each. You can change this number of rows depending on how you want to divide the minutes of your hourly rows. Default Setup:  |
Start time | It controls the white spaced start hour in your Main Calendar View. By default, it is set to 9:00AM with an End time at 6:00 PM. Depending on your start and end time schedule, you can change it to earlier than 9:00AM. Default Setup:  |
End time | It controls the white spaced end hour in your Main Calendar View. By default, it is set to 6:00PM with an Start time at 9:00 AM. Depending on your start and end time schedule, you can change it to later than 6:00PM. Default Setup:  |
Color | This will let you choose whether to disable the colours in your events or only choose to colour Events or Resources or both.  |
Display exceptions in calendar | If ✔ checked, exceptions are displayed |
Events not matched by filter | You have the option to make the events which are not matched by filter to be transparent (which is by default) or completely make it hidden by selecting the Not visible option. |
Day 1 of the week | The first column day of your main calendar view. By default, it’s set to Monday  |
Days in Weekview | How many days you want to be displayed in the calendar. By default, it’s set to 5 from Mondays-Fridays  |
Minimum block width | If you want to set a minimum width percentage for your blocks, you can set this field up. |
Exclude days | If your sessions or events would have some days you want to exclude permanently, you can set this field here. |
3 Click the Save button after editing your preferences.
Switch Account View
NOTE: The instructions below assume that you have an Administrator account in RAPLA, else, the switching in between account is not possible. Contact your Nominated Contact Person if you want a change in your RAPLA Access Level.
1 First, check the current User from the top right hand corner (in this case, Silverband is the current logged in user).
2 Hover your mouse to the User configuration folder section, right click on the user account you want to log into, and select the Switch to option.
3 You will notice the screen has been refreshed with a welcoming message from the top right hand corner. After the message, you will see that the current logged in name will change into the new account that you’ve switched into.
NOTE: If you want to log back in the original user account. Go to the left hand top corner and select File > Administrator > Switch back. You will log back in to your original account.
INFO: If you switched to another administrator account, you can always logged back in or go back to your own admin account by following the same instruction as step 2 in the above section.
Calendar Types
NOTE: Selecting any of the calendar types will also change the Calendar Main View. You can always change your view anytime you want depending on the required or necessary view you want for all your sessions or events (each calendar type view will be discussed below in details).
CALENDAR TYPE 1: Events
– when selected, it will display all the names of the events created in the specified date, time period, and other filters. It will also display the Start date and time of each event and when it was last changed.
CALENDAR TYPE 2: Appointments
– when selected, it will display all the set appointments of all the events created in a specified date, time period, and other filters. It will display the name of the appointment, the start and end date, resource used, and the persons or staff involved.
CALENDAR TYPE 3: Day
– when selected, it will display all the sessions or events created on one specified date (day) only. You can select any date from the Date menu to view all the sessions or events created on that day. This is very useful if you want to view every minute details of your day to day events.
CALENDAR TYPE 4: Day/Resource
– when selected, the column headers on your Calendar View will change, listing all the Resources types (Facility, Equipment, Staff) and all the sessions or events created utilising each of them on your specified date (day). This is very useful if you want to resolve conflicts with your Resources.
CALENDAR TYPE 5: Week
– when selected, it will display the whole week sessions or events created on the specified date in the Date menu. You can select any date from the Date menu to move forward and back, to view all the sessions or events created week by week.
CALENDAR TYPE 6: Week/Resource
– when selected, the row headings will change, listing all the Resources types (Facility, Equipment, Staff) and all the sessions or events created utilising each of them for the whole week of your specified date.
CALENDAR TYPE 7: Month
– when selected, it will display the whole month sessions or events created on the specified date of the month in the Date menu. You can select the forward and back arrows◀ ▶ from the Date menu to view all the sessions or events created month by month.
Applying Filters
NOTE:
Applying filters will affect the contents of your main calendar view. Hidden events will either appear with a semi-transparent overlay or be outright hidden based upon your user profile settings (see the above section on how to make it transparent or hidden: Calendar Edit Preferences).
The event types, resource types, and all the other variables used to filter more the sessions and events view are highly customisable. Please feel free to contact our Support Team if you have any questions to the default types and variables mentioned in the examples below.
2 Types of Filters in RAPLA
1 By Event Type
1 Select the Filter option on the right.
2 You have the option to select everything (puts a ✔ checkmark to all the event types) or select nothing (removes or clear the ✔ to all the event types) to all the event types mentioned: Student Booking, Generic Meeting, Generic Event, and Paradigm Session.
EVENT TYPE 1: Student Booking
– when selected, it will display all the events created with the Student Booking type, unless you’ve added more filters as mentioned in the instructions below.
3 To select the Student Booking type, make sure that the checkbox is ✔checked.
4 You have the option to be more specific with your filter by clicking the New rule for dropdown menu, and select if you want to view either by Student name, Student Number, or Campus.
5 After selecting either by Student name, Student Number, or Campus, a new condition will appear asking you to filter more your selection if it contains or starts with by typing on the text field provided or the options, e.g. selecting Student name which contains “Smith” will display events created with Student Booking type with student names which contains “Smith”.
6 You can also nest your rules by selecting the New rule for dropdown menu again and select either by Student name, Student Number, or Campus again. e.g. selecting Campus and select one of the campuses option.
NOTE: You follow the same instructions for all the other event types in the Filter. The following screenshots will give you an overview of the possible rules or options you can add to filter more the calendar or main view, with each event type selected.
EVENT TYPE 2: Generic Meeting
EVENT TYPE 3: Generic Event
EVENT TYPE 4: Paradigm Session
Other Paradigm Session New rule for options are Department/School, Group Number, and Class number.
Sample Paradigm Session Nested Rules Filter
MAIN CALENDAR VIEW: With the nested rules applied above, only Unit Codes that contains ‘Accounting’ OR starts with ‘ACC’, AND in ‘Melbourne Campus’, AND with a Delivery Mode of ‘On Campus’ will be emphasized. The rest will be blurred out (see sample main calendar view below).
NOTE:
To delete the rules, just click the DELETE button (bin icon) beside your added rules.
To exit from the Filters window, just click the Filter button again. Keep in mind that the changes you’ve made under these menus will automatically be saved. You can always go back and change your filters anytime (as necessary or as required).
2 By Resource Type
1 Select the Filter option on the left.
2 You have the option to select everything (puts a ✔ checkmark to all the resource types) or select nothing (removes or clear the ✔ to all the resource types) to all the resource types mentioned: Facility, Equipment, and Staff.
RESOURCE TYPE 1: Facility
– when selected, it will display all the events created with the Facility resource type, unless you’ve added more filters as mentioned in the instructions below.
3 To select the Facility type, make sure that the checkbox is ✔checked.
4 You have the option to be more specific with your filter by clicking the New rule for dropdown menu, and select if you want to view either by Campus, Room Name, Room ID, etc.
5 After selecting a New rule for variable, a new condition will appear asking you to filter more your selection if it contains or starts with by typing on the text field provided or the options, e.g. selecting Room Name which contains “Tute” will display events created with Facility type with room names which contains “Tute”.
6 You can also nest your rules by selecting the New rule for dropdown menu again and select another variable. e.g. selecting Campus and select one of the campuses option, facility type and select one of the options.
NOTE: You follow the same instructions for all the other event types in the Filter. The following screenshots will give you an overview of the possible rules or options you can add to filter more the calendar or main view, with each event type selected.
RESOURCE TYPE 2: Equipment
RESOURCE TYPE 3: Staff
NOTE:
To delete the rules, just click the DELETE button (bin icon) beside your added rules.
To exit from the Filters window, just click the Filter button again. Keep in mind that the changes you’ve made under these menus will automatically be saved. You can always go back and change your filters anytime (as necessary or as required).
Section 3: Main Calendar View
This is where all the sessions or events are created, shown or displayed.
The display or view of your main calendar will depend on the following:
A | Selected Date and Period menus on the Top Menu Bar. The session or events displayed will change as you change or adjust the date and time period. You have the option to jump from the older dates or periods to the current and the future ones. |
B | The layout and format of the gridlines display will depend on whether you selected: Week, Week/Resource, Month, Day/Resource, Day, Appointments, Events (see above section: Calendar Types for more details on changing views by calendar type). |
C | Filters either by Event Types, or by Resources (see above section: Applying Filters for more details on applying filters, and how to make the filtered sessions transparent or hidden: Calendar Edit Preferences). |
D | Your selection on the left Side Menus (as discussed in the above section), e.g. selecting a specific Resource like one staff member will only show the events related to that individual, selecting one user will display all the events created by that user, selecting the Resources Configuration Folder will display all the events or sessions created by all users. |
Introduction to RAPLA | 1. Install RAPLA | 2. Get Familiar with the RAPLA User Interface | 3. Create Users | 4. Add New Resources: Facility, Equipment, Staff | 5. Create Time Periods | 6. Create Sessions or Events | 7. Publish RAPLA | 8. Synchronise Sessions to Paradigm