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SSO is able to manage a whole raft of permutations that relate to capacity limits. In this page, we'll look at the options available, and how to set these up. |
When to set capacity limits
Capacity limits should be one of the last things that you set up in Selection Process, because it is dependent on a combination of the selection and the location. If everything is where it should be, you're ready to go.
How to set capacity limits
To begin with, you need to have all of the selections in their correct place in the selection process.
Go to Checklist > Year X > Selection Process > Capacities
Once you're in the Capacity Limits screen, you'll see a table of any existing rules that you already have set up. Capacities rules can only be set up within the same course code.
To begin with, we're going to start with a fresh selection that doesn't already have any capacity limits set up for it.
Click the Add New button, then at the bottom of the table, choose a course code from the dropdown that you want to set a capacity limit for.
Selecting instances covered by the Capacity Limit
Once you've chosen the selection, further information will appear below.
On the left side you have the parameters of the rule you're setting.
On the right you have the instances of the selection occurring throughout the selection process.
Let's look at the right side first.
Because there are no other capacity limits applied for this course so far. Each of the grey arrows shows you a potential instance of the Selection that you can apply the rule to.
In this example, students are able to choose from three pathways (which you'll see next to each section), but in reality, the students are all on the same timetable. Within each Section there are multiple Instructions that the course occurs in.
In this case, let's assume that:
We want all students, irrespective of the pathway they've chosen, to be counted within the capacity limit.
We don't want to include reserve choices in the capacity limit, as they're a fall-back position after the timetable is formed,
andWhile the nature of Section 5 is for reserve choices, we want to include them in case their application for Industry pathway is rejected.
Click the arrows so that they turn green, for any instance of the course that should be included in the rule.
Any other instances that don't need a capacity limit (you don't have to have limits on everything), or will be part of a different rule, can stay as they are.
Setting Capacity Parameters
Now, we'll look at the left side of the Capacities page, which deals with the parameters of the rules.
'Individual' means that the rule would be applied per instance you have selected on the right.
'Shared' means that it will accept a cumulative total of the specified capacity for all selections made in the instances selected on the right on a first come, first served basis.
When determining what number to set for capacities, be mindful that your timetabling software would normally be allocating the students to classes.
If you were running two classes with up to 25 students per class, you should enter 50 as the capacity.
The section below provides information about Waitlist functionality and how to use it within SSO.
How to modify capacity limits
Go To: Checklist > Selection Process > Capacities
Locate the Capacity Limit you wish to review and select Edit/View.
This will display all current parameters of the Capacity Limit.
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Remember that a course code can have more than one capacity rule, but each instance of a course code can only be included in one capacity rule. |
While there are some limited opportunities to make changes when your event is active, it's more common that this will be done when you're setting up for a new event.
Before you start reviewing and modifying your capacity limits, make sure that you have all selections place in the location they will appear to students (after changes such as moving courses from one line to another, adding new courses, removing existing courses).
The next step should be for you to systematically go through the table of capacity limits you have now have in place within SSO, and modify these capacity limits if required, as a final check.
The list can be quite extensive, so if you have a lot of courses on offer, and there are significant changes from your last event, you may even consider deleting the existing capacity limits and starting again. To delete capacity limits, click on the checkboxes on the left side of the Course Code column, and a Delete button will appear for you to remove any unwanted capacity limits.
When you believe that you've updated your capacity limits completely, there's two things that you should do to check this.
Go and Act As a test student profile in the Monitor page, and check:
Selections that should have a capacity limit show an amber marker and the number of places available.
When you choose a Selection, what impact it has on any other instances of the same course (this is to check the Individual/Shared parameter you've set is correct.
Anything selections that show up in green have no capacity limit applied to them.
If this isn't correct, you either need to go in and add the instance of the selection into an existing rule or set a new rule up if the capacity limit is to stand alone.
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Something to be aware of.Where a student has not met a selection pre-requisite, the selection will also appear with the same, amber-coloured marker as a capacity limit (amber being universal colour for warning, of course), but will not show the number of spaces available. |
Waitlists
How Waitlist Works
Permitted
SSO will allow up to the number of selections defined in 'Capacity is'.
Students who fit within the capacity will see a green marker in their selection process next to the selection in question. Selections beyond this will appear as an amber marker, with '**WAITLISTED** next to the selection. These waitlists will retain their queue position. If a student who had a confirmed selection (a green one) removes their selection, the student at the front of the queue will automatically have their selection moved up to a confirmed selection - SSO will send an email out to the student , and will leave a notification within the application as well. This is completely automated , and cannot be adjusted.Not Permitted
SSO will allow up the the number of selections defined in 'Capacity is' and will then appear to students as unavailable for selection.
If a student with a confirmed selection withdraws, the newly - available person will be available to the next person who wants to select it.
Changes that will fly (including cancelling a Waitlist)
Increasing capacities is fine. If Waitlists are permitted, it will automatically confirm the positions next in queue.
If you're getting to the end of your event, you can change from Waitlist permitted to not permitted.
This will cancel the Waitlist and its positions in the queue (so be careful!). It will give you the option to send a notification to students (this will be in the form of an email and notification within SSO to the students). The notification can also have freeform text, so that you can advise students their Waitlist is not going to clear and instruct them to choose something else that still has space available.
Remember that you can also give a Time Extension to students in this situation, after the end date for the rest of the cohort.
Practical Applications
Example 1
If you have a fixed timetable structure, students may be seeing different pathways, but in reality, it is most likely the same timetable.
Let's say that you're offering Physical Education on Line 4 of your timetable, and that there are two classes with up to 30 students in each.
You would set up a Shared capacity of 60, with the same instances on each pathway selected.
The waitlist part is up to you. If you have an instruction/s dedicated to reserve choices, you should not select them as one of the instances.
Example 2
Let's say that you're offering English on Lines 1 and 4.
You know that you'll have the numbers for at least two (or maybe 3) classes of 30 on Line 1, and you've only got resources to run 3 classes of 30 for Line 4.
You'd set this up with two rules.
Firstly, let's do Line 1.
Click Add New, and choose English from the dropdown.
Set Shared (because the students are selecting for the same timetable, even though they are choosing through their respective pathways), enter the capacity of 60 (that's the two classes), and set Waitlist Permitted (in case you get the numbers to run the extra class).
Select the three instances on the right, so that the 60 applies cumulatively, then click Save.
Once you've saved the rule for Line 1, click Add New, then choose the same English from the dropdown.
The limit is still Shared, as it applies to instances across all three Pathways that will all be in the same classes together.
Enter 90 for Capacity, and because there aren't enough resources to have any more classes, choose Not Permitted for Waitlist.
The three Instances of English for Line 1 no longer have arrows next to them, because they already in another rule (the one we set up above).
We now need to select the three Line 4 instances, and then click Save - all done.
