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10 Minute Guide to Schedule+ for Windows 95

- Lesson 15 -
Working with the Planner

 
In this lesson, you will learn how to use the Planner tab to view your schedule at a glance.

Using the Planner Tab

For a different perspective of your busy schedule, take a look at it in Planner view. Click on the Planner tab on the left side of your view area. This opens your schedule in Planner view, as shown in Figure 15.1.

By default, the Planner view shows the schedule for several days as soon as you open it. However, you can change which days and weeks are in view, and you can change the size of each dateís space on-screen.

The Planner enables you to see a graphical display of your schedule in chunks of time. This graphical depiction is called the FREE/BUSY DISPLAY. Like the Daily and Weekly views, the Planner view shows your schedule with a vertical display of time increments. Instead of sorting through individual appointments on the schedule, you can easily see your scheduled commitments spread out over several days. If you open the Planner view tab after using any of the other scheduling tabs, the Planner displays the same time and dates as the previous view tab.

Figure 15.1 Planner view organizes your schedule into free and busy blocks of time.

Also on your screen is the Date Navigator, which you may recognize from the Daily view tab, and an Attendees box, which lists the other networked users that you invite to the meetings you schedule. You use the Attendees box only when youíre networked with other Schedule+ users. (You learn more about using the Attendees box in Lesson 17.)

If you use the Planner view in group-enabled mode (on a network), you see a few different buttons on your screen. The Invite and Request Meeting buttons enable you to setup meetings with other network users. (Youíll learn how to use these buttons in Lessons 16 and 17.) If you use the Planner tab in stand-alone mode (not on a network), you donít see an Invite button, and instead of the Request Meeting button, your screen shows a New Appointment button. You use the New Appointment button to schedule new appointments on your schedule. If you click on it, Schedule+ opens the Appointment dialog box, described in Lesson 5.

With the Planner view, you find that itís a lot easier to look at your schedule when itís spread out in blocks of time over several days. You can easily point out available time blocks. If youíre networked, you can view other usersí Planner views to help you organize meetings for all attendees.

Hey, This Planner Looks Familiar If you already peeked at the Planner tab in the Appointment dialog box, youíve seen this feature already. Of course, it was a scaled-down view, but it was still the Planner.

Changing the Planner Display

The Planner view shows the schedule for several days as soon as you open it. However, you can change which days and weeks are in view, and you can also change the size of three main elements on-screen.

To change the dates in view on the Planner tab, use any of these methods, which are pointed out on FIgure 15.2.

  • Click on the left arrow button to move the view back one week.

  • Click on the right arrow button to move the view forward one week.

  • To return your view to the current date, click on the

  • Today button on the toolbar.

  • Use the Date Navigator to select a specific date to view. Just click on the day you want to see in the Date Navigatorís calendar. To change the month the Date Navigator displays, click on the left or right arrow buttons in the corners of the calendar.

  • You can also view a day quickly with the Go To Date button on the toolbar. This button works the same as the Date Navigator calendar.

 

Figure 15.2 Schedule+ offers you many ways to change the dates that you see in the Planner view.

Shortcut Menu! To quickly view dates in the Planner view, right-click on the Date Navigator calendar. When the shortcut menu appears, select the Today or Go To command.

Changing the Sizes of Planner Elements

You can enlarge the amount of space each of the three elements of the Planner view takes up. For example, if you want to see more of the schedule and less of the Date Navigator and Attendees box, you can use your mouse to drag the border separating the elements to a new dimension. Follow these steps to resize any of the elements:

1. Move your mouse pointer over the border separating the elements you want to enlarge or reduce. The mouse pointer turns into a double-headed arrow when you place it over a border, as shown in Figure 15.3.



Figure 15.3 Drag the borders to resize the elements in the Planner view.

2. Hold down the left mouse button and drag the pointer in the direction you want to enlarge or reduce.

3. Let go of the mouse button, and Schedule+ resizes the elements.

Reading the Planner Schedule

Before you can use the Planner feature effectively, you need to know how to read the blocks of time it displays on-screen. Depending on your setup (networked or not networked), the Planner reveals different items on-screen. While the Planner is very helpful in stand-alone mode, it is even more useful in a network situation. Planner view uses these helpful features:

  • The blue lines, called bars, represent your appointments (see Figure 15.4). You can quickly see at a glance what times you are busy.

 

Figure 15.4 The blue bars represent your busy times.

  • The vertical gaps between the blue bars represent open chunks of time. This view enables you to see when youíre available for other appointments or commitments.

  • To see the details about a particular appointment, double-click on one of the bars. This reveals whose appointment it is. Click on the name to see details about the appointment.

  • If you work in stand-alone mode (not connected to other computer users), your screen shows a New Appointment button. You can use the New Appointment button to quickly set another appointment on your schedule.

  • If you work in group-enabled mode (networked with other users), your screen shows a Request Meeting button. You can use this button to invite other networked users to your meetings.

In this lesson, you learned how to use the Planner tab to view busy and free times on your schedule. In the next lesson, youíll learn how to use Schedule+ in a network environment.

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