The Workshop Loading system uses a calendar to create the Loading days in Point-of-Sale and to determine non-productive days such as bank holidays. Indexed by the shift, or resource, and the year, this contains a map of whether the shift/resource is active on the respective days of the year.
These calendars need to be created on a yearly basis, and it is advisable to have them in place about six months before the end of the year. Three years' calendars are retained within the system: the annual calendars for last year, the current year and next year, are system-generated and based on the system date.
The first job is to create a calendar for the year. You only need to create one calendar per year.
You should select Workshop Calendar within Workshop Loading.
You now need to link:
SHIFTS to the Workshop Calendar within Workshop Loading, and then
TECHNICIANS to the SHIFTS in Resource Availability. (You load up a technician and assign the technician a shift.)
To load a shift on the Workshop Calendar Form:
Select the appropriate shift in the Select shift 
box.
Select the current year in the Select Year box, then click the Load Shift button to load the selected combination of Shift and Year in the Adjustment grid.
The shift pattern overlays onto the calendar. Green indicates available days to load for this shift.
Left-clicking on a square brings up the Adjusted Availability Form's grid, where the relevant adjustment and reason can be input.
Click Save to exit and save.
Repeat for each shift pattern you have set up.
The Workshop Calendar form is displayed when you select the Workshop calendar option from the WORKSHOP LOADING MENU. The annual calendars for the previous, current, and next years are system- generated, based on the system date.
Note: The Annual calendar will require amendment to exclude public holidays (and other days when the workshop will be closed) from the availability.
Load
Select shift: Select one of the following shifts from the drop-down
Normal weekday
Saturday mornings
Select year: Select one of the following years from the drop-down
2005
2006
2007
and so on.
Load shift: Click the Load shift button to load the selected combination of Shift and Year in the Adjustment grid.
Year [XXXX]: Click the Year [XXXX] button to load the Annual calendar for the selected Year in the Adjustment grid.
Note: The Select shift field must be blank to activate this function.
Edit
Wizard...: Click the Wizard button to open the Calendar Wizard form.
Key
Colour
Description
Highlights the days of the year on which the shift is operational
Highlights the days on which the shift is absent
Save
Save: Click the Save button when the fields on the Adjustment grid have been set.
Cancel: Click the Cancel button to escape from the Adjustment grid without saving the data that has been entered.
PUSH BUTTONS
Exit: Returns you to the WORKSHOP LOADING Menu
Help: Displays help on the current program using the default browser
The Calendar Wizard form is displayed when you click the Wizard button on the Workshop Calendar form. This form allows quick entry or amendment of the general usage pattern for the Shift.
Tip: The first time a new Shift and Year combination is selected, the Calendar Wizard form opens automatically.
Tick the check-box next to the days on which the shift will operate.
Note: Changes made through the wizard will overwrite prior entries for that Calendar - for example, clicking the field next to Monday makes every Monday an Active day.
