As each part of the timetable is constructed, the Load Students choice will determine the practicality of the class placement by loading students into the classes that are already assigned periods. To load students into classes, choose Scheduling, Load Students. You will see a box with these check boxes:
Limit class size to set maximum: When this is checked, Load Students will not put more than the maximum number of students you specified in the Classes File into the class. It is best to check this off when you run Load Students for the last time when the final timetable is created.
Replace conflicting elective choices with alternate choices: If this box is checked, the computer will try to find a timetable for each student. If there is a conflict, and some of the students choices are marked as Electives and Alternates, it will try replacing an Elective choice with an Alternate choice to get a timetable.
Load partial timetables where single conflict exists: Load Students will load a student into all but one of his/her choices when there is a single conflict if this is checked. Students with more than one conflict (multiple conflicts) will not be loaded into any classes.
Balance classes by gender when possible: Load Students will load students into classes evenly based on gender. However, in order to save a conflict it will unbalance the gender.
During the loading of students, the following information is displayed on the screen:
Single Conflicts: The number of students who would have a conflict in their timetable if all of their choices were considered but are successfully given a timetable by considering all choices but one (i.e. the conflict may be resolved by removing one of their choices). Students with single conflicts are assigned to all the classes except one of the classes in conflict.
Multiple Conflicts: The number of students who would still have a conflict in their timetable if one of their choices were removed. Students with multiple conflicts are not assigned to any classes.
Student name: The name of the student currently under consideration is displayed along with the number of the student. The number represents the number of students processed so far.
Attempts: Each student is loaded into every timetable possible (for the choices the student has selected) until a timetable without conflicts is found. The number of attempts to assign a timetable to the student is displayed.
Pass Number: All the students in the school may be loaded into classes up to 5 times. Load Students may make up to 5 passes and the number of the current pass is displayed. Initially, when the objective is to locate areas for improvement rather than to produce a final student loading, it is quite appropriate to make a single pass.
Stop after pass number: You have the option here to change the number of passes using the drop down menu. Changing the number of passes during the process will not affect the outcome.
Interrupt: Click this to interrupt the loading of students