All help topics

Setup & Configuration

Bell Times

Configure your school's daily schedule by creating bell time schedules with class periods and break times. Organize different schedules for regular days, exam days, or special events.

Start from the left sidebar navigation menu:

  1. Look for the "Bell Times" menu item in the left sidebar (clock icon)
  2. Click on "Bell Times" to navigate to this page
  3. The page will load and display: "Bell Times" header with description, four action buttons (Add Schedule, Edit Schedule, Delete Schedule, Add Bell Time), schedule selection buttons, and a table showing all bell times for the selected schedule

Overview

The Bell Times page lets you manage your school's daily time structure by creating multiple schedules (like "Regular Schedule", "Exam Schedule", "Half Day Schedule") and defining the periods within each schedule. For each schedule, you can add class periods (like "Period 1: 8:00 AM - 8:45 AM") and break times (like "Morning Break: 8:45 AM - 9:00 AM"), edit time slots when changes are needed, delete periods that are no longer required, and switch between different schedules to manage them independently. Each bell time includes a period name, start time, end time, and a toggle to mark it as a break period.

Tasks

Create - Create New Schedule

Navigation: Start from sidebar → Click "Bell Times" → Page loads

Steps:

  1. Click Button: Click the "Add Schedule" button in the header area
  2. Dialog Opens: A modal appears titled "Create New Schedule"
  3. Fill Schedule Name: In the "Schedule Name" field, enter a name like "Regular Schedule" or "Exam Schedule"
  4. Submit: Click the "Create New Schedule" button in the dialog
  5. Dialog Closes: The modal closes automatically
  6. Result: A new schedule button appears in the schedule selection area with the name you entered, and the schedule is now selected (showing an empty bell times table)

Required Fields: Schedule Name Save Button: "Create New Schedule" button in the dialog Success: New schedule button appears and is automatically selected

Example: "To create an exam schedule, click 'Add Schedule', enter 'Exam Schedule' as the name, and click 'Create New Schedule'. You'll see a new button labeled 'Exam Schedule' appear at the top, ready for you to add bell times to it."

Update - Edit Schedule Name

Navigation: Start from sidebar → Click "Bell Times" → Click "Edit Schedule"

Steps:

  1. Click Button: Click the "Edit Schedule" button in the header
  2. Dialog Opens: A modal appears with the current schedule name pre-filled
  3. Edit Name: Change the schedule name
  4. Submit: Click "Save" to save the new name
  5. Result: The schedule button updates with the new name

Example: "To rename 'Default Schedule' to 'Regular Schedule', click 'Edit Schedule', change the name, and click Save."

Create - Add New Bell Time

Navigation: Start from sidebar → Click "Bell Times" → Select a schedule → Page shows table or empty state

Steps:

  1. Select Schedule: First, click on a schedule button at the top to select which schedule to add bell times to
  2. Click Button: Click the blue gradient "Add Bell Time" button with Plus icon (located in the table header or center of page)
  3. Dialog Opens: A form dialog appears titled "Add New Bell Time" with subtitle "Add a new period or break time to the schedule"
  4. Fill Required Fields:
    • Period Name (Required): Enter "Test Period 1"
    • Start Time (Required): Enter "08:00" (24-hour format)
    • End Time (Required): Enter "08:45" (24-hour format)
    • Break Toggle (Optional): Leave unchecked for class periods, or check for break times
  5. Submit: Click the blue "Add Bell Time" button at the bottom of the dialog
  6. Result: Dialog closes, the new bell time appears in the table sorted by start time, showing period name, time range, and type (Class or Break badge)

Required Fields: Period Name, Start Time, End Time Optional: Mark as break period (toggle switch) Save Button: Blue "Add Bell Time" button at bottom of dialog Success: Bell time appears in the table immediately

Example: "To add the first morning period, select your schedule, click 'Add Bell Time', enter 'Period 1' as the name, set start time to '08:00', end time to '08:45', leave the break toggle off, and click 'Add Bell Time'. The period appears in the table showing '08:00 - 08:45'."

Create - Add Break Period

Navigation: Start from sidebar → Click "Bell Times" → Select schedule → Click "Add Bell Time"

Steps:

  1. Open Form: Click "Add Bell Time" button
  2. Dialog Opens: Form appears for adding a new bell time
  3. Fill Fields:
    • Period Name: Enter "Morning Break"
    • Start Time: Enter "08:45"
    • End Time: Enter "09:00"
    • Break Toggle: Turn ON the "This is a break period" switch
  4. Submit: Click "Add Bell Time"
  5. Result: Break period appears in the table with a coffee cup icon and "Break" badge instead of "Class" badge

Difference from Class Period: The break toggle changes the display - break periods show with a coffee icon and "Break" badge, while class periods show with a clock icon and "Class" badge.

Example: "To add a lunch break from 12:00 to 12:30, click 'Add Bell Time', enter 'Lunch Break', set times to 12:00-12:30, turn ON the break toggle, and click 'Add Bell Time'. It appears in the table with a coffee icon and 'Break' badge."

Create - Add Multiple Bell Times

Navigation: Start from sidebar → Click "Bell Times" → Select schedule

Steps:

  1. Add First Period: Click "Add Bell Time", fill in "Test Period 1" from 08:00-08:45, submit
  2. Add Break: Click "Add Bell Time" again, fill in "Morning Break" from 08:45-09:00, toggle break ON, submit
  3. Add Second Period: Click "Add Bell Time" again, fill in "Test Period 2" from 09:00-09:45, submit
  4. Add Third Period: Click "Add Bell Time" again, fill in "Test Period 3" from 09:45-10:30, submit
  5. Result: All four bell times appear in the table, automatically sorted by start time

Tip: You can add bell times in any order - they automatically sort by start time in the table.

Example: "To build a complete morning schedule, add multiple periods one after another. The system automatically arranges them in chronological order regardless of the order you add them."

Read - View Bell Times for a Schedule

Navigation: Start from sidebar → Click "Bell Times" → Click a schedule button

Display Format: Bell times are shown in a table with the following columns:

  • Period Name (e.g., "Period 1" or "Morning Break")
  • Time Range (e.g., "08:00 - 08:45" in 24-hour format)
  • Type (badge showing "Class" with clock icon or "Break" with coffee icon)
  • Actions (Edit and Delete buttons)

Sorting: Bell times automatically display in chronological order by start time, regardless of when they were added.

Empty State: If a schedule has no bell times, you see a message prompting you to add the first bell time.

Example: "After selecting 'Regular Schedule', you see a table listing all periods in order: Period 1 (08:00-08:45), Morning Break (08:45-09:00), Period 2 (09:00-09:45), and so on."

Read - Switch Between Schedules

Navigation: Start from sidebar → Click "Bell Times" → Page loads

Steps:

  1. View Schedule Buttons: At the top of the page, you see buttons for each schedule (e.g., "Default Schedule", "Exam Schedule", "Regular Schedule")
  2. Click Schedule: Click on any schedule button to switch to it
  3. Table Updates: The bell times table updates to show only the periods belonging to that schedule
  4. Schedule Persists: Switch to another schedule, then back - your bell times are still there (they persist independently per schedule)

Example: "If you have a 'Regular Schedule' with 8 periods and an 'Exam Schedule' with 4 periods, clicking 'Exam Schedule' shows only the 4 exam periods. Click 'Regular Schedule' to see all 8 periods again."

Update - Edit Bell Time

Navigation: Start from sidebar → Click "Bell Times" → Select schedule → Table shows bell times

Steps:

  1. Locate Period: Find the bell time you want to edit in the table
  2. Click Edit: In the Actions column, click the blue "Edit" button (pencil icon) for that bell time
  3. Dialog Opens: The "Edit Bell Time" form appears with current values pre-filled:
    • Period Name shows current name (e.g., "Test Period 1")
    • Start Time shows current time (e.g., "08:00")
    • End Time shows current time (e.g., "08:45")
    • Break toggle reflects current state
  4. Modify Fields: Update any fields you need. For example, change period name to "Updated Bell Time"
  5. Submit: Click the blue "Update Bell Time" button at the bottom
  6. Result: Dialog closes, the table updates immediately showing the new values in the edited row

Save Button: Blue "Update Bell Time" button at bottom of dialog

Example: "To rename 'Period 1' to 'First Period', click the Edit button for that row, change the Period Name to 'First Period', and click 'Update Bell Time'. The table immediately shows the new name."

Update - Change Break Status

Navigation: Start from sidebar → Click "Bell Times" → Select schedule → Click Edit on a period

Steps:

  1. Open Edit Form: Click Edit button for any bell time
  2. Dialog Opens: Form shows current period details
  3. Toggle Break: Turn ON the "This is a break period" switch to convert a class period to a break, or turn it OFF to convert a break to a class period
  4. Submit: Click "Update Bell Time"
  5. Result: The table updates - badge changes from "Class" to "Break" (or vice versa), and icon changes from clock to coffee cup (or vice versa)

Example: "If you mistakenly marked a period as a break, edit it and turn OFF the break toggle to convert it to a regular class period."

Delete - Remove Single Bell Time

Navigation: Start from sidebar → Click "Bell Times" → Select schedule → Table shows bell times

Steps:

  1. Locate Period: Find the bell time you want to remove
  2. Click Delete: In the Actions column, click the red "Delete" button (trash icon)
  3. Confirmation Dialog: A dialog appears showing usage statistics:
    • Draft entries: Number of staged/draft timetable entries using this bell time
    • Published entries: Number of published timetable entries using this bell time
    • Total: Combined count of all entries
  4. Force Delete Option: If the bell time is in use, a force delete option appears with a warning that deletion will remove all associated timetable entries
  5. Confirm: Click to confirm the deletion
  6. Result: The bell time is removed from the table, and any associated timetable entries are also removed

Warning: Force deleting a bell time that's in use will also remove all timetable entries that reference it. Review the usage statistics before confirming.

Example: "To remove 'Period 1', click its Delete button. The dialog shows '5 draft entries, 3 published entries, 8 total'. If you proceed with force delete, all 8 timetable entries are also removed."

Delete - Delete Schedule

Navigation: Start from sidebar → Click "Bell Times" → Click "Delete Schedule"

Steps:

  1. Click Button: Click the "Delete Schedule" button in the header
  2. Dialog Opens: A confirmation dialog appears listing non-default schedules available for deletion
  3. Select Schedule: Choose which schedule to delete
  4. Confirm: Click to confirm deletion
  5. Result: The schedule and all its bell times are permanently removed

Warning: Deleting a schedule permanently removes all bell times within it. The default schedule cannot be deleted.

Example: "To remove an old 'Exam Schedule', click 'Delete Schedule', select it from the list, and confirm. All periods within that schedule are permanently removed."

Buttons & Controls

  • Add Schedule (Button): Creates a new schedule. Located in the header area.
  • Edit Schedule (Button): Renames the currently selected schedule. Located in the header area.
  • Delete Schedule (Button): Deletes a non-default schedule and all its bell times. Located in the header area.
  • Schedule Selection Buttons (Pill-Shaped Buttons): Switch between different schedules. Active schedule has a highlighted background. Located at the top below the page title. Shows "Default" tag on the default schedule.
  • Add Bell Time (Button with Plus Icon): Opens the form to add a new period or break time to the current schedule. Located in the header area.
  • Edit Button (Blue Pencil Icon in Actions Column): Opens the edit form with the bell time's current information pre-filled. One edit button per row in the table.
  • Delete Button (Red Trash Icon in Actions Column): Removes the bell time after confirmation if it's in use. One delete button per row in the table.
  • Break Toggle Switch (in form dialog): Switch labeled "This is a break period" - turn ON to mark as break time, OFF for regular class period.
  • Update Bell Time / Add Bell Time (Blue Submit Button in Dialog): Saves the form. Button text changes to "Update Bell Time" in edit mode or "Add Bell Time" in create mode.

Visual Elements

  • Class Badge (Blue Tag with Clock Icon): Shows "Class" to indicate a regular teaching period. Appears in the Type column.
  • Break Badge (Orange/Amber Tag with Coffee Icon): Shows "Break" to indicate a break period. Appears in the Type column.
  • Active Schedule Button (Highlighted): The currently selected schedule button has a darker background to show it's active.
  • Empty State Message: When a schedule has no bell times, displays a centered message prompting you to add the first bell time.
  • Time Display (24-hour format): All times show in 24-hour format like "08:00 - 08:45" or "14:30 - 15:15".
  • Sorted Table: Bell times automatically arrange in chronological order by start time, with earliest periods at the top.
  • Loading Spinner: Animated spinner that appears while schedules or bell times are being loaded from the database.
  • Confirmation Dialog Overlay: Semi-transparent overlay with dialog box for confirming deletions of bell times in use.

Form Fields Reference

In Create New Schedule Dialog:

  • Schedule Name: Text field, required, name for the schedule. Example: "Regular Schedule", "Exam Schedule", "Half Day Schedule".

In Add/Edit Bell Time Dialog:

  • Period Name: Text field, required, name of the period or break. Example: "Period 1", "Morning Break", "Lunch", "Assembly".
  • Start Time: Time input (24-hour format), required, when the period begins. Format: HH:MM. Example: "08:00", "14:30".
  • End Time: Time input (24-hour format), required, when the period ends. Format: HH:MM. Example: "08:45", "15:15".
  • This is a break period (Toggle Switch): Checkbox/toggle, optional, default OFF. Turn ON to mark as break time. Affects the badge and icon in the table.

Alerts & Errors

  • "Start time must be before end time": Red error message shown in the form dialog if you try to save a bell time where the end time is before or equal to the start time. Fix by adjusting the times so start is before end.
  • "Failed to load schedules": Error message if the page cannot fetch the list of schedules from the database.
  • "Failed to load bell times": Error message if bell times for a schedule cannot be loaded.
  • HTML5 Validation Messages: Browser shows messages like "Please fill out this field" if required fields (Period Name, Start Time, End Time) are left empty.
  • Force Delete Confirmation Dialog: Shows when you try to delete a bell time that's in use. Displays usage counts like "This bell time is used in 5 timetable entries and 2 published entries".
  • Success Feedback: Bell time immediately appears/updates/disappears in the table after successful create/update/delete operations.

Rules & Constraints

  • Start Time Must Be Before End Time: You cannot create or update a bell time where the end time is before the start time

    • What's Valid: Start: "08:00", End: "08:45" (start is earlier)
    • What's Invalid: Start: "10:00", End: "09:00" (end is before start)
    • Error Message: "Start time must be before end time"
    • How to Fix: Adjust the start or end time so the start time comes before the end time
    • Example Valid: Period from 09:00 to 09:45 is valid
    • Example Invalid: Period from 09:45 to 09:00 shows error when you try to save

  • All Fields Are Required (Except Break Toggle): Period Name, Start Time, and End Time must all be filled in

    • What's Valid: All three fields filled (e.g., "Period 1", "08:00", "08:45")
    • What's Invalid: Any field left empty
    • Error Message: Browser shows "Please fill out this field" for empty required fields
    • How to Fix: Fill in all three required fields before submitting
    • Example: Leaving Period Name blank prevents form submission

  • Times Use 24-Hour Format: All times are entered and displayed in 24-hour format (HH:MM)

    • What's Valid: "08:00", "13:30", "17:45", "23:59"
    • What's Invalid: "8:00 AM", "1:30 PM" (12-hour format not supported)
    • Format: HH:MM where HH is 00-23 and MM is 00-59
    • Example: Use "14:30" for 2:30 PM, "08:00" for 8:00 AM

  • Bell Times Sort Automatically by Start Time: Periods display in chronological order regardless of creation order

    • What Happens: After adding a period, the table re-sorts all periods by their start times
    • Example: If you add "Period 3" (11:00-11:45) before "Period 2" (10:00-10:45), the table shows Period 2 first because 10:00 comes before 11:00
    • Benefit: Your schedule always displays in the correct chronological order

  • Schedules Are Independent: Each schedule has its own set of bell times

    • What Happens: Bell times in "Regular Schedule" are completely separate from "Exam Schedule"
    • Example: Regular Schedule has 8 periods, Exam Schedule has 4 periods - switching between them shows different bell times
    • Persistence: Changing bell times in one schedule doesn't affect other schedules

  • Force Delete Required for Bell Times In Use: Bell times assigned to timetables need confirmation before deletion

    • What Happens: A confirmation dialog appears showing how many timetable entries use this bell time
    • Warning: Deleting removes the bell time AND affects all timetables using it
    • Example: Trying to delete "Period 1" that's used in 10 timetable entries shows a confirmation dialog with usage details
    • How to Proceed: Confirm you understand the impact and proceed, or cancel and reassign timetables first

Tips & Notes

  • Create Schedules for Different Days: Make separate schedules for regular days, exam days, half days, or special events.
  • Use Clear Period Names: Name periods clearly like "Period 1", "Period 2" or "Math Block", "Lunch Break" so teachers and students easily understand the schedule.
  • 24-Hour Format Avoids Confusion: The system uses 24-hour time (14:00 instead of 2:00 PM) to eliminate AM/PM confusion.
  • Add Break Periods: Don't forget to add breaks between classes using the break toggle - they show with coffee icons and help organize the day properly.
  • Times Auto-Sort: Don't worry about adding periods in order - the system automatically arranges them chronologically by start time.
  • Schedules Persist Independently: Switching between schedules and back shows the same bell times - each schedule maintains its own periods.
  • Check for Gaps: Review your schedule to ensure there are no unintended time gaps between periods (unless intentional).
  • Align Break Times: Make sure break end times match the next period's start time for a continuous schedule (e.g., Break ends at 09:00, Period 2 starts at 09:00).
  • Delete Carefully: Deleting a bell time that's in use affects existing timetables. Check the usage count before confirming deletion.
  • HTML5 Time Inputs: The time fields use browser time pickers - click the field to get a time selection widget in most modern browsers.