Schedule meetings without headaches
[April 2008] Whether it's volunteers, board members or a project group, meeting in person or on a conference call often involves a stream of emails: "I can make 3 pm on Tuesday", "I can't do 3 pm, but can make 4 pm".
Let software untangle the mess.
So how does a free service sound that can handle all those problems? A free web based service like ScheduleOnce can ease many a meeting headache:
http://scheduleonce.com.
With ScheduleOnce an organiser sets a timeframe and some suggested dates. Participants provide their preferences, and the software comes up with the best choices for meeting times. And it all happens on a web page, so it doesn't matter whether you use Macs, Windows or Linux.
Get a widespread group together.
Here's how I could set up a meeting for next month with a far-flung Webstock committee, for example.
I open the page for ScheduleOnce in my web browser.
Set up a meeting page.
I enter our meeting name: Webstock committee meeting, May 2008.
I set my own timezone: New Zealand. Even if this meeting were a phonecall with others in Australia, I still set my own timezone at this step.
I use the calendar and time pickers to set a timeframe for the meeting. For my example meeting I decide it must be held between 8 am and 6 pm sometime between 19 and 25 May 2008. I also suggest certain times and dates as preferred options.
Note: if you have any problems selecting times or dates, try a different web browser.
It's not required if I'm willing to keep visiting the meeting page, but I supply an email address so I'll receive emails when one of the people I invite to the meeting replies to the invitation.
Now I've completed the meeting setup, so I click the Save Meeting button.
Invite people to attend.
Having saved the meeting, I'm now provided with some links I can send to people I wish to invite. I copy the link and use my normal email system to send it out.
Attendees choose their preferences.
When Natasha receives my email she visits the meeting's web page and selects her timezone. If she were in Samoa, for example, almost a full day behind us, a phonecall that is timed for 11 am on Monday the 19th in Wellington is displayed as being at noon on Sunday the 18th in Apia.
Next she chooses preferences for the times I suggested. Her options are: Preferred, Good and No.
Natasha can enter comments if she wishes, for example: "I'm not available at on on Tuesday or Wednesday."
Then she enters her name so the organiser (me) knows whose reply this is, and clicks the Submit button.
Make decisions.
Once all the replies are in I check the meeting's page and see everyone's choices listed for each suggested time. The software displays and easy-to-see icon for each choice: a green tick, a blue plus or a red x. The software also automatically highlights the best choice for meeting time.
Let everyone know the final choices.
I select my preferred meeting and the software prepares an email message for me, containing the details, including timezone information. I copy the text, edit it as I wish and send off the meeting information to the participants.
Here's part of the message prepared for me:
(GMT+12) New Zealand; Auckland, Wellington
Friday, May 23 2008, 12:00pm, 1:00hr
------------------------------------------------
(GMT+4) Armenia; Yerevan[summer time]
Friday, May 23 2008, 5:00am, 1:00hr
------------------------------------------------
(GMT-11) Samoa; Apia
Thursday, May 22 2008, 1:00pm, 1:00hr
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I haven't used ScheduleOnce yet in real life, but can see its usefulness for community groups (and others) trying to get people together, whether they are all from the same town, or spread around the world.
Credits.
I was made aware of the service and how to use it by Don McAllister's most excellent ScreenCastsOnline, issue SCO0141:
http://screencastsonline.com.
Unfortunately that particular show is for members only. For Mac users though in particular, his screencasts are well worth the subscription.
Panui tips contributed by Miraz Jordan, http://mactips.info/