# PTA FAQs # Account **How do I change the name of my account?** 1. Go to **Global Setup / Business**. 2. At the top, select **Business Settings / Business Address / Business Name**. 3. Edit the account name. > **Note:** The change won't appear immediately — log out completely and log back in to see the update. # Administrators #### **Can I have multiple administrators on my account? ** You can set up any number of users with Administrative access. To do so, you would go to the **[Contacts](https://help.pickatime.com/books/pta-management-guide/page/contacts)** page, select the **Add > Admin...** button, and then fill in the user information on the **Add New Contact** form. For a full-powered administrator in the Admin Level pull-down, select Administrator. #### **What Administrative Access levels are there? ** - **Appointment Viewer** - allows a contact to view the appointments made. Teachers are generally assigned only this access. - **Appointment Maker** - allows a contact to make appointments in the Admin tool, but not change any settings on the account. - **Resource Administrator** - allows a contact to have administrative access to specific resources (teachers). This would give the contact the ability to edit the schedule for the resource. - **Event Administrator** - allows a contact to have administrative access to the entire event. Administrator - allows a contact to have full administrative access to the entire account. #### **I'm getting the message "email address already exists, can't create doubles" when I add a teacher email address. What does this mean?** This means that the teacher's email address you added already exists with an account in pickAtime. In the Contacts page, search for the email address by entering it in the email box and pressing search. You should see that the teacher's email address already has an account in your Contacts. #### **We would like to add another person to our account and give them only report access to a teacher. Is there a way for me to do this without giving any full Admin access?** Yes, you can add another admin with the access level of **Appointment Viewer**. To add an **Appointment Viewer** do the following:
1. **Navigate to Contacts:** In the Admin UI, go to the **Contacts** page. 2. **Add New Admin:** Select the **Add > Admin...** button. 3. **Enter Details:** Fill in the user information on the *Add New Contact* form. 4. **Set Access Level:** In the **Admin Level** pull-down menu, select **Appointment Viewer**. 5. **Save:** Click to finish.
**Note:** If you see a red message stating *"Vendor already has a contact with this email,"* do not panic. Click the blue **Go back** button and use the **Search** tool to find the existing contact by name. ##### **Assigning Specific Access** Once the contact is created or located:
- Go to the **Vendor Access** tab. - Locate the specific **Event** and **Teacher** this person needs to monitor. - Click the **checkbox** next to the name to grant report access.
##### **First-Time Login Instructions** You can provide these steps to the new admin to help them get started:
- **URL:** Go to [pickatime.com](https://pickatime.com/). - **Step 1:** In the **Login** section, enter your email address and press **Login**. - **Step 2:** On the following page, you will be prompted to create a unique password for your account.
# Admin UI **Why is the Appointments List red?** This means you have appointments with some sort of problem that needs attention. When a problem appointment is created, both the tab and the appointment itself turn red. There are several ways problem appointments are created — see the **Problem Appointments** page for details. --- **I see orange appointments on the Appointments List page with the status "Customer is creating this appointment." What do I need to fix?** Nothing — this is expected behavior, not an error. Appointments still being booked appear in **orange** on the Appointments List page: - They can't be manually deleted or selected for email notifications while in this state. - The system automatically manages them — if the customer is inactive too long without completing the booking, it will be cancelled. - Once the customer finishes and clicks **Create Appointment**, the orange status disappears. > This also helps admins booking manually in the Admin UI, since it prevents you from selecting a time slot that's currently mid-booking by a customer. --- **How do I sort my teacher roster?** 1. On the **Appointments** page, select the **Teachers** drop-down. 2. Select **Sort Teachers**. This sorts teachers using the order set under **Global Setup / Business / Account Level Display Options / Display Contact Name As** (Last Name, First Name, or First Name Last Name). --- **Every time I change "Open scheduler to customers" on one event, it changes on my other events too. Why are my events connected?** 1. Go to **Events Preview / Events Settings**. 2. Under **Propagator Mode / Propagate Changes To**, change the setting from **"all events of this type"** to **"only the current event."** --- **Is there a way to let parents only see a certain event on our account?** Yes — use the [Category Sort](https://help.pickatime.com/books/additional-event-features/page/category-options) option to control which events are visible and how they're displayed. # Appointments **I'd like to offer Virtual appointments part of the day (e.g., morning/early afternoon) and In-Person for another part (e.g., evening). Can I set that up?** Yes — create separate time slots for each type: - Use the **Virtual** slot type for morning/early afternoon hours. - Use the **In-Person** slot type for evening hours. --- **A participant accidentally booked an In-Person appointment but needs Virtual instead. How do I change the appointment type?** **Option 1: Participant self-service** 1. Go to **My Appointments**. 2. Locate the appointment and click **Edit**. 3. Change the **Appointment Type** and press **Edit Appointment.** **Option 2: Admin** 1. Open the event in the Admin UI. 2. Locate the resource and corresponding time slot. 3. Click the appointment, then click **Edit Appointment**. 4. Change the **Appointment Type** and select **OK**. --- **I want to change ALL booked appointments from In-Person to Virtual (or vice versa). How do I do this?** 1. Open the event in the Admin UI, then go to **Event Management**. 2. Click **Slots / Update Slots**. 3. In the **Slot Updater** pop-up: - Set the desired time range. - Choose the new type from the **Slot Type** drop-down. - Click **OK**. 4. A confirmation message will show how many existing appointments will be updated. 5. Click **OK** to proceed — all affected appointments will be updated to the new type. # Appointment Limits **How can I limit parents to one appointment per teacher?** With the **PTA (Parent Teacher Appointments)** product, parents are limited by default to **one appointment per student, per teacher/class combination**. --- **What is PTAN?** **PTAN (Parent Teacher Appointment Number)** controls how many appointments a parent can book with a teacher for a given class. By default, this is set to **1 per parent per class**. **To change it:** 1. Go to **Class Editor**, select the teacher. 2. Locate the **PTAN** column on the far right of their class list. 3. Set the desired number — e.g., entering **2** lets any parent with a student in that class book 2 appointments with that teacher. --- **Can I allow a higher PTAN for only some students?** Since PTAN applies to an entire class, the best approach is to create a **separate class** containing just the students this rule should apply to: 1. In **Class Editor**, select the teacher's name. 2. Click **Add Class**. 3. Add the selected students to this new class. 4. Set the **PTAN** for this class to **2**. Now only parents of students in this specific class can book 2 appointments — everyone else remains at the default limit. --- **What's the difference between "one appointment per class" and "one appointment per teacher"?** Both settings add extra limits on top of the default booking rules:
SettingWhat it limits
**One appointment per class**A parent with twins/siblings in the **same class** (same teacher) can only book **one** appointment total for that class
**One appointment per teacher**A parent whose student has the **same teacher for multiple classes** can only book **one** appointment with that teacher overall
**Example:** If Student A has Teacher B for both Math and Science, checking "one appointment per teacher" means the parent can only book **one** appointment with Teacher B — not one for each subject. # Appointments List
#### Why is the Appointments List red? This means you have appointments with some sort of problem that needs attention. When a problem appointment is created, both the tab and the appointment itself turn red. There are several ways problem appointments can be created — see the [Problem Appointments](https://help.pickatime.com/books/pta-management-guide/page/problem-appointments) page for details. # Canceled Appointments **Can I see a list of cancelled appointments for a specific teacher?** 1. Go to **Reports / Account Reports**. 2. Select **Cancelled Appointments**. 3. Sort by Teacher name to find all relevant appointments. # Classes ### **Classes** ##### **How do I hide a class so parents can't book it?** You have two options: **Option 1: Set the class to Hidden (recommended)** 1. Go to the **Class Editor** page. 2. Select the teacher. 3. Select the class from the teacher's class list. 4. On the right-hand side, toggle the **Type** column from **Shown** to **Hidden**. This removes the class from the parent scheduler without deleting any data. **Option 2: Delete the class** This permanently removes the class. Be careful to select the correct one — if you delete the wrong class, you'll need to re-import your data. ### **Class Scheduling Changes ** ##### **How do I add a new teacher without re-importing?** 1. In the Admin UI, go to **Class Editor**. 2. Select **Add Teacher/Team → Add Teacher**. 3. In the **Select Person** dialog, enter the teacher's Last name, First name, and Email. 4. Click **Add Contact**, then click **OK**. The new teacher will now appear in your Teacher list on the Class Editor page. (See also: [*Modifying Teacher or Room Data*](https://help.pickatime.com/books/pta-management-guide/page/modifying-teacher-or-room-data).) ##### **How do I move a class from one teacher to another?** 1. In the Admin UI, go to **Class Editor**. 2. Select the current teacher from the list on the left. 3. Select the class to be moved. 4. Click **Move Class**. 5. Select the teacher the class should be moved to. ##### **How do I add a new student to a class?** 1. In the Admin UI, go to **Class Editor**. 2. Select the teacher, then select the class. **If the student is already on your account:** Type the student's name into the empty box on the far right of the roster and press Enter. **If the student is not yet on your account:** 1. Click the **Enroll Student** icon above the class roster. 2. In the **Select Person** dialog, click **Show Full Dialog**. 3. Click **Add Contact**, fill in the student's information in the `` fields, and click **OK**. This adds the student to both the class and your account contacts. (See also: [*Modifying Enrollment Data*](https://help.pickatime.com/books/pta-management-guide/page/modifying-enrollment-data).) ##### **The scheduler is open, but some classes are missing. What do I do?** **If you haven't made manual changes** to classes/enrollment in the Admin UI: Simply re-import your updated class and enrollment files. New imports add missing data without overwriting what's already there. **If you have made manual changes** (e.g., reassigning teachers, moving students between classes): Import a class file containing *only* the missing class(es), and an enrollment file containing *only* the missing enrollment. In either case, existing appointments will not be affected. ##### **Can we add administrators to the parent scheduler so all students can book with them?** Yes. Since administrators aren't tied to a specific roster, you'll need to create a class for them and enroll the whole school: 1. **Add the contact** — Confirm the Administrator/Counselor/Teacher is listed under Contacts. If not, add them manually, making sure a **TeacherID** is assigned. 2. **Create a class** — Either build a class file and import it, or add the class manually via Class Editor. 3. **Create an enrollment file** — List the StudentID for every student in the school, assigned to this new class. 4. **Import** — Import the class file (if not added manually) and the enrollment file. Once complete, the administrator and their class will appear as bookable on parents' schedulers. *See also: [Adding a class for counselors](https://help.pickatime.com/books/additional-event-features/page/adding-counselors-or-other-non-teachers-to-your-event).* # Contacts **Why are contacts shown in different colors?**
ColorMeaning
**Blue**Contact has never logged in / taken ownership of their account
**Black**Contact has logged in
**Red**Problem account — usually a duplicate email address
# Data Edits ##### **I edited the Room Number in Contacts, but it doesn't show up on Reports.** When a class file is imported, teacher data is copied into the resource section on the **Appointments** page. After that, this copy becomes independent — editing the Contacts section will **not** update it. **To fix a single teacher's room number:** Go to the **Appointments** page and edit the room number directly, in the field to the right of the teacher's name. **To update room numbers for all teachers at once:** 1. Import the **Teacher file** with the updated room numbers. 2. Import the **Class file**. This will update room numbers for all individual teachers on the event.

Importing a Class file overwrites manual edits. If you've made manual changes to a class, update your Class file to match before importing — otherwise those changes will be lost.

> **Note:** This bulk-import method does not work for **Teams of Teachers** — room numbers for Teams must be edited manually. # Data Files **How do I create a tab-delimited text file?** **Using Microsoft Excel:** 1. Open the **File** menu and select **Save As...**. 2. In the **Save as type** drop-down, select **Text (Tab-delimited) (\*.txt)**. 3. Click **Save**. If warning messages appear, click **OK** or **Yes**. **Using Google Sheets:** 1. Open the **File** menu in the top-left corner. 2. Hover over **Download**. 3. Select **Tab-separated values (.tsv, current sheet)**. This downloads the currently selected sheet as a `.tsv` file. --- **The birth dates for my students were imported incorrectly. How do I fix this?** Correct your student file and import it again. The system matches by **Student ID** and updates the **Security Value** (birth date) field accordingly. --- **My teacher/student names were reversed during import (First Name and Last Name swapped).** Correct your file and import it again. The system matches by **Student ID** (or Teacher ID) and updates the **First Name** and **Last Name** fields accordingly. # Data Imports **Help! I imported last year's data / the wrong class file.** The easiest fix is to delete all classes and re-import the correct file: 1. Go to **Class Editor** and check **"Show Only Classes"** (far right-hand side). 2. Select your first class, then **Shift+click** your last class to highlight all classes. 3. Click **Delete Selected Classes**. 4. Import the correct class file. # Date
#### I need to change my event date, but keep the existing appointments. How do I do this? Yes — you can **move** your slots and appointments to the new date instead of recreating them.
1. Go to the **Appointments** page 2. Select the original date on the calendar (left-hand side). 3. Click **Slots / Move Slots**. 4. Select the new destination date.
You'll have the option to email participants notifying them of the change. > **Note:** Moving slots does **not** automatically update the date listed on the **Event Setup** page — you'll need to correct that separately. # Duplicate PTA #### I'd like to use the Duplicate PTA option, but it's not enabled. **What Duplicate PTA does:** Creates a full copy of a past event, including the same **class and enrollment data** — but not time slots. This is intended only for events with **unchanged enrollment**, such as full-year classes. Since using it incorrectly could overwrite intended changes, we enable it selectively rather than by default. --- **If you plan to import new data files:** You don't need Duplicate PTA — instead, create a new event using a previous event as a **template**, which copies over your previous **settings** (without enrollment data): 1. Go to Events / Preview. 2. Click **Add**. 3. In the **Template Event** drop-down, select your previous event. 4. Click **Add**. --- **If your new event will use the exact same enrollment data as the previous one:** Let us know, and we'll enable **Duplicate PTA** for your account. # Emails ##### **How can I view any emails that have been sent? ** This can be viewed on the individual contact level. On the **Contacts** page, you can search for a contact by name. Then click on the contact and then click on the small Log tab. This will show a log of appointments booked, canceled, and any emails sent. ##### **How do I turn off my E-Mail Reminders?** To turn off your reminder emails, go into the **Events Management / Settings / Notification Setup** page, and under the Reminder email option, you will see a check box labeled " S*end Reminder Emails*". Uncheck this box. ##### **E-Mail Reminders** **Recommended: Include a table of appointments in the reminder email** 1. Go to **Settings / Notifications Setup**. 2. Select the **Reminder Email** option. 3. Check the box labeled **"Replace the Email Body with the Printable Schedule of Appointments"** (located above the body field). This replaces the email body with a table-formatted schedule of appointments, which includes room numbers. Any text entered in the **Header** field will appear above this table. > The table's format is controlled separately, under **CUI / Messages / Print Schedule**. **Set up when reminders are sent** 1. Go to **Settings / Notifications Setup** 2. Select the **Reminder Email** option 3. Check the box to require a reminder. 4. Enter the number of hours before each appointment that the reminder should be sent. 5. Under **Send Reminder Emails**, click the green **+** to add an automatic reminder, then enter how many hours before the appointment it should go out (e.g., 24, 48). > You can add multiple reminders by repeating step 4 — for example, one at 48 hours and another at 24 hours. ##### **Can I change the time/verbiage of my reminder emails?** Yes, you can change the verbiage and add/remove the times of your Reminder Emails at any time. These updates will apply to all appointments. ##### **I'm testing the confirmation email and I have not yet received it. Does it take a long time?** The confirmation email is sent approximately 20-25 minutes after the parent books their appointments. We do not send the email immediately, as we wait to make sure the parent has completed booking all their appointments ##### **I booked and canceled some test appointments. Will I receive any emails?** If you book and then immediately cancel your appointments, pickAtime will send a cancellation email, but not the confirmation one. Also, for the PTA product, we wait 20 minutes before sending out an email; this is to ensure that the parent has finished booking their appointments. ##### **How do I display the Class name in the Confirmation email to my parents?** The Macro Field for Class Name is $(CLASS\_NAME). If you are using the Printable Schedule option for the Email Confirmation (recommended), then add a Class Name Column heading on the **Settings / CUI Messages** page under Print schedule / Print schedule headings. Then add in the macro for Class Name on the Print schedule / Print schedule appointment. # Events #### Starting a new event with all old data removed 1. Go to the **Events** page and click **Add** to create a new, empty event. 2. Go to **Global Setup / Contacts**, click **Show Advanced Options**, then click **Remove All Customers**. 3. Select the access level to delete, starting with **Event Administrators**. Parents and teachers will then need to log in as new contacts and create new passwords. > ⚠️ **Important:** Only remove contacts **before** importing your new data — not after. Doing this after importing can delete data you still need. --- #### I have two events sharing some of the same teachers — how does blocking/booking work across them? If a teacher is shared across two events, the system prevents double-booking automatically: - **Booking** a slot on one event blocks the corresponding slot on the other event. - **Blocking** a slot on one event also blocks the corresponding slot on the other event. > If you need to block time for a teacher on **one event only** (not the other), use **Delete Time Slots** instead of the block feature — deleting does not carry across events, while blocking does. # Links **Which link should I give parents — the account-level scheduling link, or the event-specific link?** **If you only have one open event:** You can use either link — both will take parents to the same place. Use the **account-level** link, found under **Global Setup / Business / Account URL**. **If you have multiple open events:** The account-level link will show parents **all** open events in a pull-down to choose from. The event-specific link takes parents directly to that one event — but if other events are also open, parents will still see the event table and can toggle to the others. > To direct parents to **only one event**, with no option to toggle to others, use the **[Category Option](https://help.pickatime.com/books/additional-event-features/page/category-options)** instead. --- #### Customizing Your Account URL 1. Check the box **"Set Custom URL."** 2. Enter your preferred text — this becomes the `XXX` portion of `https://pickatime.com/XXX`. **Example:** Entering `myschool` creates `https://pickatime.com/myschool`. > New custom URLs take **5–10 minutes** to become active. # Invoices **How do I view my invoices?** 1. Log in and select **Reports / Account Reports**. 2. Choose **Account / Invoices and Payments** from the report pull-down. 3. Click an invoice # to view details. --- **Can I pay by credit card?** Yes: 1. Follow the steps above to open an invoice. 2. Click **"Click Here"** within the report. 3. Select **Pay by Credit Card**. --- **Can you take my payment over the phone?** No — phone payments aren't supported. Please use the credit card option above. # Parents #### A parent has forgotten her password 1. In the Admin UI, select the **Contacts** tab. 2. Search by name for the parent in the Search Control boxes. 3. Select the parent's record — their email will display in the middle section. 4. Click **Reset PW**. --- #### A parent says they booked an appointment, but can't see it when they log in 1. Go to **Contacts** and search for the parent by first or last name. 2. Select the small **Log** tab to review their activity. The log will help you identify what happened: - The parent booked with one email but is logging in with a different email - The parent booked, then cancelled, and never re-booked - The parent never actually booked an appointment --- #### How do parents view and manage booked appointments on mobile? 1. Tap the three-bar menu at the top of the page. 2. Under **Main Navigation**, select **My Appointments** (shown in green). This displays a list of all booked appointments. 3. Next to each appointment, tap the three-bar menu to see up to four management options. --- #### A parent wants a longer appointment than our standard 15-minute slots. How can I accommodate this? You'll need to book this manually through the Admin UI, since it requires overriding the normal one-appointment-per-parent-per-teacher rule. 1. In the Admin UI, schedule the appointment for the parent (see *Making Parent Appointments*, above). 2. Since the parent needs more time, book a second, consecutive appointment with the same teacher. 3. This second appointment will be flagged with a red box, since it breaks the one-appointment-per-parent-per-teacher rule. 4. Select the flagged appointment and click **Confirm Appointment** to force it through. --- #### How can I see the appointments my parents have made? 1. Go to **Contacts** and search for the parent's name. 2. Confirm you have the correct parent — check the name and email address shown on the right-hand side. 3. Select the **Appointments** tab. This displays a list of all appointments the parent has made. From here, you can print or email the schedule directly to the parent. --- #### Is there a way to see when a conference was scheduled (not the conference time, but when the booking was made)? **Option 1: Add the field to a report** 1. Go to **Reports**. 2. Click **Additional Report Fields**. 3. Select **Appointment Fields**. 4. Check the box next to **Created Date**. **Option 2: Check an individual contact's log** 1. Go to **Contacts**. 2. Locate the contact. 3. Select the small **Log** tab. --- #### How can I log in as if I were the parent? 1. Go to **Contacts**. 2. Locate and select the parent's name. 3. Click **Login As**. This logs you in as the parent from your administrative account, without needing their password. From here, you can: - View any appointments the parent has already booked - Make, change, or cancel appointments on their behalf > **Note:** The parent will still receive confirmation/reminder emails for any bookings made this way. The system logs the action in the **Log** section of the parent's contact record, noting that an admin booked on their behalf. #### #### A parent entered her student's name instead of her own when creating an account **Option 1: Have the parent correct it herself** 1. Have the parent log back in. 2. Select **Edit Profile**. 3. Update the name field to reflect her own name. **Option 2: Correct it from the Admin UI** 1. Go to the **Contacts** page. 2. Locate the parent's record. 3. Edit the name directly. --- #### How do parents identify their student? Parents identify their student using two pieces of information: 1. A **Student ID** 2. A **Security Value** (typically the student's birthdate) By default, the Student ID is numeric. However, if parents aren't likely to know a numeric ID, you can instead set the Student ID to a concatenation of first and last name (e.g., `BenjaminFranklin`) to make it easier for them to identify their student. --- #### My parents don't know their child's Student ID You can change what parents are prompted to enter. **Step 1: Switch the Student ID format** 1. Go to **Global Setup / Business**. 2. Under **Account Level Settings / Miscellaneous**, check **"Use First + Last Name as Student ID."** Parents will now enter the student's first and last name instead of a numeric ID. They'll still need to enter the **Security Value** (typically the student's birthdate, if that's what you imported). **Step 2: Update the prompt labels (recommended)** 1. Go to **Settings / CUI Messages**. 2. Under **Student**, locate the **StudentID** and **SecurityValue** prompts. 3. Update the labels with formatting examples, such as: - **StudentID prompt:** "Student First Name + Last Name (e.g., BenjaminFranklin)" - **SecurityValue prompt:** "Student Birth Date (e.g., 04/12/99)" --- #### A parent gets "failed to find student with the values supplied" This means the values the parent entered don't match what's on file for the student. **Option 1: Verify the values match** 1. Go to **Contacts** and search for the student by name. 2. On the right-hand side, check the **Student ID** and **Security Value** on file. 3. Confirm the parent is entering these exactly as imported. > If you've checked **"Use First + Last Name as Student ID"** (under **Global Setup / Business / Miscellaneous**), make sure the parent is entering the student's first and last name concatenated together (e.g., `BenjaminFranklin`) — not a numeric ID. **Option 2: Add the student to the parent's account directly** 1. On the **Contacts** page, search for the parent by name. 2. Select the parent, then select the small **Parents-Students Map** tab. 3. Under **Student List**, click the green **Add** button. 4. In the **Select Person** dialog, locate and select the correct student, then click **Add**. The student will now appear in the parent's Student List, and they'll be able to log in and view their student's teachers. --- #### How do I make an appointment for a parent in the Admin UI? 1. Select the **Appointments** tab. 2. Select the correct date on the calendar (left-hand side). 3. Select the correct teacher, then click the time slot where you'd like to schedule the appointment. 4. Click the green plus sign. This opens the **Select Person** dialog. 5. Select the student: - If the student is on the teacher's roster, select their name from the list on the right and click **OK**. - If not, uncheck **"Students of \[Teacher Name\],"** search for the student by name, select them, and click **OK**. 6. This opens the **Create Appointment** dialog. **Now, link the parent:** - **If the parent is already associated with the student:** Their name will display automatically. Select the correct class (if more than one), then click **OK**. - **If the parent is not yet associated with the student:** Click the green **+** button. Search for the parent by name in the upper-left search boxes. If found, select their name and click **OK**, then select the correct class and click **OK**. - **If the parent is not found at all:** Enter the parent's **First Name**, **Last Name**, and **Email** (if available), then click **Add Contact → OK**. Select the correct class and click **OK**. Once complete, the appointment box will display both the parent's and student's names. #### How do I handle divorced parents who need separate appointments? By default, the system allows only one appointment per parent per teacher. For divorced parents, use the **Clone Student** feature to create a second student record, allowing the second parent to book their own appointments with the same teachers. 1. Go to **Contacts** and locate and select the student. 2. Click **Clone Student**. This creates a duplicate record for the student. **If the second parent is already attached to the student:** You'll be prompted to **"clone and separate."** Selecting this lets you assign the cloned record to the second parent. **If the second parent is not yet attached to the student:** Have the second parent log in and locate the student by entering: - The **Student ID followed by an asterisk** (e.g., `1234*`) - The student's **birthdate** They'll then be able to schedule their own set of appointments. --- #### How do I search for a parent or student? 1. Select the **Contacts** tab. 2. In the **Search** box, enter the parent's or student's first or last name. 3. Click **Search**. **Tips:** - To list all contacts, leave the search box empty and click **Search**. - Not sure how a name is spelled? Try a partial search (e.g., just the first few letters) to widen your results. --- # Passwords ##### **A parent is having trouble with her password.** Parents have three options: 1. **Self-service reset:** Click **Forgot Password** to receive a reset email. 2. **Admin reset:** You can reset it for them in the Admin UI: - Go to the Contacts tab. - Search for the parent by name. - Select the parent's record — their email will display in the middle section. - Click **Reset PW**. 3. **Contact support:** Email to have it reset. ##### **How do I change my password?** Log in to your pickAtime account. Click on the menu icon on the upper right-hand side, and then select the Edit Profile / Change password option ##### **A parent is having trouble with her password.** Parents can click on the Forgot Password option, and they will get an email that will allow them to reset their password. They can also email [support@pickatime.com](http://pickatime.com/) to reset it as well. **Alternatively, in the Admin UI, you can reset the parent password. ** - In the Admin UI, select the Contacts[ ](https://help.pickatime.com/books/pta-management-guide/page/contacts)tab - Search by name for the parent in the Search Control boxes. - When you locate the parent record, click on the record, and you will see the parent's email displayed in the middle section. - Click on the Reset PW button. ##### **I imported a new teacher password this year, but only last year's password works.** Once a teacher has taken ownership of their account and set their own password, **importing a new password will not override it**. To reset passwords manually: 1. Go to **Global Setup / Contacts**. 2. Click **Show Advanced Options**. 3. Under **Default Password**, click **Reset Admin Password**. 4. Select the access level you'd like to reset (e.g., **Appointment Viewer**) to reset passwords for all teachers at that level. **My teachers are seeing "contact the Administrator" for their password.** This appears when a new password has been imported for teachers. - **Quick fix:** Let affected teachers know the password you imported. - **Bulk fix:** Reset passwords for all teachers at once: 1. Go to **Global Setup / Contacts**. 2. Click **Show Advanced Options**. 3. Click **Reset Admin Passwords**.

You can also update the **default password** setting from this same section.

##### **I'm trying to reset a parent's password, but I get an error saying I can't.** This happens when the parent's account is also linked to **another pickAtime organization** (e.g., a different school). For privacy reasons — since appointments on other accounts may be confidential — admins cannot reset passwords for accounts shared across organizations. **Solution:** Have the parent contact directly for a password reset. # Reports ##### **Our conferences were last month — how do I view past Reports?** 1. Log in to your account and select **Reports / Event Reports**. 2. You'll see two date fields — **From** and **To**. 3. Enter the date range covering your past conference dates. This will pull report data for that specific period. --- ##### **Can I email each parent their schedule?** Yes: 1. Go to the **Reports / Event Reports** section. 2. Select **Parents' Schedule** from the report pull-down. 3. Select the orange **Email Report** button. 4. Select send to each parent(s) Each parent will receive their own appointment schedule in a table format. --- ##### **Can I email each teacher their schedule?** Yes: 1. Go to the **Reports / Event Reports** page. 2. Select the **Teachers' Schedule** report. 3. Select the orange **Email Report** button. 4. Select send to each teacher(s) Each teacher will receive their own individual schedule. # Rooms ##### **I edited the Room Number in Contacts, but it doesn't show up on Reports.** When a class file is imported, teacher data is copied into the resource section on the **Appointments** page. After that, this copy becomes independent — editing the Contacts section will **not** update it. **To fix a single teacher's room number:** Go to the **Appointments** page and edit the room number directly, in the field to the right of the teacher's name. **To update room numbers for all teachers at once:** 1. Import the **Teacher file** with the updated room numbers. 2. Import the **Class file**. This will update room numbers for all individual teachers on the event.

Importing a Class file overwrites manual edits. If you've made manual changes to a class, update your Class file to match before importing — otherwise those changes will be lost.

> **Note:** This bulk-import method does not work for **Teams of Teachers** — room numbers for Teams must be edited manually. # Scheduler ##### **Every time I change "Open scheduler to customers" on one event, it changes on my other events too. Why are my events connected?** To make changes apply only to the current event: 1. Go to the **Events Preview** page and select **Events Settings**. 2. Under **Propagator Mode**, change **Propagate Changes to** from **"all events of this type"** to **"only the current event."** **See also [Propagator Settings](https://help.pickatime.com/books/additional-event-features/page/propagate-settings).** ##### **Can my event span multiple days?** Yes. To create slots across multiple days: 1. Go to the **Appointments** tab. 2. On the calendar (left-hand side), select your first event date. 3. From the **Slots** drop-down, select **Create Slots**. 4. Repeat for each additional date in your event. ##### **Can multiple parents sign up for the same time slot?** Yes. You can set a maximum number of appointments allowed per slot. **When creating slots:** In the **Slot Generator** dialog, enter the desired number in **Maximum Allowed Appointments Per Slot**. Once that limit is reached, the slot will no longer appear as available on the scheduling page. **To update this after slots are already created:** 1. Go to the **Appointments** page. 2. From the **Slots** drop-down, select **Update Slots**. 3. Update the maximum allowed appointments for a specific time period or for all slots. ##### **How do I add a logo to my scheduling site?** 1. Go to **Global Setup / Business**. 2. Under **Account Level Settings / Account Logo**, click the **Upload** icon. ##### **Do you have a Spanish/French version of the scheduling page?** Not natively — but parents can use their browser's built-in translation feature. \[See [instructions](https://help.pickatime.com/books/additional-event-features/page/built-in-browser-translation-tool)\] ##### **What is the link for my parents? Can I customise the link?** Your parent-facing link is your account URL, found at the bottom-left of the **Global Setup / Business** page. This link displays any **open** event on your account — if you have multiple open events, parents will see a pull-down to choose between them. **To customize the URL:** 1. Check the box **"Set Custom URL."** 2. Enter your desired text (the `XXX` portion of `https://pickatime.com/XXX`) — for example, `myschool` for `https://pickatime.com/myschool`. > New custom URLs take **5–10 minutes** to become active. ##### **How do I test out the scheduler?** Go to the **Online Scheduling** link (left-hand side of the Admin dashboard) to open the live scheduler. You can add a student to your account and view the schedule for their teachers. ##### **When testing, I see "there are no events available" or "the online scheduler is closed."** This means the scheduler isn't currently open for booking. **Fix:** Go to **Settings / UI Setup** and check the **Scheduler Availability** start and end dates. The scheduler must be within this window to be viewable. ##### **When testing, I see "no slots available."** This usually means one of two things: - No slots have been created for your teachers, **or** - All existing slots are already filled ##### **Help! My scheduler is not open** Check the following, in order: 1. **Scheduler Availability dates** — Confirm "Open scheduler to customers" and "Close scheduler to customers" are set correctly (**Settings / UI Setup / Scheduler Availability**). 2. **Slots created** — If parents see "there are no available times," confirm slots have been created for your teachers. 3. **Booking window** — Check the setting **"Customer cannot book their appointment closer than XX hours/days."** If a slot falls within this window (e.g., it's set to 1 day and the appointment is tomorrow), parents won't be able to book it. ##### **Our conferences got snowed out — how do we move all slots and appointments to a new date?** 1. Go to the **Appointments** page for your event. 2. Select the conference date from the calendar. 3. Click **Slots / Move Slots**. 4. Select the destination date. You'll have the option to **email all affected parents** about the change. ##### **We have conferences on two days and need to cancel just one day, while keeping the other open for booking.** 1. Go to the **Appointments** page for your event. 2. Select the date to cancel from the calendar. 3. Click **Slots / Delete Time Slots**. 4. Specify the dates/times to delete. The system will show how many appointments exist on the slots being deleted, and let you choose whether to cancel those appointments and send a cancellation email. ##### **How can I sort my teachers alphabetically on the scheduler?** 1. On the **Appointments** page, open the **Teachers** drop-down. 2. Select **Sort Teachers**. This sorts teachers based on the **Display Contact Name As** setting under **Global Setup / Business / Account Level Display Options** — switch this between **First, Last** and **Last, First** to change the sort order. ##### **Our scheduler is closed, but parents can still cancel appointments.** This is expected. Once the scheduler closes, parents can still log in (if they have the link) to view their schedule — but they **cannot book** new appointments. Whether they can **cancel** depends on your cancellation window setting: **"Customer cannot cancel their appointment closer than XX hours/days"** (**Settings / UI Setup / Appointment Cancellations**). If cancellation isn't allowed, parents will see a message instructing them to call the school instead. ##### **How do I add the class name to the scheduler and parent emails?** **On the scheduler:** 1. Go to **Settings / UI Setup / Scheduler Settings**. 2. Check **"Separate legend for each child"** and **"Display class names."** **On the printable schedule/email:** Add the class name macro `$(CLASS_NAME)` to **CUI Messages / Print Schedule / Print Schedule Headings/Footer**. ##### **We've opened the scheduler, but some classes are missing.** - **If no manual changes were made in the Admin UI:** Simply re-import your updated class and enrollment files. New imports add missing data without overwriting existing data. - **If manual changes were made** (e.g., reassigned teachers, moved students): Import a class file with **only** the missing class(es), and an enrollment file with **only** the missing enrollment. > Either method is safe — existing appointments will not be affected. ##### **We've opened the scheduler and need to remove some classes.** Go to the **Class Editor** page and delete the relevant classes. > Deleting a class will **not** delete any appointments already booked for that teacher. # Students ##### **How do I see the classes my students are enrolled in?** 1. In the Admin UI, go to the **Contacts** page and search for the student. 2. Select the small **Appointments** tab to view all classes the student is enrolled in. Confirm this list includes every class you expect to see. **To add the student to a class:** 1. Go to the **Class Editor** page. 2. Select the teacher, then the class. 3. Click the **Enroll Student** icon. ##### **I need to correct a student's birthdate.** 1. Go to the **Contacts** page and search for the student by name. 2. Update the **Security Value** field (this stores the birthdate). ##### **I need to add a new student.** 1. Go to the **Class Editor** page and select the teacher, then the class. 2. Click the **Enroll Student** icon (above the roster, far right). 3. In the **Select Person** dialog, click **Add Student**, then fill in the student's details — **First Name**, **Last Name**, **Security Value**, and **Student ID** — in the fields marked `` 4. Press **Add** 5. Click **OK**. The student will now appear in the roster. **To enroll this student in additional classes:** Type the student's name into the entry box for that class, using your account's selected name format (**Last, First** or **First Last**). When the system finds a match, press **Enter** — the student will be added to the roster. ##### **My student's schedule has changed — how do I move them to a different class?** **To remove a student from a class:** 1. Go to **Class Editor**, select the teacher, then the class. 2. Locate the student and click the **red X** to the left of their name. **To add the student to a new class:** 1. Go to the **Class Editor**, select the teacher, then the class. 2. Type the student's name into the entry box, using your account's selected name format (**Last, First** or **First Last**). 3. Press **Enter** when the system finds a match — the student will appear in the class roster. ##### **How do I remove duplicate students?** 1. Go to **Event Management / Class Editor**. 2. Check **"Show Only Classes"** (right-hand side). 3. Select all classes (use **Shift** to multi-select), then click **Delete Selected Classes**. 4. Go to **Global Setup / Contacts / Advanced Options**, and click **"Remove Students Not Enrolled in a Class."** > **Note:** After this, parents will need to re-attach the new/correct version of the student to their account. # Snow Day ##### **Our conferences got snowed out — how do we move all slots and appointments to a new date?** 1. Go to the **Appointments** page for your event. 2. Select the conference date from the calendar. 3. Click **Slots / Move Slots**. 4. Select the destination date. You'll have the option to **email all affected parents** about the change. ##### **We have conferences on two days and need to cancel just one day, while keeping the other open for booking.** 1. Go to the **Appointments** page for your event. 2. Select the date to cancel from the calendar. 3. Click **Slots / Delete Time Slots**. 4. Specify the dates/times to delete. The system will show how many appointments exist on the slots being deleted, and let you choose whether to cancel those appointments and send a cancellation email. # Teachers #### How do I sort my teacher roster? 1. On the **Appointments** page, open the **Teachers** drop-down. 2. Select **Sort Teachers**. This sorts teachers using the order set under **Global Setup / Business / Account Level Display Options / Display Contact Name** (Last Name, First Name, or First Name Last Name). --- #### "Email address already exists, can't create duplicates" — what does this mean? This means the teacher's email is already associated with an existing pickAtime contact. **To check:** Go to **Contacts**, enter the email in the search box, and click **Search**. You should find an existing record using that address. --- #### A teacher is no longer available — how do I cancel all her appointments? 1. Go to the **Appointments List** page. 2. Search for all appointments on your event. 3. Sort by **Parent Last Name**, then by **Resource** (teacher), by clicking the column headers. 4. Locate the teacher's appointments, select them, and click **Delete Selected**. --- #### How do I edit a teacher's room number? Go to the **Appointments** page — the room number is editable in the field to the right of the teacher's name. --- #### How do I set different slot durations for different grade groups (e.g., 15-min for 3rd grade, 20-min for 4th–5th grade)? 1. Go to the **Appointments** page. 2. Select your first 3rd-grade teacher, then hold **Ctrl** and select the rest of the 3rd-grade teachers. 3. From the **Slots** drop-down, select **Create Slots**. 4. Enter the conference start/end times and set duration to **15 minutes**. 5. Repeat the process for 4th–5th grade teachers, setting duration to **20 minutes**. --- #### How do I stop teachers from getting an email every time an appointment is booked? 1. Go to **Settings → Notification → Resource Email Notification**. 2. Uncheck **"For resources assigned to a contact, send appointment notification via email."** --- #### I see a grey slot that says "An appointment has been booked with \[teacher name\] at this time." This means either: - A different teacher contact is attached to this resource, or - Multiple teachers are attached to the same resource The system blocks double-booking, so it greys out the conflicting slot. **To fix:** 1. Go to **Class Editor** and select the affected teacher resource. 2. Click **Assign Contact/Team → Assign Contact**. 3. In the dialog, select the **correct** teacher contact, then click **OK**. --- #### I see "Teacher not available" in the Admin UI. This means the teacher already has a conflicting appointment — either: - Booked in their own role as a **parent**, or - Booked as part of a **team** they belong to --- #### Can I email my teachers their schedule? Yes: 1. Go to **Report Selection**. 2. Select **Teachers' Schedule**. 3. Click **Email Report**. --- #### My teacher is at two events (e.g., High School and Middle School). Blocking their slots in one event blocked them in the other too — why? This is expected. **Blocking** slots affects every event sharing that teacher's contact record (matched by email), so blocking time in one event blocks the corresponding time everywhere. > **Deleting** slots, however, does **not** carry across events — it only affects the event you're working in. If a teacher is unavailable at one school but available at another, delete (not block) the slots on the unavailable event. --- #### How do I set my teachers' passwords? You have two options: - **Import** a password via the teacher file, or - Let teachers **create their own** the first time they log in (if no password was imported) --- #### How do I reset the password for one teacher? 1. Go to **Contacts** and search for the teacher. 2. Select their name, then click **Reset PW**. This resets their password to your account's default (**123456**, unless customized). > To change the default password, go to **Global Setup / Contacts / Show Advanced Options / Default Password**. --- #### How do I reset passwords for all teachers at once? 1. Go to **Global Setup / Contacts / Show Advanced Options**. 2. Click **Reset Admin Passwords**. 3. Select the access level to reset — choose **Appointment Viewer** to reset all teachers. --- #### The Reset PW button isn't available for a teacher — why? This typically happens when the teacher's email is also used as a **parent account at another school**. Since the email is shared across two separate accounts, neither account can reset the password independently. **Solution:** Have the teacher use **Forgot Password**, or email for a manual reset. --- #### A teacher can't view her schedule — how do I fix this? Check the following in **Contacts**: 1. Confirm she's logging in with the **email address on file**. 2. Confirm her **Admin Level** is set to **Appointment Viewer**. 3. Confirm the box next to her name under **Resource Access** is checked. > Imported teachers are automatically configured correctly. If a teacher was added **manually**, you'll need to set both of these yourself. **Quick check across all teachers:** Go to **Account Reports → List of Teachers** to review access levels at a glance. --- #### How do teachers view their schedule and log in? Teachers log in using your school's account URL, entering their email and password. Each teacher only sees their **own** schedule. --- #### How do I block out time for a teacher? You have two options: - **Delete** the slots: **Appointments / Slots / Delete Time Slots** - **Mark them unavailable**: **Appointments / Slots / Update Time Slots**, then select **"Make Unavailable"** for the desired time range --- #### How do I correct the spelling of a teacher's name? 1. Go to **Appointments**, select the teacher's name. 2. From the **Teachers** drop-down, select **Assign Contact**. 3. In the **Select Person** dialog, correct the spelling, then click **Select**. --- #### A teacher is being replaced by a long-term substitute — how do I update this for parents? If all of a teacher's classes are transferring to a new teacher, reassign them directly: 1. Go to **Class Editor**. 2. Select the teacher to replace, then click **Assign Contact/Team → Assign Contact**. 3. Search for and select the new teacher, then click **Select**. #### How do I set up different slot durations for the same teacher (e.g., 15-min and 30-min classes)? To create two different slot durations for one teacher, you'll list them **twice** in the Class Editor — once per duration. **Step 1: Add the teacher a second time** 1. Go to **Class Editor**. 2. Click **Add Teacher/Team → Add Teacher**. 3. In the **Select Person** dialog, locate and select the teacher, then click **Select**. The teacher's name will now appear twice in the Class Editor. **Step 2: Move one class to the second listing** 1. Select the second listing of the teacher's name. 2. Select the class that needs the different duration (e.g., Kindergarten). 3. Click **Move Class**, and move it to the duplicate listing. **Step 3: Rename each listing for clarity** Edit each listing's name so you can tell them apart when creating slots — for example: - `Sue Smith - Kindergarten` - `Sue Smith - First Grade` **Step 4: Create separate slot durations** Go to the **Appointments** page. You'll see both listings, and can create slots with different durations for each (e.g., 30 minutes for Kindergarten, 15 minutes for First Grade). > Since both listings share the same underlying contact, the system prevents double-booking — booking one listing automatically blocks the corresponding time on the other. #### I imported teachers, but they're not showing up on the Appointments page. Imported teachers appear in **Contacts** immediately, but they won't appear on the **Appointments** or **Class Editor** pages until a **class has been imported for them**. --- # Teams ##### **How do teams work?** A team can be either: - A simple **label** for one teacher (e.g., "Team Blackhawks"), or - A **combination of individual teachers** When a team combines multiple teachers, pickAtime concatenates their names — for example, **"Andrea Smith; Barbara Zook."** **Double-booking protection:** The system automatically prevents a teacher from being booked twice at the same time, even across different teams or roles. *Example 1 — Shared teacher across two teams:* If "Andrea Smith" is on both **Team A (Andrea Smith; Barbara Zook)** and **Team B (Andrea Smith; Bob Jones)**, booking a slot with Team A automatically blocks the corresponding slot for Team B. *Example 2 — Individual + team overlap:* If Andrea Smith and Barbara Zook each also have individual teacher profiles, booking a slot with **individual teacher Andrea Smith** will block the corresponding slot for **Team (Andrea Smith; Barbara Zook)** — since Andrea is now unavailable. However, **Barbara Zook's individual slot remains open**, since she is still free. ##### **Our school has a team-taught class. Can I create a team for it?** Yes. You can assign two teachers to a single class and create shared slots for them as a team. Each teacher can still have separate slots for classes they teach individually — the system ensures neither is double-booked, and each teacher can view their schedule both as part of the team and individually. **Option 1: Set this up during import** In your class file, enter the class name under `ClassID`, and list both teacher IDs under the `Teacher` column, separated by a semicolon. **Option 2: Combine teachers into a team after import** 1. Go to **Class Editor / Add Teacher/Team / Add Team**. 2. In the **Select Person** dialog, search for and select the first teacher, then click **Add to Team** (top-left corner). 3. Repeat for the second teacher. 4. Once both teachers appear in the top-left list, click **OK**. You can then create a new class for this team, or move an existing class to it from an individual teacher. ##### **I've already imported my data with two separate teachers and classes — how do I combine them into a team?** **Step 1: Create the team** 1. Go to **Class Editor → Add Teacher/Team → Add Team**. 2. In the **Select Person** dialog, search for and select the first teacher, then click **Add to Team**. 3. Repeat for the second teacher. 4. Once both teachers appear in the top-left list, click **OK**. Both teachers will now appear in Class Editor as a combined team, separated by a semicolon (e.g., **Teacher A; Teacher B**). **Step 2: Move existing classes to the team** 1. Select **Teacher A**, select their class, and click **Move Class** → select the **Teacher A; Teacher B** team. 2. Repeat the same process for **Teacher B's** class. 3. Select **Teacher A** individually and click **Remove Teacher**. Repeat for **Teacher B**. **Step 3: Create slots for the team** 1. On the **Appointments** page, select the new combined team (**Teacher A; Teacher B**). 2. From the **Slots** drop-down, select **Create Slots**. 3. Optionally, add a room number. # Time Slots ##### **I created slots on the wrong date — how do I fix this?** 1. Go to the **Appointments** page. 2. Open the **Slots** drop-down and select **Move Slots**. This moves all slots (and any existing appointments) to a new date. You'll have the option to email anyone whose appointment is being moved. ##### **My slots are 20 minutes long, but I want a 30-minute break in the middle.** If your break doesn't match your slot duration or a multiple of it (e.g., 20-minute slots with a 30-minute break), you'll need to create slots in two sections: 1. Create slots for the time **before** the break. 2. Create slots for the time **after** the break. ##### **Why are some of my time slots grey?** Grey slots mean the teacher is **unavailable** at that time — typically because they're: - Attending meetings as part of a team, or - Booked elsewhere as a parent making their own appointments Click the grey slot to see a message explaining where the teacher is booked. ##### **Why are some of my time slots yellow?** Yellow slots indicate the scheduled time has **already passed**. These slots are hidden from parents/participants. **Fix:** Check the date on these slots, then either delete them or move them to the correct date. > Slots on the correct (current/future) date will appear **blue**, indicating they're active and bookable. ##### **I created time slots with the wrong duration.** Slot duration **cannot be edited** after creation. You'll need to: 1. Delete the slots with the incorrect duration. 2. Create new slots with the correct duration. ##### **I created time slots with the wrong duration, and customers have already booked appointments.** Slot duration still cannot be edited directly — you'll need to delete and recreate the slots. However, since appointments already exist, you have options for handling them: 1. Go to **Slots / Delete Time Slots**. 2. A dialog will show you the number of existing appointments on the slots you're about to delete. 3. Choose how to handle them: - **Cancel them** — optionally send an email asking customers to reschedule, **or** - **Hold them** — the default option moves affected appointments to a holding area on the **Appointments List** page, where you can review and manually cancel or reschedule each one. # Working in the Admin UI ##### Help! The time slot boxes in the Admin UI are too small. How do I adjust this? You have two options: **Option 1: Resize manually** Hover your cursor over the time labels in the left-hand column, then click and drag to stretch or shrink the slot boxes. **Option 2: Adjust the global display setting**
1. Go to **Settings / Vendor View Setup**. 2. Adjust the **Time Slot Display Scale**.