The Calendar is the best way to view schedules for your users and resources. A resource can be any facility, studio, room, camera, or equipment that you want to keep a schedule for. Schedules for multiple users and resources can be viewed simultaneously in an easy-to-read, graphical layout, making it easy to compare schedules or check for availability. When setting up users (Maintenance > General (Studio) > Users) and resources (Maintenance > Appointment > Resources), make sure to check the "Show on Calendar" option for each user/resource you want to maintain a calendar for. They will then be included in the Users and Resources panel in the lower-right corner of the calendar and their schedule will be available for viewing and booking. See also: Adding Users to the Calendar  and Adding Resources to the Calendar

Double-clicking on any available time slot launches the easy-to-use Scheduling Wizard, which will automatically create a session or appointment for a new or existing client, along with the invoice and receipt of payment, if necessary. Double-clicking on any existing session or appointment will open the appropriate session or appointment with further details.  

Get familiar with the Calendar as shown above. As you see, the calendar defaults to the current user and today’s date. The mini calendars on the right are an easy way to select the day(s) you wish to view. You can also choose the calendar(s) you are viewing by making one or more selections in the list of Users and Resources in the lower-right corner.

Tips for Using the Calendar

• View multiple users or resources - Hold down the Ctrl key and click the names in the Users and Resources panel. You can view a range of names by clicking and dragging. To de-select a user or resource, press Ctrl and click the name. When viewing multiple calendars, you can use the Group By option on the ribbon to change how the multiple calendars will be displayed. Group By Date, User, or No Grouping.

• View multiple dates - Hold down the Ctrl key and click the desired dates.

• View a range of dates - Click on the first date, then hold the Shift key and click on the last date in the range. You can also click and drag to select a date range.

• View today’s calendar - Click Go to Today on the ribbon.

• Change the calendar view - Use the Day, Work Week, Week, and Month buttons on the ribbon. Each individual user can set up a default calendar view by going to Maintenance > Preferences > User Preferences > General tab > Default Calendar View. See User Preferences for more information.

• Display sunrise and sunset times - Click Sunrise Sunset on the ribbon.

• Use the mini calendars to see which days have appointments or sessions – days with appointments or sessions will appear in bold.

• View another month - Click the appropriate arrow at the top left corner of the calendar.

• Quickly jump to another month - At the top of a mini-calendar, click on the name of the month and then hold the mouse button down to see all the months of the year. Click the month you desire and all the mini-calendars will adjust to the new month.

HERE'S A FLASH FOR YOU! There are some very important terms to remember when using Spectra/myStratus. Memorize the following definitions:  Session - Any time you will be actually TAKING photos, either of a client or for a client. Appointment - Anything else that is placed on the calendar, such as wedding consultations, staff meetings, etc. Linked Appointment - Any type of appointment that involves a client (i.e., wedding consultations, sales presentations, etc.). Unlinked Appointment - Any appointment that DOESN'T involve a client (i.e., staff meetings).

Calendar Options

There are a number of options available on the calendar.

• Single-Click - To quickly enter an unlinked appointment, just single-click a time slot on the Calendar and then type in the information.

• Double-Click - Double-click a time slot on the Calendar to start the Scheduling Wizard to schedule a session or linked appointment.

• Click and Drag - Click and drag an appointment or session to reschedule it. Drag it across days or calendars to change the date or the user.

• Right-Click Appointment Options - When you right-click an appointment, you can choose View Client to open the client (if the appointment is linked to a client), View Appointment to open the appointment, or Copy Appointment to copy the appointment and paste to another time slot (just right-click the new time slot and choose Paste Appointment).

• Right-Click Session Options - When you right-click a session, you can choose View Client to open the client, View Session to open the session, or Start Sales Presentation to begin a sales presentation (session must already contain images).

Can I Customize the Calendar?

Yes! There are many ways to customize your Calendar. Here are some options along with a link to the appropriate topic:

• Changing Session and Appointment Descriptions - Customize the information that is displayed on the calendar based on the session or appointment type.

• Change the Colors - Change the color used on the calendar based on the session or appointment type.

• Open and Close Hours - Modify the days and hours your business is open on the Calendar tab in Company (Studio) Preferences. See Company (Studio) Preferences - Calendar for details.

• Days of the Work Week - Change the days that are displayed in the Work Week view on the Calendar tab in Company (Studio) Preferences. See Company (Studio) Preferences - Calendar for details.

• Holidays and Special Events - Add holidays and other events to the calendar.