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Agenda User Manual

Table of Contents

Access to the Administration Interface

To get access to the administration interface, please contact itsupport.ub@unibe.ch.

Users need to have a Campus Account (CA) for employees. You need to create a SWITCH edu-ID account and link your Campus Account to the SWITCH edu-ID account. Please provide your University of Bern email address.

The web interface for administration can be accessed at your institution's agenda URL.

Click on "Sign in" on the top right corner and use your SWITCH edu-ID account to sign in.

If you don't have permission to access the web interface, you will receive a 403 Forbidden error - otherwise you will see the administration menu.

Overview

Permission Level: Public / Without Login

The public calendar is accessible without login. Visitors can browse, filter events, and register for public sessions.

After signing in, you will see the main navigation menu with the following sections:

  • Home - Calendar view of all events
  • Events - Manage and create events (requires Event Admin permissions)
  • My Registrations - View and cancel your own event bookings (for authenticated users, ROLE_USER)
  • Admin - Administrative functions (for system administrators, ROLE_ADMIN)

Regular users (ROLE_USER) can view public events and manage/cancel their personal bookings. Event administrators (Specific Event Admin or ROLE_EVENT_ADMIN) can create and manage events, configure settings, and manage attendees. System administrators (ROLE_ADMIN) have full access to master data and user role administration.

Event Management

Creating Events

Events are the core of the agenda system. Each event can have multiple appointments (time slots) and registration settings.

Step 1: Navigate to Events

In the main menu, click on "Events", then click "Create New Event".

Step 2: Basic Information (Page 1)

Fill in the basic event information:

  • Title - The event name (e.g., "Introduction to Digital Research Methods")
  • Description - Detailed description of the event content and goals
  • Location - Physical venue or location information
  • Organizer - Person or department organizing the event

Note

The event creation process uses a multi-step form. You can navigate between steps using the "Previous" and "Next" buttons.

Step 3: Event Settings (Page 2)

Configure the event behavior:

  • Visibility - Who can see the event:
  • Public - Visible to everyone, including anonymous users
  • Authenticated - Visible only to logged-in users

  • Target Audience - Visible only to specific user groups

  • Registration Required - Whether users must register to attend

  • Event Category - Categorize your event for easier filtering

  • Target Audience - Specify which user groups this event is intended for

Step 4: Registration Settings (Page 3)

If registration is required, configure:

  • Registration Deadline - Last date users can register
  • Unregistration Deadline - Last date users can cancel their registration
  • Maximum Participants - Total capacity (leave empty for unlimited)
  • Enable Waiting List - Allow users to join a waiting list when capacity is reached
  • Maximum Waiting List Size - Limit for waiting list (leave empty for unlimited)

Warning

Set realistic deadlines that give you time to prepare materials and communicate with participants.

Step 5: Contact Information (Page 4)

Provide contact details for questions:

  • Contact Person - Name of the person to contact
  • Contact Email - Email address for inquiries
  • Contact Phone - Phone number (optional)

Step 6: Additional Settings (Page 5)

Configure advanced options:

  • Event Image - Upload an image for the event (displayed in calendar and event list)
  • External Link - Link to external resources or information
  • Notes - Internal notes for organizers (not visible to participants)

Step 7: Review and Create

Review all information and click "Create Event" to finish.

The event is created in Draft state and is not yet visible to users.

Editing Events

To edit an existing event:

  1. Navigate to Events
  2. Find your event in the list
  3. Click on the event title or the "Edit" button
  4. Modify the information using the same multi-step form
  5. Click "Save" to apply changes

Publishing Events

Events must be published before users can see them:

  1. Navigate to Events
  2. Find your event
  3. Click "Publish"

The event becomes visible according to its visibility settings.

Note

You can unpublish an event at any time by clicking "Unpublish". This immediately hides the event from users.

Deleting Events

To delete an event:

  1. Navigate to Events
  2. Find your event
  3. Click "Delete"
  4. Confirm the deletion

Warning

Deleting an event removes all appointments, registrations, and associated data. This action cannot be undone.

Appointment Management

Appointments are the individual time slots within an event. An event can have one or multiple appointments.

Creating Appointments

Step 1: Open Event Details

  1. Navigate to Events
  2. Click on the event title
  3. Scroll to the "Appointments" section
  4. Click "Add Appointment"

Step 2: Configure Appointment

Fill in the appointment details:

  • Start Date and Time - When the appointment begins
  • End Date and Time - When the appointment ends
  • Venue - Physical location (e.g., "Room 301, Main Building")
  • Online Participation - Enable if remote participation is possible
  • Online Link - URL for video conference (e.g., Zoom, Teams)

  • Online Instructions - Additional instructions for online participants

  • Capacity - Maximum participants for this specific appointment (can differ from event capacity)

Tip

For recurring events, create multiple appointments with different dates. Each appointment can have separate registration tracking.

Step 3: Save

Click "Save Appointment" to add it to the event.

Editing Appointments

  1. Navigate to the event details
  2. Find the appointment in the list
  3. Click "Edit"
  4. Modify the information
  5. Click "Save"

Warning

Changing appointment times after users have registered may require notifying participants. The system does not automatically send change notifications.

Deleting Appointments

  1. Navigate to the event details
  2. Find the appointment in the list
  3. Click "Delete"
  4. Confirm the deletion

Warning

Deleting an appointment removes all registrations for that specific time slot. Registered users will not be automatically notified.

Registration Settings

Registration settings control how users can sign up for events.

Understanding Registration Types

  • Open Registration - Users can register immediately and are automatically confirmed
  • Closed Registration - Registration is not possible (event is view-only or has passed the deadline)

Setting Registration Deadlines

Configure when users can register and unregister:

Registration Deadline

  • Set this to the last date users should be able to register
  • After this date, the registration form is no longer available
  • Recommended: Set at least 1-3 days before the event to allow preparation

Unregistration Deadline

  • Set this to the last date users can cancel their registration
  • After this date, participants cannot unregister themselves
  • Recommended: Set at least 1-2 days before the event

Capacity Management

Control how many participants can attend:

Event Capacity

  • Set Maximum Participants to limit total attendance
  • Leave empty for unlimited capacity
  • This applies across all appointments if the event has multiple time slots

Per-Appointment Capacity

  • Each appointment can have its own capacity limit
  • Useful for events with multiple sessions where room sizes differ
  • Per-appointment capacity overrides event capacity for that specific appointment

Example

Event: "Workshop Series" - Event capacity: 50 total participants - Appointment 1 (Room A): 20 participants - Appointment 2 (Room B): 30 participants - Appointment 3 (Online): 50 participants

Waiting List Configuration

When capacity is reached, users can join a waiting list:

  1. Enable "Enable Waiting List" in event settings
  2. Optionally set "Maximum Waiting List Size"
  3. Users see a "Join Waiting List" button when the event is full

When a participant cancels: * The first person on the waiting list is automatically moved to confirmed participants * That user receives an email notification * Their registration status changes from "Waiting" to "Confirmed"

Participant Management

Viewing Participants

To view all participants for an event:

  1. Navigate to Events
  2. Click on the event title
  3. Scroll to the "Participants" section

The participant list shows: * Name and email address * Registration date * Registration status (Confirmed or Waiting) * Appointment(s) registered for * Actions available (unregister, etc.)

Registering Users Manually

Administrators can register users on their behalf:

  1. Open the event details
  2. Click "Register Participant"
  3. Search for the user by name or email
  4. Select the appointment(s)
  5. Click "Register"

The user receives a confirmation email with event details.

Unregistering Participants

To remove a participant from an event:

  1. Find the participant in the list
  2. Click "Unregister"
  3. Confirm the action

Note

Unregistering a participant frees up capacity. If a waiting list exists, the next person is automatically promoted.

Waiting Lists

How Waiting Lists Work

When an event reaches capacity:

  1. The registration button changes to "Join Waiting List"
  2. Users can add themselves to the waiting list
  3. Waiting list users have status "Waiting"
  4. When capacity becomes available, the first waiting user is automatically promoted

Managing the Waiting List

Viewing Waiting List

  1. Navigate to the event details
  2. Scroll to the "Waiting List" section

You'll see: * Users waiting in order of registration * How long each user has been waiting * Total number of users waiting

Manual Promotion

To manually move someone from waiting to confirmed:

  1. Find the user in the waiting list
  2. Click "Promote to Confirmed"
  3. The user receives a confirmation email

Tip

Manual promotion is useful when capacity increases or when you want to prioritize specific users.

Removing from Waiting List

To remove someone from the waiting list:

  1. Find the user in the waiting list
  2. Click "Remove"
  3. Confirm the action

The user receives an email notification.

Automatic Promotion

The system automatically promotes waiting list users when:

  • A confirmed participant cancels their registration
  • Capacity is increased by the administrator
  • An appointment is added with available capacity

The promotion happens in order of registration (first in, first out).

Email Notifications

The system sends automatic email notifications for various events.

Notification Types

For Participants

  • Registration Confirmation - Sent when registration is confirmed
  • Waiting List Confirmation - Sent when added to waiting list
  • Promoted from Waiting List - Sent when moved from waiting to confirmed
  • Unregistration Confirmation - Sent when participant cancels
  • Event Reminder - Sent 1-2 days before the event (if configured)
  • Event Cancellation - Sent if the event is cancelled
  • Event Update - Sent when significant changes are made (if configured)

For Administrators

  • New Registration - Notification when someone registers (if enabled)
  • Capacity Warning - Alert when capacity is nearly reached (if configured)

Sending Manual Notifications

To send a custom email to participants:

  1. Navigate to the event details
  2. Click "Send Email to Participants"
  3. Select recipients:
  4. All confirmed participants
  5. Waiting list only
  6. Specific participants (select from list)
  7. Enter subject and message
  8. Preview the email
  9. Click "Send"

Event Visibility and Access Control

Visibility Levels

Control who can see and register for events:

Public Events

  • Visible to everyone, including anonymous users
  • Appear in the public calendar
  • Can be indexed by search engines
  • Use for: Open lectures, public workshops, conferences

Authenticated Events

  • Visible only to logged-in users
  • Require SWITCH edu-ID to view
  • Not accessible to anonymous visitors
  • Use for: Internal training, staff events

Target Audience Events

  • Visible only to specific user groups
  • Configured based on organizational units or roles
  • Most restrictive visibility level
  • Use for: Department-specific events, restricted workshops

Configuring Target Audience

To restrict an event to specific groups:

  1. Edit the event
  2. Set visibility to "Target Audience"
  3. Select target groups:
  4. Organizational units (departments, faculties)
  5. User roles
  6. Custom groups
  7. Save the event

Only users matching the target audience criteria will see the event.

Access Before and After Registration

  • Before Registration: Visibility determines who can see the event in the calendar and details
  • After Registration: All registered participants can access event details regardless of visibility
  • Calendar Integration: Only events visible to the user appear in their calendar exports

Roles and Permissions

The agenda system uses role-based access control to manage what users can do.

User Roles

Regular User (ROLE_USER)

Can: * View public and authenticated events (if logged in) * Register for events * View and manage their own registrations * Join waiting lists * Export their personal calendar

Cannot: * Create events * Manage other users' registrations * Access administrative functions

Event Administrator (ROLE_EVENT_ADMIN)

Can do everything a regular user can, plus: * Create new events * Edit events they created * Manage participants for their events * Send email notifications * Export participant lists * Configure registration settings

Cannot: * Manage events created by others (unless explicitly granted) * Access system-wide settings * Manage user accounts

Event-Specific Administrator

Events can have additional administrators assigned:

  1. Edit an event
  2. Go to "Administrators" section
  3. Add users by searching for their name
  4. Save the event

Event-specific administrators can: * Edit that specific event * Manage participants for that event * Send notifications * View registrations

Tip

Use event-specific administrators for delegating management of large events or recurring event series.

System Administrator (ROLE_ADMIN)

Can do everything, including: * Manage all events regardless of creator * Configure system-wide settings * Manage email templates * Access user management * View system logs and statistics * Manage roles and permissions

Viewing Your Permissions

To see what you can do:

  1. Navigate to Admin > My Permissions
  2. View your assigned roles
  3. See which events you can manage

Calendar View

The home page displays a calendar with all visible events.

  • Click date to view events on that day
  • Use arrows to navigate between months
  • Click "Today" to return to current month

Calendar Modes

  • Month View - Overview of the entire month
  • Week View - Detailed view of one week
  • Day View - Detailed schedule for one day
  • List View - Chronological list of upcoming events

Event Display

  • Events appear as colored blocks on their dates
  • Color indicates event category or status
  • Click on an event to view details

Searching Events

Use the search function to quickly find events:

  1. Click the search icon in the top navigation
  2. Enter search terms:
  3. Event title
  4. Description keywords
  5. Organizer name
  6. Location
  7. Press Enter or click "Search"

Search Filters

Refine your search using filters:

  • Date Range - Events between specific dates
  • Category - Filter by event category
  • Organizer - Events by specific organizer
  • Registration Status - Open for registration, full, past deadline
  • My Events - Events you created (for administrators)
  • My Registrations - Events you registered for

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I register for an event?

  1. Browse the calendar or event list
  2. Click on an event to view details
  3. Click "Register"
  4. Select your appointment(s)
  5. Fill in any required information
  6. Click "Submit Registration"

You will receive a confirmation email.

Can I register for multiple appointments?

Yes, if the event allows it. During registration, you can select multiple appointments. Each appointment is treated as a separate session.

What happens if an event is full?

If the event has a waiting list enabled, you can join the waiting list. You will be automatically promoted to confirmed participant if space becomes available.

If there is no waiting list, you cannot register until space becomes available.

How do I cancel my registration?

  1. Navigate to My Registrations
  2. Find the event
  3. Click "Cancel Registration"
  4. Confirm the cancellation

Warning

You can only cancel before the unregistration deadline. After that, contact the event organizer directly.

What is the difference between event capacity and appointment capacity?

  • Event Capacity - Total limit across all appointments
  • Appointment Capacity - Limit for a specific time slot

If both are set, the more restrictive limit applies.

How do I add co-organizers to my event?

  1. Edit your event
  2. Go to the "Administrators" section
  3. Search for users by name
  4. Add them as event administrators
  5. Save the event

They will be able to manage the event and participants.

Can I duplicate an event?

Yes, to create a similar event:

  1. Navigate to Events
  2. Find the event to duplicate
  3. Click "Duplicate"
  4. Modify the information (dates, title, etc.)
  5. Save the new event

This copies all settings but not participants or appointments.

How far in advance should I publish an event?

Recommended timelines: * Small workshops - 2-4 weeks * Large conferences - 2-3 months * Recurring series - At the beginning of the semester/term

This gives users time to plan and register.

What happens to registrations if I unpublish an event?

  • The event is hidden from the calendar
  • Registered participants retain their registrations
  • Participants can still access event details via their "My Registrations" page
  • New registrations are not possible

Can participants see each other's information?

No, participant lists are only visible to: * Event administrators * System administrators

Regular participants cannot see who else is registered.

How do I handle no-shows?

After the event, no-shows remain in the system with "Confirmed" status. The system does not currently have built-in attendance tracking.

If needed, you can manually track attendance using external tools or spreadsheets by referencing the participant list visible in the event details.

Support

If you have questions or problems using the agenda system, please contact:

Email: itsupport.ub@unibe.ch

University Library Bern Open Science Team

We are happy to help with questions about using the system, creating events, managing registrations, or resolving issues.