Helpful Tips for the University Calendar

  1. Don't forget to recommend your event to the main calendar. Otherwise the calendar staff (not to mention everyone else) may never see your event, and will be unable to correct any problems with it. The easiest way to recommend an event is to check the box next to 'Please consider event for the main calendar' when you create the event. Some calendar owners have been left wondering why their events never show up, but we don't want to feature events without your permission.
  2. You should add a clickable link to your event web page, and there's only one place where you can do that. When creating an event, click on Additional Details, which reveals the Event Webpage box where you can enter the link.
  3. For long descriptions, use the Additional Public Information field (under Event Location, Date and Time) for the extra details, such as lecture abstract, speaker biography or registration information. Since the Additional Public Information appears only on the individual event listing page, it's ideal for providing extra information to interested people who clicked on the event. It does not appear in searches, however.
  4. Blank lines will disappear from the event, so you should write your description in paragraph form.
  5. For recurring events, you can save typing by entering them as one event with multiple dates and dates - even if the locations are different. To do that, go back to your event after submitting it, edit it, and click on "Add additional location, date and time." Then you only need to re-enter the place and time. If you like, you can also customize the description for each occurrence (in essence) by using the "Additional Public Info" field.
  6. Don't use HTML in your events, or ampersands (&) in your titles. Otherwise it can break the RSS feed. If that happens, your event can't appear on the A&M or Howdy home pages, or anywhere else that RSS feeds are used. (And neither can any of the events listed after it...) Also, large images (more than 700 pixels wide) will blow out the web page design.
  7. Maybe someone else has already added your event... Do a search before submitting it. If you just want to add the event to your calendar, you can save time by copying it from the other calendar. When collaborating with other calendar owners, you may even want to give each other the ability to submit co-sponsored events to the other's calendar.
  8. Event Types cannot be edited later and will be included in searches, so choose wisely from the list of event types. Choose "Other" if you can't find a better alternative. The Sponsor (under Additional Details) also cannot be changed later.
  9. When entering the Location, try to be more specific than "Texas A&M University," since clicking on the location will link to a map to the building. Choose your building from the drop-down box, then add a room number if necessary. If your location is missing, you can contact us to add it.
  10. Add a starting time and an ending time for each event, or it will default to 12:00 am. Times have recently become more prominent on our event pages, so estimate an ending time if you need to.
  11. Contact us before using subscriptions, since we've found that subscriptions can quickly add a lot of duplicate database records. You can add events to your calendar without using subscriptions - just search for the event in Event Manager and choose "Add to Posted".
  12. When you edit events, remember that "Event, Location, Date, and Time" is a separate form. Once you've edited one section (for example, Title and Description), you should click Submit, hit the back button, and then edit the other section (Event, Location, Date, and Time). Otherwise, you will lose your work without warning.
  13. Please submit your events from your departmental calendar - don't use your personal login when you have a departmental calendar. If it says "User Event Manager" in the upper left corner of your screen, you're using your personal login. If so, click on "Choose your calendar" and change it. If you don't see the option to "Choose your calendar," contact your department's calendar administrator. If there isn't one, please contact our office and we'll be happy to walk you through the process of getting a departmental calendar. Very few events should be submitted from personal logins. Keeping all your events in one place, at one URL, has real benefits, and they come automatically when you use a single calendar.

Have other questions or suggestions? Contact the Texas A&M calendar team.

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