How to create an event pattern (Next-Gen)

12 January 2023 14:26

You can create a pattern for a group to automatically mark the attendance screen for a meal or wraparound care.

This article will teach you...

How to create an event pattern using the next-gen feature.

Pre-requisites for general event use e.g. meals

ParentPay calendar must be configured for the academic year (see article, How to manage your calendar).
Prior to creating the meal groups and patterns you will be required to create an event for all Event types, e.g. Lunch Time event, Breakfast and Afterschool Club (see article, How to set up a new meal type).

Pre-requisites for Arbor Attendance

During the setup of the Arbor Attendance feature, it is common to receive warnings for people with morning attendance marks that do not have a pattern assigned. To avoid this, each attendee is required to be allocated to a pattern, potentially one with no cost such as Packed lunch or Home meal.

School must use Arbor as their MIS.
ParentPay must be approved as a third-party integration within the Arbor system (see article, Setting up and managing third-party integration).
ParentPay calendar must be configured for the academic year, (see article, How to manage your calendar).
All meal event types and prices must be configured correctly, (see article, How to set up a new meal type).
All pupils and staff must have a pattern configured using either classic or next-gen.

NOTE

To avoid warnings on the Arbor Attendance Import Report you will need to create a group for all other meal types, i.e. Home and Sandwich pupils.

Creating an event pattern

The example below will focus on creating a meal pattern, however, group patterns can be used for any other event type eg. Wraparound care.

After setting up an event correctly, a pattern can be assigned to the pupils or staff including those in a group.

To create a pattern:

Navigate to Attendance, meals & events [1] > Settings [2] > Patterns [3].

NOTICE

If you don't see this option use this guide instead (See article How to create an event pattern (Classic)).
You could also contact ParentPay Support to have this view enabled.
Then select Create/edit event pattern [4].
Now select Create new pattern [5].
Give your pattern a Name[6] and then Select Event[7] to continue.
Next, complete the Options for the Pattern[8] and then Save changes & continue to add people [9].
Now you can add people to the pattern

TOP TIP

This is where a custom group can save you some time.

To finalise the pattern and save your changes simply click Save pattern & close [10].

If you are completing this for Arbor Attendance go here for the next article, Daily tasks using Arbor Attendance.

Bulk removing an event pattern

You may need to change an event pattern for multiple people or individuals.

To do this, you can simply remove them from the pattern or check out the article here for more detailed instructions on removing the pattern on an individual basis.