TLC Calendar Overview

This guide offers a comprehensive overview of the TLC Calendar, detailing navigation, event creation, and management features ideal for troop leaders. It simplifies the process of scheduling and managing troop events, ensuring that all necessary information, like RSVP tracking and medical requirements, is easily accessible, and enhances communication and organization within their troops, making event planning efficient and effective.

Dave Abernathy
34 steps
5 minutes

Traillifeconnect

Navigation

Navigate to [https://www.traillifeconnect.com/dashboard](https://www.tlusabeta.com/dashboard) and select calendar from the tile icon or the left navigation menu.

By default, you will see the monthly calendar view. You can use the arrows in the upper left to move forward or backward through different months. On the upper right you will see Icons giving different views and function options: - **Month** - **Week** - **Day** *(will also show hours)* - **Month List** *(will show a list of dates and times of events)* - **Print** *(print the current view)* - **iCalendar** *(gives options for various iCalendar feeds)*

Clicking the dropdown for **Filters**, you'll see two sections: - **Area Selections** will display different calendars from different levels. - **Troop Event Types** allows you to display specific event types at the Troop Level Calendar.

Create Event

If your role has the permission to manage the Troop Calendar, you will have the ability to create events in the Calendar for your Troop. \ \ There are two ways to begin when creating an event: - Click the **Create Event** link on the left menu, under Calendar. - Click an empty date/time in the month, week, or day of the calendar to open the **Create Event** page. *(you can click and drag from one date to another for multi-day events)*

**Main Setup Items** include the following options: - **Event Type** - use the drop-down to select what type of event you are adding - **Event has activities -** Yes/No toggle, if the event will utilize specifically named activities) - **Title -** give your event a meaningful title for your members - **Description** - add a description, if you wish, including pictures, files, links, etc. - **Tags** - add/use tags if you wish - **Date & Time** - specify the date(s) and time(s) for your event - **Timezone** - change from your default, if necessary. (*The created event will apepar in the correct timezone for any attendees from other areas)* - **Venue Name** - if applicable - **Venue Address** - if specified, this will create an interactive Google Map in the event details

**Advanced Event Details** include the following options: - **Medical Form Required** - if checked, links are added to the event for the adult and youth medical forms - **Uniform Required** - lets attendees know if they need to wear uniforms - **Service Hours** - specify the number of service hours, if applicable - **Event Fees** - specify the Troop, youth, and adult fees associated with the event, if applicable

**Who can view this event?** is similar to other areas of TLC that allow you to specify where the event will display for specified members to view and/or participate. You can specify visibility by individual members, specific levels or patrols, or specific roles.\ \ **Include adults in household** does not invite the adults in the household, but lets them interact on behalf of anyone in the household who ***is*** invited. If household adults should also be invited, they shoiuld be listed by role or specific name. Also present is an option to have the event viewable on a public internet calendar feed.

**RSVP Details** enables you to make the event primarily information or obtain RSVPs If RSVP is enabled, additional options appear: - If Troop can see RSVPs is set to yes, when a member clicks the event they can see who else is confirmed as ***Going*** - After what date will RSVPs stop being collected? - Will you allow members to bring guests? - Who will be notified of RSVPs?

Once your event details have been completed, click **+ Create** to add your event to the Calendar.

The event details will now appear in an overlay window with key information, and options to Manage and RSVP to the event.

Manage Events

**Please note**: Typically, you can only manage events that you have created.

If you need to change or add details to an event, you can use the **Manage** button, or use the **Pencil** icon in the upper right of the overlay window.

Clicking **Manage** will send you to the **Event Overview** tab for this specific event.\ \ This tab contains useful reporting information regarding who you invited, maximum attendees, RSVP status, and more.

If attendees did not have an opportunity to RSVP through Trail Life Connect, but you know their status, you can manually click and drag names from the *Incomplete RSVPs* list on the right into one of the 3 categories on the left (Going, Maybe Going, Not Going).\ \ RSVP data will update upon a page refresh, and clicking the colored circle indicators will also change the RSVP status for a member.

Above each of the RSVP sections, you will see an email icon with the status header. You can click this icon to begin an email message that will go specifically to the indidivuals within that list.

The resulting email screen will be specific to that event and provide you with the option to select/change any of the status categories for refining or broadening the email audience.\ \ The **Email Content** section behaves like the normal Trail Life Connect email tool: you can utilize an alternate email template, specify a different subject, and type a manual message if the default message needs to be\ altered. Coded options are included in the default message body, specific to the event, and a hint section below the message also provides other options.

Additional Manage Event Tabs

**Event Setup** returns you to the same screen and options as **Create Event.** This is helpful if you need to make changes or update your event.

**Required Forms** are generated based on any activities noted during Event Setup. *(Please see the **Help Videos and Documentation*** *section of Trail Life Connect for more detailed information on the function and completing of these forms).*

**Health & Safety Guide** also populates based on activities selected during Event Setup and provides relevant health and safety information for review prior to the event.

**Event Participants** provides a list of those who have RSVPed, their status, and an at-a-glance update of items completed or needed for each individual. The filters provided can help you easily dial in on specific information needed for various members.

**Activity Plans** allows you to specify certain activities that will be covered during the event.\ \ This can be helpful during regular Troop meetings so all involved can know the topics to cover, and is also helpful for events where specific lessons or badge work will be covered as a part of the event activities.

On the Activity Plans page, scroll down to the **Add New Activity** section.

Fill in the Level, Patrol, leader information, items, sub-items, and add any relevant notes. Once complete, click the **Create button.** You can continue to add activities and badges for each level to provide full transparancy, and can create and track by both Levels and Patrols

Repeating Events

To make a **Repeating Event**, find and open an existing event on the calendar. If your permissions allow, you'll see a **Clipboard** in the upper right hand corner of the window. Clicking this icon will create a copy of the event and all details from the **Event Setup** tab.\ \ *(Please note: you will still need to update activity plans for each individual event!)*

The copied event name will now appear below the Calendar Filters section of the left-hand menu.\ \ You can now **Click & Drag** the named event and drop it onto any and all other dates where the repeating event should appear.

You will now see the new event on the calendar in the space where it was dropped.\ \ The previous step of click-drag-drop can be repeated as many times as necessary; this is particularly helpful for Troop meetings that tend to have the same format and happen weekly, on average.

Clicking into the event shows the copied details, with the updated dates.

Joining an Area/Regional Event

**Area/Region Events** appear as informational only.\ \ For this event to be added to your Troop Calendar (and making it available for Troop members to sign up), it must be added by someone with the Manage Calendar permission.\ \ If **Decline participation** is selected after it's been added, the event will no longer appear on the Troop Calendar.

Joining an Area or Region Event has the additional step of adding the event to your Troop calendar to make it available for your Troop to attend.\ \ Click **Join event as Troop** to make it available.

Click the Area/Regional event that now shows up on your Troop's calendar.

When you return to the event, you'll see the **RSVP** button is now available, as well as the **Manage** button.

**RSVP** will allow you to indicate who from your Household is attending the event, as well as provide notes and information to the organizers.

If you revisit the event, you'll now see the updated RSVPs for your household, and options to **Manage** or **Change RSVP**.\ \ Using the **Manage** button will allow you to indicate if other members of your Troop are attending, similarly to [the step detailed earlier in this guide.](https://scribehow.com/viewer/TLC_Calendar_Overview__OaqbgFFxRJOPdC3-urrr5A?scrollToActionId=d90bae5d) \ \ This also allows you to make ***Troop-specific*** changes, such as departure times, activities, etc., and will not affect the overall Area/Region event.

Managing Area/Regional Events

The following details pertain to **Area** and **Regional Team Members** who are managing calendar events at a level higher than Troop!

**Important: Proper Use of RSVP Links** **Do NOT share the RSVP link for Area-level events with everyone invited (e.g., by email, announcement, or in the event description).**\ If someone from a Troop uses the Area-level RSVP link, their RSVP will be recorded at the Area level—not with their Troop. This can cause significant confusion: Troop leaders may open their Troop’s calendar and see no RSVPs, even though members have responded, but at the wrong level. **Example:**\ If a Troop with 50 members receives the Area-level RSVP link and everyone uses it, all 50 RSVPs are logged at the Area level. The Troop’s calendar will show zero attendees, leading to confusion and support issues. **Best Practice:**\ Always direct attendees to open the event on their own calendar (Troop members on the Troop calendar; Area team members on the Area calendar) and RSVP from there. This ensures RSVPs are recorded in the correct place. **Special Note for Area Leaders Who Are Also Troop Members:**\ Be mindful of which calendar you are using when RSVPing—especially if you hold multiple roles. RSVPing from the wrong calendar can result in your RSVP being recorded at the Area level instead of your Troop. **Summary:** - Never share RSVP links directly. - Always instruct users to RSVP from the event on their respective calendar. - Double-check your calendar context before RSVPing if you have multiple roles. This practice will help prevent confusion and reduce support issues related to misplaced RSVPs.

Please note that the RSVP information you see will be for other leaders from your **Area** that have made an RSVP for the event using the RSVP link specific for the Area Level.

To see **Event Participants**, be sure to click the Event Participant tab.

**Activity Plan** allows an Area Leader to specify badge related activities. Invited Troops see this information, but have the ability to add activities to ***only*** their Troop if they anticipate doing additional activities.