Using the Planner

_In the app: `/planner`_

The Planner is a shared calendar where you coordinate all your family's lessons, co-op meetups, field trips, and state compliance deadlines in one place. It syncs read-only to Apple Calendar, Google Calendar, or Outlook so you can check your schedule on your phone. The Planner is part of the Family plan.

How to

Add a new event

Go to Planner.
Click the 'New event' button.
Fill in the event title (required).
Choose the kind: Lesson, Co-op meetup, Field trip, Appointment, Assessment / test, Compliance task, Vacation / no school, or Custom.
Select 'Scope': 'My family only' for a family event, or pick a co-op you belong to if it's a co-op event. Any co-op member can create a co-op event, but only co-op admins can edit or delete them.
Add location (optional).
Set the start and end times. For all-day events, check 'All-day event' and the date picker will switch to date-only mode.
Set recurrence: Choose 'Doesn't repeat' for a one-time event, or Daily / Weekly / Monthly / Yearly for recurring events. For weekly, select which days (M, T, W, Th, F, Sa, Su). Set an end date with 'Until' (optional).
Add notes (optional) in the Notes field.
Click 'Create'.

Edit an existing event

Go to Planner.
Click on the event you want to change.
The 'Edit event' modal opens.
Make your changes (title, kind, scope, times, recurrence, notes, location).
If this is a co-op event, only a co-op admin can edit.
Click 'Save'.

Delete an event

Go to Planner.
Click on the event to open the 'Edit event' modal.
Click the red 'Delete' button.
Confirm the deletion. Recurring events are deleted as a whole series, not individual occurrences.
If this is a co-op event, only a co-op admin can delete.

View the calendar in different formats

Go to Planner.
Use the view buttons in the top toolbar: Month, Week, Day, or Agenda (list view).
On mobile (narrow screens), Agenda view loads by default since Month view is cramped.
You can manually switch between views anytime.

Set up calendar sync to Apple Calendar, Google Calendar, or Outlook

Go to Planner.
Look for the banner 'Sync your planner to Apple, Google, or Outlook' at the top.
Click 'Get my calendar URL'.
Two URLs appear: HTTPS (for Google Calendar and Outlook) and webcal:// (for Apple Calendar one-click subscribe).
Copy the appropriate URL for your calendar app.
For Apple Calendar (iPhone/iPad): Tapping the webcal:// link usually auto-opens Calendar with a Subscribe prompt. Manually: Settings → Apps → Calendar → Calendar Accounts → Add Account → Other → Add Subscribed Calendar, paste the HTTPS URL.
For Apple Calendar (Mac): Calendar app → Menu bar → File → New Calendar Subscription, paste the HTTPS URL, click Subscribe, choose refresh frequency (5 min recommended), click OK.
For Google Calendar: calendar.google.com → Left sidebar next to 'Other calendars' → + → From URL → paste HTTPS URL → Add calendar.
For Outlook on the web: outlook.live.com or outlook.office.com → Calendar view → Left sidebar → Add calendar → Subscribe from web → paste HTTPS URL → name it, pick a color, click Import.
For Outlook desktop (Windows/Mac): File → Account Settings → Account Settings → Internet Calendars tab → New → paste HTTPS URL → Add.
The synced calendar is read-only in your calendar app. Edit events in ArborSlate; your calendar app will pull updates on its own schedule.

Rotate (refresh) your calendar sync URL

Go to Settings.
Find the 'Sync planner to your calendar' card.
Click 'Show my calendar URL' if the URLs aren't visible.
Click 'Rotate URL'.
Confirm: rotating breaks anyone already subscribed — they'll get a 404 until you share the new URL.
The old URL stops working immediately. Anyone who had it subscribed must re-subscribe with the new URL.
Use this if your calendar URL has been over-shared accidentally.

Add a single ArborSlate event to Google Calendar

Go to Planner.
Click on the event to open the 'Edit event' modal.
At the bottom, look for 'Add this one event to Google Calendar' (only appears in edit mode, not create mode).
Click the link. It opens a Google Calendar add-event URL.
Google Calendar opens in a new tab with the event details pre-filled.
Review and save in Google Calendar.
Note: This adds a single event, not an ongoing subscription. For continuous sync, use the calendar URL subscription instead.

See compliance deadlines and school-year boundaries

Go to Planner.
Compliance deadlines from your state filing requirements appear automatically as all-day events at the due date (marked as 'Compliance: [label]', with a checkmark if completed).
School-year boundaries (start and end dates, plus quarter/semester markers at 25%, 50%, 75% points) appear as faint markers.
These are managed elsewhere: compliance deadlines are on the Compliance page; school year dates are under Settings → School years.
To edit or mark a compliance deadline complete, click it on the calendar — a toast message directs you to the Compliance page.

View co-op events

Go to Planner.
At the bottom of the calendar, you'll see badges showing which calendars are displayed: your family name and each co-op you belong to (e.g., 'Co-op: Oak Valley Homeschool').
Events created by co-op members appear on the calendar. Only co-op admins can edit or delete co-op events.
When creating a new event, choose the co-op in the 'Scope' dropdown to add it to a co-op calendar instead of your family-only calendar.

Options & settings

View: Month, Week, Day, or Agenda (list) view. Mobile defaults to Agenda; desktop defaults to Month.
All-day event toggle: Switch between date-only and full datetime pickers.
Recurrence: Doesn't repeat, Daily, Weekly (with day selection), Monthly, Yearly, with optional end date (Until).
Event kind: Lesson, Co-op meetup, Field trip, Appointment, Assessment / test, Compliance task, Vacation / no school, Custom.
Scope: My family only, or select a co-op to make it a co-op event.
Calendar sync: Get/Show calendar URL (HTTPS and webcal://), rotate URL for security.
Subscribed calendar refresh rates: User-configurable per platform (iOS, Mac, Google, Outlook).

Common questions

Why don't I see the Planner?

The Planner is part of the Family plan. If you're on the trial, you have full access. If you're on the Transcript-only plan, you'll need to upgrade to the Family plan to use it. Go to Settings → Manage plan.

How often does my subscribed calendar refresh?

It depends on your calendar app. iOS refreshes roughly every 30 minutes to a few hours (user-configurable under Calendar Accounts). Google Calendar refreshes every 6–24 hours. Mac Calendar respects your chosen refresh frequency when you subscribe. Outlook varies by platform. If you need updates faster, edit events in ArborSlate and wait for your app's next automatic refresh, or manually trigger a refresh in your calendar app if the option is available.

Can I edit events in my calendar app (Apple Calendar, Google Calendar, etc.)?

No, subscribed calendars are read-only in your calendar app. Edit events in ArborSlate — they'll show up in your calendar app after the next refresh. This keeps ArborSlate as the source of truth.

What's the difference between a family event and a co-op event?

Family events are private to your family — only you see them. Co-op events are shared with all co-op members. Any co-op member can create a co-op event, but only co-op admins can edit or delete them. You choose the scope when creating the event.

Can I share my calendar sync URL with someone outside my family?

Yes, but be cautious — anyone with the URL can see your entire calendar, including private family events. If you accidentally share it widely, use the Rotate URL option in Settings to invalidate the old URL and get a new one.

What event kinds should I use?

Lesson for subject study or coursework. Co-op meetup for group meetings (only works if scope is a co-op). Field trip for outings. Appointment for doctor visits, tutoring, etc. Assessment / test for exams or quizzes. Compliance task for state-mandated activities. Vacation / no school for breaks. Custom for anything else. The kind affects the color in the calendar view but doesn't change functionality.

Good to know

Recurring events are deleted as a complete series, not individual occurrences — there's no way to skip one instance. If you need to break a pattern, delete the recurring event and manually recreate the instances you want.
The recurrence builder only supports simple patterns: Daily, Weekly (with day selection), Monthly, and Yearly. Complex rules (like 'first Tuesday of each month') aren't supported. Server rejects anything more elaborate.
Compliance deadlines and school-year boundaries are read-only on the calendar — you can't edit them by clicking on the calendar. Go to the Compliance page or Settings → School years to manage them.
If you're a co-op member (not admin), you can create co-op events but cannot edit or delete events created by other members. Only admins have full edit/delete power.
Calendar subscriptions are read-only — the calendar app shows updates, but any changes must be made in ArborSlate. Clicking 'Edit' in your calendar app won't work.
The 'Add this one event to Google Calendar' link (on the event edit modal) creates a standalone copy, not an ongoing subscription. It's a one-off action, not linked to your regular sync URL.

Plans

The Planner requires the Family plan (trial included). Co-op members can create events for their co-ops; only co-op admins can edit or delete co-op events.