What the Automatic Scheduler Does

The automatic scheduler is the core engine behind DPE Waitlist. It analyzes your availability, your waitlist, and your preferences to automatically match applicants to open time slots on your calendar. Instead of manually coordinating schedules with each applicant, the scheduler handles the matching and offer process for you.

How the Scheduler Runs

The scheduler runs automatically on a regular cycle. During each run, it performs two key tasks:

  1. Optimization — The scheduler periodically analyzes your full availability and waitlist to determine the best set of matches. It considers checkride types, durations, testing locations, and applicant readiness to find the most effective schedule.
  2. Offer delivery — On a more frequent cycle, the scheduler sends pending offers to applicants. This ensures that applicants receive timely notifications about available checkride slots.

What the Scheduler Considers

When generating matches, the scheduler takes into account:

  • Checkride types — Only applicants whose requested checkride type matches one you offer will be considered.
  • Durations — Each checkride type has a configured duration. The scheduler ensures the time slot is long enough for the checkride.
  • Testing locations — The scheduler matches applicant location preferences with your available locations.
  • Applicant readiness — Applicants who have completed more of their pre-checkride checklist are more likely to receive offers.
  • Your priority setting — The scheduler follows the optimization priority you have chosen (maximize time, revenue, count, variety, or waitlist order).

The Offer Flow

Here is how a typical scheduling cycle works:

  1. The scheduler identifies open time slots in your availability.
  2. It matches eligible applicants from your waitlist to those slots.
  3. Offers are generated and sent to the selected applicants via notification and email.
  4. Each applicant can accept or decline the offer.
  5. Accepted offers become confirmed checkrides on your calendar.
  6. Declined offers may be re-offered to the next eligible applicant.

You Are Always in Control

The scheduler is a tool that works for you, not a system that replaces your judgment. You can:

  • Override any scheduling decision by manually creating, rescheduling, or canceling checkrides.
  • Adjust your priority setting at any time to change how the scheduler optimizes your calendar.
  • Disable the scheduler entirely and return to manual scheduling whenever you want.
  • Reorder your waitlist to influence which applicants are scheduled first.
Think of the scheduler as your scheduling assistant. It handles the routine work of matching applicants to slots, but you retain full authority to adjust anything at any time.

Prerequisites

The scheduler can only run effectively when you have completed the following setup:

  • At least one checkride type configured with a duration
  • At least one testing location added
  • Availability blocks or recurring series set on your calendar
  • The scheduler enabled in your settings

If any of these are missing, the scheduler will not have enough information to generate offers.

The scheduler only creates offers. It cannot conduct checkrides, collect fees, or process paperwork. Those responsibilities remain entirely with you as the DPE.