Automatic Allocation

 

Introduction

The automatic allocation feature matches students automatically to placement sites for placement officers.

 

Automatic Allocation Settings

To use automatic allocation, first define the rules that should be followed when allocating.

See Placement Business Rules for details.

To access the automatic allocations feature

• Open the placement group
• Click the Student Allocations button at the right end of the ribbon.

Before selecting an allocation method, indicate the criteria and additional rules to be considered.

Select all of the checkboxes that apply.

 

 

Consider distance  

Distance is measured between the student’s and site’s postcode centers. If multiple students preference the same site, the one closest gets priority.

 

Associated sites

Students with positively associated sites will be given allocation priority to those sites. This is not the same as preferencing.

 

Only preferences

Students with at least the minimum saved preferences are allocated. If the rule is not selected, students with preferences still get priority; otherwise, allocation follows other rules.

 

Use placement matching

Applies only when students can preference placements with position details. A preference for one such placement counts for all placements in the same request with identical position details.

 

Ignore all checks

Allocates the student regardless of whether mandatory checks have been completed.

 

Ignore days of week

Does not consider the students available days against the placement request days of week.

 

Allocation times

Number of times each student should be allocated.

 

 

Automatic Allocation Methods

Once you have the rules and considerations defined, select an allocation method.

 

NOTE: All automatic allocation methods will do the following:

• Always abide by all settings and rules applicable to the placement group
• Take preferences into consideration

 

Allocation methods determine the order in which students are allocated.

 

 

Preference Entry Time Allocation

Students are allocated on a first-preferenced/first-allocated basis.

Placements are allocated in the order in which students submitted their preferences. The student who submitted preferences first will be given their #1 preference, as long as it is available and does not break any rules. If not allocated to their #1, Sonia will look at their #2 preference, and so forth.

 

Random Allocation

Students are allocated in a random order

A student is randomly selected and allocated to their first preference.

• Allocation continues randomly from remaining students, each getting their first available preference.
• If none are available, they are placed using other rules but before students not yet chosen.
• Students without preferences are allocated per business rules.

 

Student Weighting Allocation (Higher)

Students are allocated based on the value in the Weight column on the Placement Group Students page.

• The student with the highest weight number will be allocated first and will be allocated to their first preference
• Allocation continues to occur in order of the weight number from highest to lowest
• All students will be allocated their first available preference
• If none of a student’s preferences are available, they will be allocated based on other settings and rules, but will still be allocated before students with a lower weight number

 

Student Weighting Allocation (Lower)

Students are allocated by Weight on the Placement Group Students page. 

• The lowest weight is allocated first to their top preference, continuing to highest.
• If no preferences are available, they are placed using other rules but before students with higher weights.

Tru-Match©

Students are allocated using a best-fit algorithm that optimizes performance.

• All students and preferences are considered together. 
• Unique preferences are more likely to be honored, and most students get at least one preference.
• If demand exceeds availability, some are placed using other rules after others have received a preference.

 

Running the Automatic Allocation

Once the rules/considerations and method are chosen, click the Allocate button.

 

 

Reviewing Allocations

You may want to review the allocations after they are run.

 

As you skim down the list of students, click the Lock icon at the right to secure that placement.

 

You can lock all of the allocations by clicking the Lock button on the ribbon, and then click the ‘Unlock’ button on individual allocations that you do not agree with.

 

 

Clearing Automatic Allocations

Click the “Clear Allocations” button to remove all allocations that are not locked