Time Spent

The Time Spent field is optional and can be enabled and disabled via Program Options in the HSTOnline menu. By default, the Time Spent field is enabled.

Disabling this field will:

• Remove the Time Spent field from the Assignment and Lesson Plan add/edit windows
• Remove the Time Spent column from teh Agenda - List View and Lesson Plan pages
• Remove it as an option for setting limits on the awarding Credit Hours
• Remove it from optional display in Attendance entries
• Disable the Recalculate Time Spent option under the Action button in the Agenda - List View.

1. On the HSTOnline menu, click or touch Program Options.
2. On the Program Options page, click or touch the Optional Fields tab.
3. Click or touch the radio button for Time Spent to enable the field; click or touch a different option (None or Sessions) to disable the Time Spent field.
4. Click the Save button to keep your changes.
5. Click or touch 'Ok' on the 'Changes Saved' window.

When the Time Spent field is enabled, you can choose whether to display or hide the column in the Agenda - List View and/or Lesson Plan pages.

In the Agenda - List View or Lesson Plan page:

1. Click or touch the Options button.
2. Click or touch 'Choose Columns' to open the Choose Columns window.
3. Click or touch the checkbox next to Time Spent to add a checkmark to display the column; or to remove a checkmark to hide the column.
4. Choose to display or hide any other columns as needed.
5. Click or touch:
   • Cancel to close the Choose Columns window without making any changes to your column display.
   • Save Changes to reset the displayed columns according to your selections.

Time Spent is entered as hours and minutes (HH:MM) and can be added to Assignments and Lesson Plan items. You can enter your Time Spent for each item individually, or use the multi-edit feature to enter the same Time Spent for two or more items at the same time. Please see the associated Help Pages for step by step instructions.

If you are using Start/End times to schedule your Assignments, you can have HSTOnline automatically fill in the Time Spent field based on the starting and ending time of each Assignment. So if your Start Time is 8:00am and your End Time is 8:45am, HSTOnline will enter 0:45 in the Time Spent field.

To enable Auto-Calculation of Time Spent:

1. The Time Spent field must be enabled.
2. On the HSTOnline menu, click or touch Program Options.
3. On the Program Options page, click or touch the Agenda - Calendar View tab.
4. For the Organization option, click or touch the radio button for Start/End Times.
5. Check the box next to Time Spent to have HSTOnline automatically enter a Time Spent value based on the Start and End times entered for each Assignment.
6. Click the Save button.
7. Click or touch 'Ok' on the 'Changes Saved' window.

You can edit the automated entry at any time. HSTOnline will only overwrite your changes if you alter the Start Time or End Time for that assignment, or if you use the Recalculate Time Spent tool.

If you choose to keep Attendance records, you can also have HSTOnline display the total Time Spent for all completed Assignments on that date next to the Present or Present 1/2 Day notation. This option is set in the Time Entry section of the Attendance Options. HSTOnline can perform this task whether you are entering Attendance manually or using the Auto-Attendance feature. If you are manually creating Attendance records, the Time Spent value will be entered when you save the new Attendance entry. Time Spent will be displayed in the HH:MM format in parentheses following the Present or Present 1/2 Day notation.

You do not have to use Start/End times nor the Auto-Calculate Time Spent features utilize Time Spent in your Attendance records.

To enable Time Spent values with your Attendance records:

1. The Time Spent field must be enabled.
2. On the HSTOnline menu, click or touch Program Options.
3. On the Program Options page, click or touch the Attendance tab.
4. For Time Entry Method, click or touch the radio button for 'Automatic using Time Spent from Completed Assignments'.
5. Click the Save button.
6. Click or touch 'Ok' on the 'Changes Saved' window.

Use the Recalculate Time Spent option at any time to have HSTOnline audit your Assignments within a selected date range to update the Time Spent fields based on the Start/End times. The Time Spent value will be zero (0) for Assignments where the Start/End time fields are blank.

This menu option is only available when the Time Spent field is enabled and Start/End Times are in use.

1. On the HSTOnline menu, click or touch the Agenda - List View link.
2. Click or touch the Action button and choose Recalculate Time Spent.
3. Students: Choose the Students whose records you want to audit. While this option starts with no Students selected, on subsequent returns, HSTOnline will remember your previous selections, which you can change as needed.
4. Date Range: Enter a Start Date and End date by typing into the fields using the mm/dd/yyyy format, or use the calendar icons to select a date for each field.
5. Click or touch:
   • Cancel to abandon the recalculate process.
   • Go to proceed with the process.
6. HSTOnline will audit all Assignments within the date range, regardless of completion status, and adjust the Time Spent field to reflect the current start/end times for each of those Assignments. For those Assignments where the Start/End fields are blank, the Time Spent field will be set to zero.