Module Time periods
Time periods help with filtering and sorting
If you plan courses in semesters, school years or quarters, set up these periods once, centrally, as time periods. Authors then choose a time period as the execution period of their course instead of entering the begin and end one by one, and the course lists can be sorted by the time period.
Administrators switch on the "Time periods" module and set up the time periods there. You find it in the system administration under:
Administration > Modules > Time periods
The "#Uses" column shows how many learning resources use the time period. Use the tabs "All", "Relevant", "Default" and "Past" to restrict the list.
The time periods appear in the course lists as the column "Time period" and can be sorted there, for example in the Authoring area:
Switching the module on and off
The switch Module "Time periods" decides whether courses can choose a time period as their execution period. If your organisation works without semesters or quarters, switch the module off and still see the begin and end of the courses in all lists.
If the module is switched on:
- This page shows the list of time periods and the button "Add time period".
- For the execution period of a course, the option "Time period" is available, in the course settings in the "Execution" tab and when creating a course.
- The course lists offer the columns "Time period" and "Time period desc." under "Customize columns", for example in the "Courses" menu, in the Authoring area, in the catalog in the table view and in the Course Planner in the "Content" tab of an implementation.
- In lists that filter by a period, the time periods are available as a period to choose.
If the module is switched off, none of this appears. The columns "Begin" and "End" remain available under "Customize columns" in all course lists, because they show the execution period of the course and do not depend on the module.
Persons who are currently logged in only see a change of the switch after their next login.
As long as a learning resource uses a time period, the module cannot be switched off. The switch stays on "On", and OpenOlat reports: "The module cannot be switched off as there are resources that use the time periods." The "#Uses" column shows which time periods are in use.
Create and edit a time period
Click "Add time period" to create a time period. Use the pencil symbol in the row to edit an existing time period.
The dialog contains the following fields:
| Field | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Time period | Short label, for example "HS26". Mandatory entry, maximum 64 characters. |
| Description | Full name, for example "Autumn semester 2026". Optional, maximum 250 characters. |
| Begin | Start date of the time period. |
| End | End date of the time period. |
| Set as default for courses | The time period is preselected when a learning resource is created. There is only ever one default: setting it removes the mark from the previous default. |
Important
The short label in the "Time period" field is the mandatory entry. You may leave the "Description" field empty. Lists that sort by the description place entries without a description at the end.
Time period in the course
How authors select a time period as the execution period of a course.
Execution period in the course >
Further information
Mentioned on this page
Authoring - Overview >
Course Settings - Tab Execution >
Finding courses >
Catalog 2.0 - Sorting/order >
Further reading
Module Taxonomy >
Module Catalog >