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  • 1.  Exhibition Scheduling Software

    Posted 05-26-2017 11:10 AM
    Hi Everyone!

    I plan the schedule of exhibition at my institution and right now I create our schedule manually in Excel, but it's a tedious process. I have been looking into software options, but haven't been able to find anything that fits what I'm looking for. I've looked at event scheduling software and moving to a gantt chart, but none if it really does the trick. I need to be able to create a multiyear calendar with multiple spaces each being independently booked, but I should be able to do a quick glance and see all bookings in all spaces across several years. Does anyone have any software suggestions or tricks to scheduling that they can share? 

    I appreciate any advice!

    Thanks,
    Alex

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    Alexandra Krueger
    Manager of Museum Affairs
    New-York Historical Society
    New York, NY
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  • 2.  RE: Exhibition Scheduling Software

    Posted 05-29-2017 10:29 AM
    We are in the same boat and use Excel for our exhibition schedule. As frustrating as it is to format, it's the only thing we've found that works. I also generate production schedules for all of our graphic design/publications projects in Excel. Currently, there's a different worksheet for each project, which makes it difficult for me to visualize my weekly schedule across multiple projects (or the schedules of our graphic design team). We use Basecamp for project tracking, but I would love to have a master schedule of projects with projected vs. actual dates. I've tried some of the other options you've mentioned for production schedules also, and nothing yet is quite right. I'm equally hopeful one of our colleagues will have some solutions in mind.

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    Wallace Joiner
    Managing Editor
    Frist Center for the Visual Arts
    Nashville, TN
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    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: Exhibition Scheduling Software

    Posted 05-29-2017 11:30 PM
    You should check out FastTrack Schedule 10 for your production schedules. It's like MS Project but it runs dual platform. You can consolidate all your different schedules to see where there are critical overlaps. Very easy to use.

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    Markus Dohner
    Lead designer
    Markus Dohner Exhibition Design
    md@markusdohner.com
    Chicago, IL USA
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    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Exhibition Scheduling Software

    Posted 05-30-2017 12:43 PM
    You might also look into Project Merlin, for Mac and iOS platforms.  It works like MS Project and can both open and be saved as MS Project files, so it can be used as a dual platform product.  Merlin Project - Project Management for Mac and iPhone .

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    Barbara Punt
    President
    Punt Consulting Group
    Redondo Beach CA
    javascript:AddSignatureVariable('barbara@puntconsulting.com');
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    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: Exhibition Scheduling Software

    Posted 05-30-2017 11:54 AM
    Hi.

    Currently, I am scheduling our exhibits work for the next three years. I have found the most success using Teamwork. It is not hard to figure out and allows easy communication to the rest of your team. I run the basic free version of it. You are allowed 2 projects with this, so I broke it into changing exhibits and everything else. There is a calendar feature that will break time down by hours, if needed. You can set access to the information when it comes to adding work and even setup automatic reminders for tasks.

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    Dawn Farkas Prasad
    Exhibit Designer, graphics
    Natural History Museum of Utah - University of Utah
    Salt Lake City UT
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    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: Exhibition Scheduling Software

    Posted 05-31-2017 10:24 AM
    We are a small accredited museum that is just starting to expand our exhibitions program to larger and more complex exhibitions. Is there a software we can use that is free? Or relatively inexpensive? I might be able to buy something that is a one time fee, but I can't take on any annual fees.

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    Angie Barry
    Curator of Exhibitions and Collections
    Gadsden Arts Center & Museum
    Quincy FL
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    Original Message


  • 7.  RE: Exhibition Scheduling Software

    Posted 06-01-2017 10:52 AM
    I'm surprised a Gantt chart didn't work. Is it because it doesn't go multiple years? Our exhibits person recently used SmartSheet.  It has a free trial period if anyone needs to try it first. https://www.smartsheet.com/

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    Jennifer Van Haaften
    Assistant Director
    Wisconsin Veterans Museum
    Madison WI
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    Original Message


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