FET vs MasterSchedule.app

FET creates timetables for schools, high schools, and universities, with automatic, semi-automatic, and manual allocation modes. Its time and room constraints can account for teacher and student availability, preferred times and rooms, gaps, working hours, and changes between rooms or buildings. It accepts flexible XML input and imports CSV; completed schedules can be exported as HTML, XML, or CSV. The maker states algorithm limits of 500,000 activities, 30,000 student subgroups, 30,000 rooms, and 30,000 buildings. FET runs on Linux, macOS, and Windows and is free software under the GNU Affero General Public License version 3, with no stated usage limits. The maker provides a forum and documentation, including manuals, instructions, tips, and frequently asked questions. Listed third-party tools convert FET XML results to Microsoft Excel or bring FET-compatible timetables into RosarioSIS. The maker also says it may help institutions with custom variants for changes that are not too difficult, or advise on how to implement them. Stated generation times range from under five minutes for simpler schedules to hours for extremely difficult ones.

MasterSchedule.app helps K–12 schools build and check a master course schedule before moving it into a student information system (SIS). Its visual grid assigns courses to teachers and periods, and a guided Excel walkthrough imports a course catalog and teacher roster. Real-time checks flag teacher double-bookings and scheduling gaps. Schools can create requirement groups that inherit base requirements, allowing subgroups such as honors, IEP, or ELL to extend them. The validator checks requirements for each student type, and finished schedules can be exported for an SIS or records system. Listed data exchange includes Excel import and CSV export; an SIS connection is not required. The web app is intended for school staff and, according to its privacy policy, does not create student accounts or collect students’ personal information. The site describes school data as isolated by tenant, role-based access, a five-year audit log, and automatic data expiry. The School Plan costs $100 a year, billed per school per year. The pricing page says a trial will be available at the School Plan launch.