Using Optimizer processing settings effectively

The Enrollment Adjuster specifies a percentage by which the Optimizer should adjust event enrollments prior to initiating the placement algorithm. The Optimizer doesn’t change or overwrite actual enrollment data; it uses the adjusted value internally during the placement process. To prevent the Optimizer from making any adjustment, enter 1.00 as the value for this parameter.

For example, if you plan to run the Optimizer with estimated or maximum capacity enrollment figures that may be inflated by departments, you could compensate for this by setting the enrollment adjuster to .95 (95%), so the Optimizer will consider the enrollment of each class to be five percent less than the value in the enrollment field and place classes accordingly. A class of 100, then, might be placed in a location that seats as few as 95. On the other hand, if you’re working with actual enrollment figures and know that additional students may enroll in classes between the time the schedule is produced and classes begin, you might want to set the enrollment adjuster to 1.05 (105%). A class of 100, then, could only be placed in a location that seats at least 105.

The minimum fill ratio is a fraction that designates the minimum percentage of seats in a location that must be filled by any Optimizer placement.

For example, you might set a minimum fill ratio of 0.10 (10%) to ensure that the Optimizer places an event in a location only if the event fills at least 10% of the location’s seats.

If an individual location includes its own fill ratio, the location’s fill ratio overrides the default fill ratio specified on the Optimizer Default Settings page.

The value of the minimum fill ratio doesn’t affect pre-assignments. For example, you could preassign an event with 20 participants to a 100 seat location, even if the minimum fill ratio is set at 40%.


	In general, don’t set a high minimum fill ratio The decision to set a high minimum fill ratio is usually made solely for the purpose of pushing for higher utilization after all events have been successfully placed. Unless your school has a policy which forbids the use of large locations for small events, we recommend that you not set a high minimum fill ratio for your ordinary Optimizer runs. Typically, the default fill ratio should be set no higher than 10%.

If you set a minimum fill ratio and an enrollment adjuster, you may get unexpected results if you don’t know how they mutually affect Optimizer placements. For example, the case below shows what happens when the minimum fill ratio is set to 0.60 (60%) and the enrollment adjuster is set to 1.05 (105%).