Seating rules: meanings, checks and conflicts

Required and Preferred rules

A generated arrangement must meet every Required rule before you can apply it. Preferred rules guide the search, but some may remain unmet. Review any unmet preferences before accepting the arrangement.

Add students to the roster before setting rules for them. If two students share a name, give them different display names so you can tell them apart. The preview becomes your seating plan when you choose Use this arrangement.

Keep this seat

Select a student and a seat. With Required priority, Seatly must place that student in the selected seat. The rule reserves only that seat; use an area rule if several positions would work.

Two students cannot both be required to use the same seat. Removing desks or replacing the layout can affect rules for specific seats, so read the confirmation before continuing.

Not next to, Same pair as and group rules

Not next to keeps the two students out of seats joined by a neighbor link. Use Show neighbors to check the links, especially after moving desks. The students may still share a group, and the rule does not measure distance in your room.

Same pair as puts both students in one pair. Same group as puts them in one group. Different group from needs both students to sit in groups, with each in a different one. Nearby desks do not automatically form a pair, and ungrouped seats do not count as separate groups.

Pairs and Groups templates already have the pairs or groups these rules need. Rows and U-Shape start with individual desks. Change the desk type or add pairs or groups before using the corresponding rule.

Seat in this area and Avoid this area

Use Move desks to create an area, then select it in the rule form. Seat in this area requires a seat inside the area; Avoid this area requires one outside it. Moving desks or resizing the area changes which seats the rule can use.

A required Seat in this area rule needs an available seat in the area. Check the count beside the area name. You still need to check visibility, access and any individual needs in the classroom.

What the rule status means

Met means the current assignments satisfy that rule. Pending usually means a student involved has not yet been assigned. Not met means the current positions fail the check. Needs attention means the rule or its layout requirements need review, such as a missing area or unavailable grouping.

For a Pending rule, assign the remaining students or generate an arrangement, then check again. Pending alone does not indicate a conflict. Review all checks before using a plan you have edited manually.

If required rules conflict or the search stops

Check the students and seats named in the message. Two students may be required to use one seat, or the same students may be required to share a group and sit in different groups. Same pair as can also conflict with Not next to when the pair seats are neighbors.

Keep a rule Required if it must hold. Change or remove rules only when you are willing to change the seating requirement. If Seatly reaches its search limit, a solution may still exist; remove unnecessary rules or try again. Cancel keeps your current arrangement.