Check placement constraints before generating class lists

Some placement problems can be found before the engine runs: too few seats, missing classrooms, or contradictory rules. Shibutz checks for these known problems before generation and shows messages to help you review the setup.

Check constraints before generating a placement

Generation starts with local class-list checks. Detected blocking errors stop the request; warnings identify issues for staff review. These checks cover specific conditions, not every possible combination of constraints:

• Empty rosters or no classes: a friendly nudge when there are no students to place or nowhere to place them.
• Capacity overflow: when your total seats, or a single class, can't fit the students assigned to it.
• Impossible gender balance: when the boy/girl gap is simply too wide to split across your classes within the allowed gender difference.
• Broken required placements: a required placement pointing at a student or class that no longer exists.
• Contradictory rules: the same pair listed as both a preference and a restriction, or restricted students forced together.

Why it matters

Synthetic example: three rooms can hold 20, 24, and 28 students. A roster of 73 exceeds their combined capacity of 72. The team needs an approved room-plan change, not another generation attempt with the same inputs. See per-class capacity limits for the setup.

Passing these checks is not proof that a solution exists or that a generated result is approved. If generation still fails, review the message and the combined rules. If it succeeds, check the result with staff before export.

Risk-only situations, like a student separated from more peers than you have classes, stay as warnings, not blocks. You can still generate on purpose when you know best. The Constraint Health card on your class overview also flags constraint conflicts while you build your list, so plenty of trouble shows up long before you reach the Generate button.

Getting started

There's nothing to turn on. Open your dashboard, build your class list as usual, and click Generate. The checks run automatically. For the full walkthrough, see Generating Placements.

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