In short: use a timetable generator such as aSc Timetables (paid) or FET (free) to build the yearly timetable, and a relief tool to handle daily absences. For Sri Lankan schools, Relief Manager is built for that second job: it reads aSc and Srimalee timetables, prices in rupees per school, and sends relief duties on WhatsApp, SMS and its TeacherSync app.
Two different jobs
School timetabling software usually does one of two things, and it helps to keep them apart:
- Building the timetable once a year or once a term: placing every lesson so that no teacher, class or room clashes.
- Running relief every day: when teachers are absent, finding free teachers for each period, fairly, and telling them.
Some products do both, some only the first. Most Sri Lankan schools already have a working answer for the first job. The second is where mornings are lost.
Comparison table
| Software | Main job | Daily relief | Pricing model | Notes for Sri Lankan schools |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| aSc Timetables | Builds timetables (Windows) | Through aSc's separate substitution tools | Paid licence | Widely used in Sri Lanka; many Sinhala tutorials on YouTube |
| FET | Builds timetables | No | Free, open source | Powerful but setup takes time; no daily relief |
| Untis | Builds timetables, plans substitutions | Yes, with its substitution module | Paid licence and modules | Designed around European school systems |
| EduPage | Cloud school platform from the makers of aSc | Yes | Subscription | Broad platform; more than relief alone |
| Roster (Dive Analytics) | Relief planning | Yes, with auto-assignment | Quote on request | Built for Singapore schools |
| Excel or paper | Whatever you build | By hand | Free | Slow each morning; no fairness record |
| Relief Manager | Daily relief | Yes, weighted auto-assignment | From Rs. 20,000 a year per school | Built in Sri Lanka; aSc and Srimalee import; Sinhala and Tamil PDFs; WhatsApp, SMS and TeacherSync |
Pricing and features of other products change. Check each vendor's website for current details.
aSc Timetables
The most common timetable generator in Sri Lankan schools. It handles groups for religion and aesthetic subjects, shared A/L lessons and special rooms well, and there is a large library of Sinhala video tutorials. If your school already uses it, keep it: Relief Manager imports its XML file directly. New to aSc? Start with our Sinhala aSc Timetables tutorial series.
FET
FET is free, open-source timetabling software with a strong generator. It suits schools with a technically confident timetable coordinator and no budget for a licence. It does not handle daily relief.
Untis and EduPage
Both cover timetabling and substitutions in one system, as part of larger school platforms. They are capable, but they are built for other countries' school structures and priced for those markets, and you pay for much more than relief.
Roster by Dive Analytics
A relief-planning platform from Singapore with auto-assignment and workload balancing. It shows how valuable automated relief is, but it is designed for Singapore schools.
Where Relief Manager fits
Relief Manager does one job: the daily relief morning in a Sri Lankan school. It takes the timetable you already have, understands six local leave types including morning and evening short leave, handles parallel religion and aesthetic groups, protects sectional heads with blocked periods, and prints Sinhala and Tamil names correctly. Teachers get their duties on WhatsApp, SMS or the free TeacherSync app.
See all features or compare plans.
How to choose
- Already have aSc or Srimalee? Keep it for timetabling and add Relief Manager for daily relief.
- No timetable software yet? Learn aSc Timetables (or FET if budget is tight), then add Relief Manager.
- Want one big school platform? Consider EduPage or Untis, and check local language and support.
