Drake Tax – Scheduler Setup

Last Updated: November 02, 2026

Overview

The Scheduler Setup dialog is used to customize the logged-in preparer’s preferences for the Scheduler. To access this option, go to Tools > Scheduler and click Setup in the toolbar at the top of the Drake Scheduler dialog. The Setup dialog is divided into three tabs, Calendar, Appointment, and Email.

Calendar Tab

The Calendar tab has three sections:

Calendar Settings

• Calendar viewing start time – Choose what hour the calendar begins. Current Time is set by default.

• Default calendar view – Choose what view is displayed when the calendar is opened. Daily is set by default.

• Default time increments to – Choose what increments of minutes the calendar is divided into. 15 is set by default.

Colors

This section allows you to change the default calendar colors by clicking the field to the right of each, then selecting a color. To return to the default colors, click Reset.

Calendar Maintenance

This section allows for bulk deletion of prior calendar events. Select a date in the Delete all appointments before field, then click Delete. All appointments before that date will be deleted.

Appointment Tab

The Appointments tab is comprised of three windows of information:

Appointment Settings

• Default appointment duration to – This option sets how long your appointment times are by default.

• Use ZIP auto-fill for City & State – Choosing this option will auto-fill city and state names that correspond with the entered ZIP code.

• Mark all appointments as private – Choosing this option will keep all appointments out of other preparer views.

Working with External Calendars

You can elect to use none (leave this option blank) or sync with Google or Outlook.

User Schedule

If you have not set up a particular preparer’s work schedule and want to do so without having to go to Setup > Preparers and Users in the tax software, click Edit on the Appointment tab. See Establishing Daily Schedules below.

Establishing Daily Schedules

The Scheduler allows you to view, at a glance, the planned daily schedules of selected preparers, including the times they are scheduled to be in and out of the office.

You can also set preparer schedules from Drake Tax at Setup > Preparers and Users (Schedule). Settings from the Scheduler Setup User Schedule dialog override those defaults.

To establish a daily schedule for a preparer:

1. From the Scheduler toolbar, click Setup.
2. From the Scheduler – Setup dialog box, select the Appointment tab and then click Edit to open the Setup User Schedule dialog box.
3. From the Select User drop list, choose a preparer.
4. In the Set up Times section, mark the check boxes for the days of the week this schedule will cover (the days the preparer will regularly be in the office), or click Check All Days.
5. Select the In and Out times. For example, set when the preparer arrives in the morning (In (1)), goes to lunch (Out (1)), returns to the office (In (2)), and leaves for the day (Out (2)) for each day selected.
6. When you are satisfied with the weekly schedule, click Apply to apply the chosen times to the preparer’s calendar for each day selected. Enter or adjust these times on a daily basis in the Standard Schedule grid.
7. Click Save when finished.

To set up schedules for other preparers based on one you just completed or edited, from the Save Options section at the bottom of the Setup User Schedule dialog box, select:

• Save for All Users without schedules — All preparers without a previous schedule will have the same schedule as the one just completed or edited.
• Save for All users — All preparers will have the same schedule as the one just completed or edited, overriding previously saved schedules.

To clear the setup, click Clear Schedules.

Detail Schedule tab

For recurring changes or deviations from the regular schedule—such as days off, holidays, or set times working in the field—click the Detail Schedule tab and:

1. In the Set up Times section, select a starting date and ending date for these deviations. For example, if the office is closed during June, if the preparer is on vacation from July 1–14, or if the preparer is out of the office visiting clients every Wednesday afternoon from September 1–January 30.
2. Select the days of the week this schedule will cover (or select Check All Days).
3. Set the preparer’s arrival time in the morning (In (1)) and departure time (Out (1)). If the preparer will not come in at all, leave the In and Out times blank.
4. When you have finished, click Apply and then Yes.

Changes to individual days

To set up changes to individual days—for instance, holidays or personal time—below the Detail Schedule grid, click Add to start a new row.

1. Click in the Date column of the new row to access a calendar. Click the down arrow to see a calendar grid, and click the left and right arrows in the upper corners of the opened calendar to change months. Click a day to select it.
2. Set the In Time and Out Time. Select none for days the preparer will be out of the office.
3. Add as many dates as needed. If necessary, select a line and click Delete.
4. When you’re satisfied with the deviations to the preparer’s regular calendar, click Save.

Email Tab

You can configure your email settings through the email tab.

1. Enter a Default Subject line for email notifications.

2. Select one of two options available for email:

• Use the default email program on your computer (e.g. Outlook, Thunderbird, Live Mail, etc.).

• Select Send Drake email immediately (no dialog popup) to have Scheduler send emails without a confirmation dialog.

  • Use the default webmail (e.g. Gmail, Yahoo!, me.com, etc.) established in Drake Software.

3. Click OK