Overview

Some schools have recently reported receiving the following error when printing the Daily Organiser Bulletin to Microsoft Word from Timetabling Solutions Version 9:

Invalid variant operation

Reports of this issue began appearing around the end of June 2026.

Cause

The most likely cause is a recent Microsoft Windows and/or Microsoft Office update that changed the way certain data formats are handled.

Although the error appears suddenly, even on systems that previously worked correctly, it is not caused by changes to the Timetabling Solutions software.

Version 9 Support Status

Timetabling Solutions Version 9 was retired in 2022 and is no longer supported.

As the software has reached end of life, no further updates or compatibility fixes will be released for Version 9.

Recommended Steps

1. Install the Final Version 9 Update

Ensure you are running the final Version 9 release:

Version 9.0.1.513

This update can be downloaded from the Management Portal:

  1. Sign in to https://timetabling.education
  2. Open the Timetabling Solutions V9 tile.
  3. Select Product Page.
  4. Download and install Version 9.0.1.513.

2. Reinstall Timetabling Solutions Version 9

If the problem persists, our technicians recommend:

  • Uninstalling Timetabling Solutions Version 9.
  • Reinstalling Version 9.0.1.513.

3. Reinstall Microsoft Office

If reinstalling Version 9 does not resolve the issue, uninstall and reinstall Microsoft Office.

This may restore any Office components affected by recent Microsoft updates.

Workaround

If you need to edit the bulletin in Microsoft Word, you can use the following workaround:

  1. Print or save the bulletin as a PDF.
  2. Open Microsoft Word.
  3. Select File > Open.
  4. Browse to and open the PDF file.
  5. Microsoft Word will automatically convert the PDF into an editable Word document.

While the formatting may require minor adjustments, this allows the bulletin to be edited and saved as a Word document.

Moving Forward

Because Version 9 has been retired, we are unable to provide software updates to address compatibility changes introduced by Microsoft.

If the recommendations above do not resolve the issue, we recommend considering an upgrade to the Timetabling Solutions Web Daily Organiser, which is actively maintained and receives ongoing compatibility, security and feature updates.