Merge branch 'feature/sparse-schedule-packing'

README.md

@@ -38,10 +38,12 @@ When creating a schedule, the user selects:
 * The start date
 * The target completion date
 
-Attainly then distributes the selected elements evenly across the available
+Attainly then distributes the selected elements across the available days.
-days. When an uneven schedule has more than one assignment per day, the user
+When there are fewer assignments than days, the user can spread them across
-can place the consecutive heavier days at the start, middle, or end of the
+the full range or pack them into consecutive days at the start, middle, or
-schedule.
+end. When an uneven schedule has more than one assignment per day, the user
+can spread the heavier days across the full range or keep them together at
+the start, middle, or end.
 
 For example, a user could choose to schedule:
 

backend/app/Schedule/EvenDistributionScheduler.php

@@ -18,15 +18,7 @@ class EvenDistributionScheduler
         $differenceInDays = $startDate->diff($targetDate)->days;
         $dayCount = $differenceInDays + 1;
 
-        if ($assignmentCount < $dayCount) {
+        return $this->distributedDates(
-            return $this->sparseDates(
-                assignmentCount: $assignmentCount,
-                dayCount: $dayCount,
-                startDate: $startDate,
-            );
-        }
-
-        return $this->dailyDates(
             assignmentCount: $assignmentCount,
             dayCount: $dayCount,
             startDate: $startDate,
@@ -37,53 +29,26 @@ class EvenDistributionScheduler
     /**
      * @return list<DateTimeImmutable>
      */
-    private function sparseDates(
+    private function distributedDates(
-        int $assignmentCount,
-        int $dayCount,
-        DateTimeImmutable $startDate,
-    ): array {
-        if ($assignmentCount === 1) {
-            return [$startDate];
-        }
-
-        $dates = [];
-        for ($assignmentIndex = 0;
-            $assignmentIndex < $assignmentCount;
-            $assignmentIndex++
-        ) {
-            $scaledIndex = $assignmentIndex * ($dayCount - 1)
-                / ($assignmentCount - 1);
-            $dayIndex = (int) floor($scaledIndex + 0.5);
-            $dates[] = $startDate->modify("+{$dayIndex} days");
-        }
-
-        return $dates;
-    }
-
-    /**
-     * @return list<DateTimeImmutable>
-     */
-    private function dailyDates(
         int $assignmentCount,
         int $dayCount,
         DateTimeImmutable $startDate,
         WorkloadPlacement $workloadPlacement,
     ): array {
         $assignmentsPerDay = intdiv($assignmentCount, $dayCount);
-        $heavierDayCount = $assignmentCount % $dayCount;
+        $remainderDayCount = $assignmentCount % $dayCount;
-        $heavierBlockStart = $this->heavierBlockStart(
+        $remainderDayIndexes = $this->remainderDayIndexes(
+            assignmentsPerDay: $assignmentsPerDay,
             dayCount: $dayCount,
-            heavierDayCount: $heavierDayCount,
+            remainderDayCount: $remainderDayCount,
             workloadPlacement: $workloadPlacement,
         );
+        $remainderDays = array_fill_keys($remainderDayIndexes, true);
         $dates = [];
 
         for ($dayIndex = 0; $dayIndex < $dayCount; $dayIndex++) {
             $assignmentCountForDay = $assignmentsPerDay;
-            if (
+            if (isset($remainderDays[$dayIndex])) {
-                $dayIndex >= $heavierBlockStart
-                && $dayIndex < $heavierBlockStart + $heavierDayCount
-            ) {
                 $assignmentCountForDay++;
             }
 
@@ -96,9 +61,68 @@ class EvenDistributionScheduler
         return $dates;
     }
 
-    private function heavierBlockStart(
+    /**
+     * @return list<int>
+     */
+    private function remainderDayIndexes(
+        int $assignmentsPerDay,
         int $dayCount,
-        int $heavierDayCount,
+        int $remainderDayCount,
+        WorkloadPlacement $workloadPlacement,
+    ): array {
+        if ($remainderDayCount === 0) {
+            return [];
+        }
+
+        if ($workloadPlacement === WorkloadPlacement::Spread) {
+            return $this->spreadRemainderDayIndexes(
+                assignmentsPerDay: $assignmentsPerDay,
+                dayCount: $dayCount,
+                remainderDayCount: $remainderDayCount,
+            );
+        }
+
+        $blockStart = $this->remainderBlockStart(
+            dayCount: $dayCount,
+            remainderDayCount: $remainderDayCount,
+            workloadPlacement: $workloadPlacement,
+        );
+
+        return range($blockStart, $blockStart + $remainderDayCount - 1);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * @return list<int>
+     */
+    private function spreadRemainderDayIndexes(
+        int $assignmentsPerDay,
+        int $dayCount,
+        int $remainderDayCount,
+    ): array {
+        if ($remainderDayCount === 1) {
+            if ($assignmentsPerDay === 0) {
+                return [0];
+            }
+
+            return [intdiv($dayCount - 1, 2)];
+        }
+
+        $dayIndexes = [];
+        for ($remainderIndex = 0;
+            $remainderIndex < $remainderDayCount;
+            $remainderIndex++
+        ) {
+            $scaledIndex = $remainderIndex * ($dayCount - 1)
+                / ($remainderDayCount - 1);
+            $dayIndexes[] = (int) floor($scaledIndex + 0.5);
+        }
+
+        return $dayIndexes;
+    }
+
+    private function remainderBlockStart(
+        int $dayCount,
+        int $remainderDayCount,
         WorkloadPlacement $workloadPlacement,
     ): int {
         if ($workloadPlacement === WorkloadPlacement::Start) {
@@ -106,9 +130,9 @@ class EvenDistributionScheduler
         }
 
         if ($workloadPlacement === WorkloadPlacement::End) {
-            return $dayCount - $heavierDayCount;
+            return $dayCount - $remainderDayCount;
         }
 
-        return intdiv($dayCount - $heavierDayCount, 2);
+        return intdiv($dayCount - $remainderDayCount, 2);
     }
 }

backend/app/Schedule/UseCases/CreateSchedule/CreateSchedule.php

@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ class CreateSchedule
                 'targetDate must not be before startDate',
             );
         }
-        $workloadPlacement = $this->workloadPlacement(
+        $requestedWorkloadPlacement = $this->workloadPlacement(
             $request->workloadPlacement,
         );
 
@@ -78,6 +78,13 @@ class CreateSchedule
             throw new BadRequestException('level has no elements');
         }
 
+        $workloadPlacement = $this->resolvedWorkloadPlacement(
+            requestedWorkloadPlacement: $requestedWorkloadPlacement,
+            assignmentCount: count($elements),
+            startDate: $startDate,
+            targetDate: $targetDate,
+        );
+
         $scheduledDates = $this->evenDistributionScheduler->scheduledDates(
             assignmentCount: count($elements),
             startDate: $startDate,
@@ -225,19 +232,38 @@ class CreateSchedule
     /**
      * @throws BadRequestException
      */
-    private function workloadPlacement(?string $value): WorkloadPlacement
+    private function workloadPlacement(?string $value): ?WorkloadPlacement
     {
         if ($value === null) {
-            return WorkloadPlacement::Middle;
+            return null;
         }
 
         $workloadPlacement = WorkloadPlacement::tryFrom($value);
         if ($workloadPlacement === null) {
             throw new BadRequestException(
-                'workloadPlacement must be start, middle, or end',
+                'workloadPlacement must be spread, start, middle, or end',
             );
         }
 
         return $workloadPlacement;
     }
+
+    private function resolvedWorkloadPlacement(
+        ?WorkloadPlacement $requestedWorkloadPlacement,
+        int $assignmentCount,
+        DateTimeImmutable $startDate,
+        DateTimeImmutable $targetDate,
+    ): WorkloadPlacement {
+        $differenceInDays = $startDate->diff($targetDate)->days;
+        $dayCount = $differenceInDays + 1;
+        $isSparse = $assignmentCount < $dayCount;
+
+        if ($requestedWorkloadPlacement === null) {
+            return $isSparse
+                ? WorkloadPlacement::Spread
+                : WorkloadPlacement::Middle;
+        }
+
+        return $requestedWorkloadPlacement;
+    }
 }

backend/app/Schedule/WorkloadPlacement.php

@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ namespace App\Schedule;
 
 enum WorkloadPlacement: string
 {
+    case Spread = 'spread';
     case Start = 'start';
     case Middle = 'middle';
     case End = 'end';

backend/tests/Feature/Schedule/ScheduleEndpointTest.php

@@ -196,6 +196,40 @@ class ScheduleEndpointTest extends TestCase
         $this->assertDatabaseCount('schedules', 1);
     }
 
+    public function test_it_packs_sparse_assignments_at_the_requested_end(): void
+    {
+        $user = $this->createUser('reader@example.com');
+        $set = $this->createSet($user, 'Course');
+        $lessonLevel = $this->createLevel($set, 'lesson');
+        $repository = app(ElementRepository::class);
+
+        foreach (range(1, 4) as $number) {
+            $repository->create(new CreateElementDto(
+                name: "Lesson {$number}",
+                level: $lessonLevel,
+                parentElement: null,
+            ));
+        }
+        $this->createSession($user, 'valid-token');
+
+        $response = $this->credentialedPost('/api/schedules', [
+            'setId' => $set->getId(),
+            'levelId' => $lessonLevel->getId(),
+            'startDate' => '2026-08-10',
+            'targetDate' => '2026-08-15',
+            'workloadPlacement' => 'end',
+        ])->assertCreated();
+
+        $days = $response->json('schedule.days');
+        $this->assertIsArray($days);
+        $this->assertSame(
+            [0, 0, 1, 1, 1, 1],
+            array_map(function (array $day): int {
+                return count($day['assignments']);
+            }, $days),
+        );
+    }
+
     public function test_it_rejects_an_unknown_workload_placement(): void
     {
         $user = $this->createUser('reader@example.com');
@@ -215,10 +249,44 @@ class ScheduleEndpointTest extends TestCase
             'targetDate' => '2026-08-14',
             'workloadPlacement' => 'sideways',
         ])->assertBadRequest()->assertExactJson([
-            'error' => 'workloadPlacement must be start, middle, or end',
+            'error' => 'workloadPlacement must be spread, start, middle, or end',
         ]);
     }
 
+    public function test_it_spreads_heavier_days_across_the_full_range(): void
+    {
+        $user = $this->createUser('reader@example.com');
+        $set = $this->createSet($user, 'Course');
+        $lessonLevel = $this->createLevel($set, 'lesson');
+        $repository = app(ElementRepository::class);
+
+        foreach (range(1, 13) as $number) {
+            $repository->create(new CreateElementDto(
+                name: "Lesson {$number}",
+                level: $lessonLevel,
+                parentElement: null,
+            ));
+        }
+        $this->createSession($user, 'valid-token');
+
+        $response = $this->credentialedPost('/api/schedules', [
+            'setId' => $set->getId(),
+            'levelId' => $lessonLevel->getId(),
+            'startDate' => '2026-08-10',
+            'targetDate' => '2026-08-14',
+            'workloadPlacement' => 'spread',
+        ])->assertCreated();
+
+        $days = $response->json('schedule.days');
+        $this->assertIsArray($days);
+        $this->assertSame(
+            [3, 2, 3, 2, 3],
+            array_map(function (array $day): int {
+                return count($day['assignments']);
+            }, $days),
+        );
+    }
+
     public function test_it_lists_only_the_users_schedules_newest_first(): void
     {
         $user = $this->createUser('reader@example.com');

backend/tests/Unit/Schedule/EvenDistributionSchedulerTest.php

@@ -19,7 +19,8 @@ class EvenDistributionSchedulerTest extends TestCase
             WorkloadPlacement::End->value => [2, 2, 2, 2, 3],
         ];
 
-        foreach (WorkloadPlacement::cases() as $placement) {
+        foreach ($expectedCounts as $placementValue => $expectedDailyCounts) {
+            $placement = WorkloadPlacement::from($placementValue);
             $dates = $scheduler->scheduledDates(
                 assignmentCount: 11,
                 startDate: $this->utc('2026-08-10'),
@@ -28,7 +29,7 @@ class EvenDistributionSchedulerTest extends TestCase
             );
 
             $this->assertSame(
-                $expectedCounts[$placement->value],
+                $expectedDailyCounts,
                 $this->dailyCounts($dates),
             );
         }
@@ -43,7 +44,8 @@ class EvenDistributionSchedulerTest extends TestCase
             WorkloadPlacement::End->value => [2, 2, 2, 3, 3],
         ];
 
-        foreach (WorkloadPlacement::cases() as $placement) {
+        foreach ($expectedCounts as $placementValue => $expectedDailyCounts) {
+            $placement = WorkloadPlacement::from($placementValue);
             $dates = $scheduler->scheduledDates(
                 assignmentCount: 12,
                 startDate: $this->utc('2026-08-10'),
@@ -52,26 +54,102 @@ class EvenDistributionSchedulerTest extends TestCase
             );
 
             $this->assertSame(
-                $expectedCounts[$placement->value],
+                $expectedDailyCounts,
                 $this->dailyCounts($dates),
             );
         }
     }
 
-    public function test_it_preserves_sparse_distribution_across_the_full_range(): void
+    public function test_it_spreads_heavier_days_across_the_full_range(): void
     {
-        $dates = (new EvenDistributionScheduler)->scheduledDates(
+        $scheduler = new EvenDistributionScheduler;
-            assignmentCount: 3,
+        $expectedCounts = [
+            11 => [2, 2, 3, 2, 2],
+            12 => [3, 2, 2, 2, 3],
+            13 => [3, 2, 3, 2, 3],
+        ];
+
+        foreach ($expectedCounts as $assignmentCount => $dailyCounts) {
+            $dates = $scheduler->scheduledDates(
+                assignmentCount: $assignmentCount,
                 startDate: $this->utc('2026-08-10'),
-            targetDate: $this->utc('2026-08-16'),
+                targetDate: $this->utc('2026-08-14'),
-            workloadPlacement: WorkloadPlacement::Middle,
+                workloadPlacement: WorkloadPlacement::Spread,
+            );
+
+            $this->assertSame($dailyCounts, $this->dailyCounts($dates));
+        }
+    }
+
+    public function test_it_places_sparse_assignments_at_the_requested_position(): void
+    {
+        $scheduler = new EvenDistributionScheduler;
+        $expectedDates = [
+            WorkloadPlacement::Spread->value => [
+                '2026-08-10',
+                '2026-08-12',
+                '2026-08-13',
+                '2026-08-15',
+            ],
+            WorkloadPlacement::Start->value => [
+                '2026-08-10',
+                '2026-08-11',
+                '2026-08-12',
+                '2026-08-13',
+            ],
+            WorkloadPlacement::Middle->value => [
+                '2026-08-11',
+                '2026-08-12',
+                '2026-08-13',
+                '2026-08-14',
+            ],
+            WorkloadPlacement::End->value => [
+                '2026-08-12',
+                '2026-08-13',
+                '2026-08-14',
+                '2026-08-15',
+            ],
+        ];
+
+        foreach (WorkloadPlacement::cases() as $placement) {
+            $dates = $scheduler->scheduledDates(
+                assignmentCount: 4,
+                startDate: $this->utc('2026-08-10'),
+                targetDate: $this->utc('2026-08-15'),
+                workloadPlacement: $placement,
             );
 
             $this->assertSame(
-            ['2026-08-10', '2026-08-13', '2026-08-16'],
+                $expectedDates[$placement->value],
                 $this->formattedDates($dates),
             );
         }
+    }
+
+    public function test_it_places_one_assignment_at_the_requested_position(): void
+    {
+        $scheduler = new EvenDistributionScheduler;
+        $expectedDates = [
+            WorkloadPlacement::Spread->value => '2026-08-10',
+            WorkloadPlacement::Start->value => '2026-08-10',
+            WorkloadPlacement::Middle->value => '2026-08-12',
+            WorkloadPlacement::End->value => '2026-08-15',
+        ];
+
+        foreach (WorkloadPlacement::cases() as $placement) {
+            $dates = $scheduler->scheduledDates(
+                assignmentCount: 1,
+                startDate: $this->utc('2026-08-10'),
+                targetDate: $this->utc('2026-08-15'),
+                workloadPlacement: $placement,
+            );
+
+            $this->assertSame(
+                [$expectedDates[$placement->value]],
+                $this->formattedDates($dates),
+            );
+        }
+    }
 
     public function test_it_distributes_even_and_single_day_schedules(): void
     {

backend/tests/Unit/Schedule/UseCases/CreateScheduleTest.php

@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ class CreateScheduleTest extends TestCase
         );
     }
 
-    public function test_it_spreads_sparse_work_across_the_full_range(): void
+    public function test_it_defaults_sparse_work_to_spread_across_the_full_range(): void
     {
         $user = $this->user();
         $setRepository = new FakeSetRepository;
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ class CreateScheduleTest extends TestCase
             levelId: $lessonLevel->getId(),
             startDate: '2026-08-10',
             targetDate: '2026-08-16',
-            workloadPlacement: 'middle',
+            workloadPlacement: null,
         ));
 
         $this->assertSame(
@@ -203,7 +203,7 @@ class CreateScheduleTest extends TestCase
         );
     }
 
-    public function test_it_places_one_element_on_the_start_date(): void
+    public function test_it_places_one_element_at_the_requested_middle(): void
     {
         $user = $this->user();
         $setRepository = new FakeSetRepository;
@@ -240,7 +240,7 @@ class CreateScheduleTest extends TestCase
         ));
 
         $this->assertSame(
-            '2020-01-01',
+            '2024-12-31',
             $schedule->getAssignments()[0]
                 ->getScheduledDate()
                 ->format('Y-m-d'),
@@ -324,7 +324,7 @@ class CreateScheduleTest extends TestCase
 
         $this->expectException(BadRequestException::class);
         $this->expectExceptionMessage(
-            'workloadPlacement must be start, middle, or end',
+            'workloadPlacement must be spread, start, middle, or end',
         );
 
         (new CreateSchedule(

frontend/website/cypress/e2e/set-scheduling.cy.ts

@@ -67,6 +67,13 @@ const overloadedBibleLayout = {
   ),
 }
 
+const sparseBibleLayout = {
+  ...bibleLayout,
+  levels: bibleLayout.levels.map((level) =>
+    level.id === 3 ? { ...level, elementCount: 4 } : level,
+  ),
+}
+
 const scheduleDetail = {
   schedule: {
     id: 73,
@@ -201,7 +208,7 @@ describe('set scheduling', () => {
         levelId: 3,
         startDate: '2026-08-10',
         targetDate: '2026-08-12',
-        workloadPlacement: 'middle',
+        workloadPlacement: 'spread',
       })
       request.reply({ statusCode: 201, body: scheduleDetail })
     }).as('createSchedule')
@@ -252,7 +259,7 @@ describe('set scheduling', () => {
     )
   })
 
-  it('places heavier days where the user chooses', () => {
+  it('spreads heavier days where the user chooses', () => {
     cy.intercept('GET', '**/api/sets/41', {
       statusCode: 200,
       body: overloadedBibleLayout,
@@ -263,7 +270,7 @@ describe('set scheduling', () => {
         levelId: 3,
         startDate: '2026-08-10',
         targetDate: '2026-08-14',
-        workloadPlacement: 'end',
+        workloadPlacement: 'spread',
       })
       request.reply({ statusCode: 201, body: scheduleDetail })
     }).as('createSchedule')
@@ -279,7 +286,44 @@ describe('set scheduling', () => {
 
     cy.get('[data-workload-placement]').should('be.visible').within(() => {
       cy.contains('legend', 'Heavier days').should('be.visible')
+      cy.contains('Spread evenly').should('be.visible')
       cy.get('input[value="middle"]').should('be.checked')
+      cy.get('input[value="spread"]').check()
+    })
+    cy.get('form').submit()
+    cy.wait('@createSchedule')
+  })
+
+  it('packs sparse assignment days where the user chooses', () => {
+    cy.intercept('GET', '**/api/sets/41', {
+      statusCode: 200,
+      body: sparseBibleLayout,
+    }).as('layout')
+    cy.intercept('POST', '**/api/schedules', (request) => {
+      expect(request.body).to.deep.equal({
+        setId: 41,
+        levelId: 3,
+        startDate: '2026-08-10',
+        targetDate: '2026-08-15',
+        workloadPlacement: 'end',
+      })
+      request.reply({ statusCode: 201, body: scheduleDetail })
+    }).as('createSchedule')
+
+    cy.visit('/sets/41/schedules/new')
+    cy.wait('@me')
+    cy.wait('@layout')
+    cy.get('#schedule-level').select('3')
+    cy.get('#schedule-start-date').type('2026-08-10')
+    cy.get('#schedule-target-date').type('2026-08-15')
+
+    cy.get('[data-workload-placement]').should('be.visible').within(() => {
+      cy.contains('legend', 'Assignment days').should('be.visible')
+      cy.contains('Spread evenly').should('be.visible')
+      cy.contains('At the start').should('be.visible')
+      cy.contains('In the middle').should('be.visible')
+      cy.contains('At the end').should('be.visible')
+      cy.get('input[value="spread"]').should('be.checked')
       cy.get('input[value="end"]').check()
     })
     cy.get('form').submit()

frontend/website/src/stores/schedules.ts

@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ import { API_BASE } from '@/utils/apiBase'
 
 const isoDateSchema = z.string().regex(/^\d{4}-\d{2}-\d{2}$/)
 
-export const workloadPlacementSchema = z.enum(['start', 'middle', 'end'])
+export const workloadPlacementSchema = z.enum(['spread', 'start', 'middle', 'end'])
 
 export const scheduleSummarySchema = z.object({
   id: z.number().int().positive(),

frontend/website/src/views/CreateScheduleView.vue

@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ import { useSetLayoutStore } from '@/stores/setLayout'
 
 type ScheduleField = 'levelId' | 'startDate' | 'targetDate'
 type ScheduleFieldErrors = Partial<Record<ScheduleField, string>>
+type PlacementContext = 'unavailable' | 'sparse' | 'heavy' | 'balanced'
 
 const route = useRoute()
 const router = useRouter()
@@ -26,8 +27,9 @@ const form = reactive({
   levelId: null as number | null,
   startDate: '',
   targetDate: '',
-  workloadPlacement: 'middle' as WorkloadPlacement,
 })
+const sparseWorkloadPlacement = ref<WorkloadPlacement>('spread')
+const heavyWorkloadPlacement = ref<WorkloadPlacement>('middle')
 const fieldErrors = ref<ScheduleFieldErrors>({})
 
 const levels = computed(() =>
@@ -38,31 +40,61 @@ const workloadPlacementOptions: Array<{
   value: WorkloadPlacement
   label: string
 }> = [
+  { value: 'spread', label: 'Spread evenly' },
   { value: 'start', label: 'At the start' },
   { value: 'middle', label: 'In the middle' },
   { value: 'end', label: 'At the end' },
 ]
-const showWorkloadPlacement = computed(() => {
+const placementContext = computed<PlacementContext>(() => {
   if (
     selectedLevel.value === undefined ||
     form.startDate === '' ||
     form.targetDate === '' ||
     form.targetDate < form.startDate
   ) {
-    return false
+    return 'unavailable'
   }
 
   const startTime = Date.parse(`${form.startDate}T00:00:00Z`)
   const targetTime = Date.parse(`${form.targetDate}T00:00:00Z`)
   if (Number.isNaN(startTime) || Number.isNaN(targetTime)) {
-    return false
+    return 'unavailable'
   }
 
   const millisecondsPerDay = 24 * 60 * 60 * 1000
   const dayCount = Math.round((targetTime - startTime) / millisecondsPerDay) + 1
   const assignmentCount = selectedLevel.value.elementCount
 
-  return assignmentCount > dayCount && assignmentCount % dayCount !== 0
+  if (assignmentCount < dayCount) {
+    return 'sparse'
+  }
+
+  if (assignmentCount > dayCount && assignmentCount % dayCount !== 0) {
+    return 'heavy'
+  }
+
+  return 'balanced'
+})
+const showWorkloadPlacement = computed(
+  () => placementContext.value === 'sparse' || placementContext.value === 'heavy',
+)
+const selectedWorkloadPlacement = computed<WorkloadPlacement>({
+  get() {
+    if (placementContext.value === 'sparse') {
+      return sparseWorkloadPlacement.value
+    }
+
+    return heavyWorkloadPlacement.value
+  },
+  set(value) {
+    if (placementContext.value === 'sparse') {
+      sparseWorkloadPlacement.value = value
+
+      return
+    }
+
+    heavyWorkloadPlacement.value = value
+  },
 })
 
 const scheduleFormSchema = z
@@ -98,7 +130,10 @@ watch(
 
 async function submit(): Promise<void> {
   fieldErrors.value = {}
-  const result = scheduleFormSchema.safeParse(form)
+  const result = scheduleFormSchema.safeParse({
+    ...form,
+    workloadPlacement: selectedWorkloadPlacement.value,
+  })
   if (!result.success) {
     const errors: ScheduleFieldErrors = {}
     for (const issue of result.error.issues) {
@@ -237,9 +272,15 @@ async function retry(): Promise<void> {
             data-workload-placement
             :disabled="creating"
           >
-            <legend>Heavier days</legend>
+            <legend>
-            <p>
+              {{ placementContext === 'sparse' ? 'Assignment days' : 'Heavier days' }}
-              Some days need one extra assignment. Choose where those days appear in the schedule.
+            </legend>
+            <p v-if="placementContext === 'sparse'">
+              Spread assignments across the schedule or keep them on consecutive days.
+            </p>
+            <p v-else>
+              Spread heavier days across the schedule or keep them together at the start, middle, or
+              end.
             </p>
             <div class="workload-placement__options">
               <label
@@ -248,7 +289,7 @@ async function retry(): Promise<void> {
                 class="workload-placement__option"
               >
                 <input
-                  v-model="form.workloadPlacement"
+                  v-model="selectedWorkloadPlacement"
                   type="radio"
                   name="workloadPlacement"
                   :value="option.value"
@@ -377,7 +418,7 @@ h1 {
 
 .workload-placement__options {
   display: grid;
-  grid-template-columns: repeat(3, minmax(0, 1fr));
+  grid-template-columns: repeat(2, minmax(0, 1fr));
   gap: 0.65rem;
 }