diff --git a/symposion/schedule/helpers.py b/symposion/schedule/helpers.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c5fa8953
--- /dev/null
+++ b/symposion/schedule/helpers.py
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+"""
+This file contains functions that are useful to humans at the shell for
+manipulating the database in more natural ways.
+"""
+from django.db import transaction
+
+from .models import Schedule, Day, Room, Slot, SlotKind, SlotRoom
+
+
+@transaction.commit_on_success
+def create_slot(section_slug, date, kind, start, end, rooms):
+    schedule = Schedule.objects.get(section__slug=section_slug)
+    slot = Slot()
+    slot.day = Day.objects.get(schedule=schedule, date=date)
+    slot.kind = SlotKind.objects.get(schedule=schedule, label=kind)
+    slot.start = start
+    slot.end = end
+    slot.save(force_insert=True)
+    if rooms == "all":
+        rooms_qs = Room.objects.filter(schedule=schedule).order_by("order")
+    else:
+        rooms_qs = Room.objects.filter(schedule=schedule, name__in=rooms).order_by("order")
+        if rooms_qs.count() != len(rooms):
+            raise Exception("input rooms do not match queried rooms; typo?")
+    for room in rooms_qs:
+        slot_room = SlotRoom()
+        slot_room.slot = slot
+        slot_room.room = room
+        slot_room.save(force_insert=True)
+    print "created {} [start={}; end={}]".format(slot.kind.label, slot.start, slot.end)