Student Information Import
Preparation
Build the File
The data you want to import into PowerFAIDS through the Student Information Import process needs to be in the specified format. This file layout is very flexible as to which data you must include and provides you with the ability to use this import in a variety of ways. Either an SSN or Student ID value is required, and the same identifier is required for all students in the file.
Example: At the start of a new year, you want to assign the new academic year and associate one payment period to existing student records. This file only needs seven of the over 200 fields available in the file and would look like this:
| Entity | Student.StudentID | Entity | AcademicYearToken | Entity | AcademicYearToken | PaymentPeriodToken |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student | 999999999 | AcademicYear | 33 | PaymentPeriod | 33 | 84 |
If you wanted to add a second Payment Period at the same time, you would repeat the payment period entity again:
| Entity | Student.StudentID | Entity | AcademicYearToken | Entity | AcademicYearToken | PaymentPeriodToken |
Entity |
AcademicYearToken |
PaymentPeriodToken |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student | 999999999 | AcademicYear | 33 | PaymentPeriod | 33 | 84 |
PaymentPeriod |
33 |
85 |
Note: Entity tokens are available in the System Administration module.
Your student information system (SIS) or other system from which you want to bring data into PowerFAIDS may provide a file already set to PowerFAIDS specifications. If not, you will need to create the file. The file must be in the CSV UTF-8 (Comma delimited) (*csv) format.
The full file layout, along with additional examples and sample files, can be downloaded from the Student Information Import File Layout article.
Slate Integration: If you want to move data from Slate to PowerFAIDS, there is a template available in Slate. You can import the layout into your Slate instance through your Suitcase using Suitcase ID 491d0b62-baf9-4be8-b500-e65cb9b92ede:slate-examples. For more information see Using the PowerFAIDS Student Information Import with Slate.
Configure Global Posting Options
Review the default posting options for the Student Information Import process prior to the first import.
- Navigate to Import/Export > Data from Other Systems > Student Information Import.
- Select Global Posting Options.
- For each data point, review the setting and adjust as needed. Save any changes.
For more information on each of the settings, see Student Information Import Global Posting Options.
Run Student Information Import
This process is used to import student information import files to create and update student records in PowerFAIDS.
- Obtain or create the file, ensuring that it matches the layout and is in the specified format.
- In PowerFAIDS, navigate to Import/Export > Data from Other Systems > Student Information Import, select Import Wizard, and upload and import the SII file(s).
- Review the import results report.
Upon import, the data from the file can be found throughout the student record if the record existed already or was created by the import process.
Best Practices
- Create a file that includes only the necessary data points.
- Set the global posting options to the values you use most often when completing the Student Information Import process. You can always change them in the import flow, but setting the most used in advance saves you time later.
- If you open a file generated by another system, ensure that you do not remove leading zeros as that can cause data mismatches or incorrect data getting posted into PowerFAIDS. Examples of this include: SSN, Student ID, Zip Code.
- Review the results report for any import process.