Use the Quick Import function to bring a large amount of data into PowerSchool. Before completing this procedure, you must have an ASCII text file that contains the data to import and is preferably delimited by tabs.
Refer to (25.1) PowerSchool Test Scores for information about importing test scores.
Database extension fields appear while mapping fields from an import file to PowerSchool. When importing and mapping these fields, keep the following in mind:
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As import/export reads from and writes to a text file, binary data is not supported.
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PowerSchool assumes a user only imports data that was exported, therefore it also assumes that date formats and any other formats do not need to be error-checked on import. The date format used is mm/dd/yyyy.
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Delimiters occurring in the data are not escaped (for example, fields are delimited by tabs, but one field contains tabs) and can cause problems when importing. Data can be wrapped with double quotes to lessen the issue, but there is still data (ex. double-quote + tab + double quote) that can cause the same problems.
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Boolean values will be case insensitive, "true/false" or "t/f" or 1/0.
Import Data Using Quick Import
Choose the school you want to work with before starting this procedure.
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Navigate to the Quick Import page.
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Enter information in the fields:
The following descriptions are only for fields that require special considerations.
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Field |
Description |
|---|---|
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Table |
Choose the table to which the data will be imported from the menu. When importing multiple section records, the expressions of the sections defined by your school are required. An expression is the combination of the periods and days in which the section meets. Though PowerSchool creates internal values for periods and days, you should import the actual values that you want to appear when the system displays expressions. An invalid expression causes an error for that record, which results in the failed import of that record.
If you include the Dropped column in your import file, any record with a value of True will be imported as a dropped enrollment. If you want to choose the Courses table, but it does not appear in the selection menu, then the district may only allow new courses to be created at the district office. If you select Test Results, the import file should not have data in the first row. This row is treated as a header and is skipped in importing. |
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Field Delimiter |
Choose the field delimiter from the menu. This refers to the item that will separate the fields in the exported data.
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End-of-Line Marker |
Choose the end-of-line marker from the menu. This refers to the item that will separate the records in the exported data.
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Suggest Field Map |
Select to have the system suggest into which PowerSchool field each piece of data in the data file is saved. These are just suggestions and can be changed before saving. |
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Click Import.
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Enter information in the fields.
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Field |
Description |
|---|---|
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From Your File |
The fields of the first record from the import file appear. |
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To PowerSchool |
If you select Suggest field map on the Quick Import page, the PowerSchool fields suggested for each piece of data imported appear. If you do not select Suggest field map or you need to change the fields, choose the PowerSchool field into which the system imports the data from the import file. |
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Check to exclude first row |
Select to prevent importing the header row. |
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The lines below can be used to assign a constant value to field(s) in all of the imported records. |
To enter a new value in a PowerSchool field for all records from the import file, such as entering the same city for all student records in an import file:
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Enter information for Advanced Import Options. Advanced Import Options appear based on the table that was selected from the Table menu.
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Table |
Description |
|---|---|
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Attendance |
Select Overwrite existing attendance with the imported attendance if you want the system to use the imported attendance data in cases where attendance codes already exist for that day or class. |
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Comment Bank |
Select Update comment bank records if you want the system to use the imported comment bank comments in cases where there are already comment bank comments with the same code. |
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Courses |
Select Update course records if you want the system to add course-related information to existing course records in cases where the course numbers are the same. |
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Historical Grades |
Do the following:
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Immunizations |
Do the following:
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Meal Transactions |
Select Use PowerSchool's internal student id numbers if you want the system to reference the ID field versus the student_number field. |
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Sections |
Do the following:
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Students |
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Student Schedules |
Do the following:
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Teachers |
Select Update teacher records if you want the system to add teacher-related information to existing teacher records in cases where the teacher numbers are the same. |
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Test Scores |
Import PowerSchool test scores. |
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Click Import.