Overview

This article contains guidance on setting up an SIS integration using  PowerSchool Student Information System. In order to set up an integration between PowerSchool and the DESSA System, you will need to follow the steps below to set up a managed connection and AutoSend.

 

Please also feel free to refer to the PowerSchool documentation for Setting Up a Remoted Managed Connection and Setting Up an AutoSend or reach out to PowerSchool Support directly.

 

Remote Managed Connection

Step 1: Set Up A Remote Managed Connection

Note: The remote connection is dependent on the network firewall in order to operate correctly. Be sure your network allows for remote connections before configuring this feature.

  1. On the start page, choose System in the main menu. 
  2. Click System Settings. 
  3. Click Plugin Management Configuration. 
  4. Click Remote Connection Manager
  5. Click Remote Connection Manager. 
  6. Click Create Connection.
  7. Use the following table to enter information in the fields:

Field

Description

Name

Enter a name for the connection. Make sure this is something you will recognize so it can be easily selected when setting up an AutoSend.

Example: DESSA Connection

Description

Enter a description for the connection. This information is only visible on this dialog when viewing existing connections.

*Feel free to leave this blank

Protocol

Select “SFTP” from the drop down menu.

Host

Enter the host provided by the Data Ops Team.

Port

Enter port 22.

Authentication Type

Select “Password” from the drop down menu.

Username

Enter the username provided to you by the Data Operations Team.

Password

Enter the password for the server provided to you by the Data Operations Team.

Confirm Password

Re-enter the password to confirm.

Test Connection

Click to assure that the remote connection is configured correctly and established a connection to the server.

Finger Print

This security information will automatically be populated when you accept the host key and a successful connection is established with the remote server.

Remote Path

Leave this field blank.

Allow Download

Select the checkbox to allow downloads from the remote connection.

Allow Upload

Select the checkbox to allow uploads to the server from PowerSchool.

 

8. Click Submit. The Create Connection dialog closes.

 

AutoSend

Step Two: Setup an individual AutoSend for Each School that will be part of the Integration

  1. In the top right corner, use the dropdown menu of the district and schools to select the first school you will be setting up an AutoSend for.
  2. On the start page, choose System under Setup in the main menu. 
  3. Under Data Management, click AutoSend Setup.
  4. Click New. 
  5. Use the following table to enter information in the fields:

Field

Description

Name

Enter the name of this record. Use something that you will recognize as which school it is and that it is for the DESSA System.

Data to Send

Select “Student Schedules” from the drop down menu.

When to Execute

Use the pop-up menus to determine the hour and minutes at which you want PowerSchool to automatically export a copy of the data. We recommend that you stagger the times of the autosends so that they run 15-30 minutes apart. If too many items are scheduled at once, your autosends may fail.

The DESSA System runs imports each morning at 2 AM EST. Please ensure your files are sent before 1:30 AM EST to ensure they are ready to go for the import.

Note: If the minutes are 00, Autosend runs after the Hourly Process has completed (not specifically on the hour stated but within that hour).

Days to Execute

Enter the days of the week you want the system to export the data. Starting with Monday, use the following abbreviations: MTWHFSU.

Turn Execution Off

Make sure this box is NOT selected.

Send Output to

Choose Managed Connection. A second pop-up menu will appear. Select the remote managed connection you just setup for DESSA.

Note: Managed Connections only appears in the pop-up if configured and download capability is enabled. See System > System Settings > Plugin Management > Remote Connection Manager.

Path

Enter a name for your file that is unique to this school. Please also enter a file extension at the end of your file name.

 

Example: To set up an Autosend for Johnson Elementary, in the path field enter something like "JohnsonES.txt".

 

Note: Please use the ".txt" file extension.

Field Delimiter

Use the pop-up menu to choose tab delimited. Comma-delimited can cause import errors.

Record Delimiter

Select “CRLF” from the drop-down menu.

Sort Order

Leave this blank

First record of file is "number_of_records="

Please do NOT select this box.

Include "upload_type"

Please do NOT select this box.

Attendance-Specific Settings

Select “Send All Attendance to date”.

Student-Specific Settings

This will automatically populate.

E-Mail completion report to

Enter your email here if you would like email reports from the AutoSend each time it runs.

Fields to export

Please Enter the Following Fields:

[01]Student_Number

[01]State_StudentNumber

[01]Last_Name

[01]First_Name

[01]Gender

[01]DOB

[01]Grade_level

[01]Zip

[01]LunchStatus

[01]FedEthnicity

[02]course_Name

[03]section_Number

[04]Expression

[05]Last_Name

[05]First_Name

[05]Email_Addr

[39]Name

 

Note: This list does not include the following recommended demographic fields. You will need to add the state-specific fields to include these demographic fields in your roster files.

  • American Indian or Alaskan Native
  • Asian
  • Black or African American
  • Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
  • White
  • Other
  • Special Ed
  • Section 504
  • ELL
  • Economically Disadvantaged
  • Homeless
  • Migrant
  • Gifted

While these demographic fields are optional, populating them provides additional options and filters when using the DESSA System reports to analyze your data. These fields are custom and often vary from State to State. They will need to be added in addition to the universal fields listed above. For more information about what fields to include in your exports, please see the article "Required fields for DESSA roster files".

Duplicate this AutoSend record to all schools on this server

If you are creating this record for the first time, you may want to select the checkbox to make the record available to all schools that use your PowerSchool system. Otherwise, deselect the checkbox.

Duplicate this AutoSend record to district office

Don’t select this option.
  1. Click Submit. 

 

Finalize Setup

Step Three: Manually Push the AutoSend Files

Manually run an AutoSend record to avoid waiting for the process to automatically run on the specified day and time.

  1. On the start page, choose System under Setup in the main menu. 
  2. Under Data Management, click AutoSend Setup. 
  3. Click Run Now. 

 

Step Four: Email the Data Team to Inform Them the Files Are Sent

  1. Please reply to the email thread you have with the DESSA Data Team to let them know the files were sent. This way they can configure your integration ASAP and you will be ready to go.