The OnPoint file center serves as the central repository for all of your data warehouse files. Because each file that can be uploaded into your file center is subject to changes, either in data file format or origin, it is important to understand how each file you upload will affect your ability to use OnPoint to its greatest capabilities. This module will provide you with an in depth explanation of how the file center functions and the areas your uploads will affect. Items covered are as follows:

• File center basics
• User permissions needed to upload files
• General association of file upload to key sections of OnDataSuite
• File information review protocol prior to uploading data
• Steps to upload a file
• Tips on how to ensure your uploads were successful
• Data reconciliation process
• File removal scenarios

What is the file center
The file center serves as the ‘brain’ of the OnDataSuite, OnPoint data warehouse. It provides a centralized location where all your district data can be uploaded and shared throughout your organization. Because the file center relies on officially released data files such as TEA Teal released data, PEIMS, College Board, ACT, Pearson and ETS and does not allow for any outside insertion of data (meaning data created by just anyone and uploaded), the probability of creating reports from unofficial sources is less likely to result in reports derived from “bad data”.

Where is the file center located
The file center is located at the top of your OnPoint screen in the black menu bar

What does the data do once it has been uploaded

Provides a path to data exploration
Individual files loaded into the file center become part of your digital data archive. Every data point loaded into your file center can then be used to generate reports and drill down to specific data held within the date file. Once a file has been uploaded you can use several locations from within OnDataSuite to create reports multiyear longitudinal reports or you can use several available OnDataSuite custom reports from within specific file types.

Associates different data tables
Files loaded into the file center will automatically associate to other uploaded files in your file center through unique identifying data within each file. This process creates the opportunity to create reports based on the cross tabulation of multiple data elements.

Historical data reference
Multiyear files that have been uploaded into the file center can be used to create and review historical longitudinal reports from within each file type.

Granting Users Permission to Upload Files – System Admin

Users must be granted permission to upload files into the system through the system administrator section of OnDataSuite. This is done by moving the ‘File Access’ from the ‘Access Denied’ over to the ‘Access Allowed’ area

It is important to note that a user DOES NOT need to be an ODS Administrator in order to upload files.

 

 

Data Reconciliation (SSN View) – System Admin

Districts will need to determine who can view social security numbers. File upload designee’s who will be responsible for uploading external data files that will need to be match by methods other than a student ID or PEIMS, such as SAT/ACT/AP, will need to have access to the student (SSN) number in order to perform any data reconciliation.  Data reconciliation will be explained in depth a bit later in this module.

 

 

 

Encouraged Browser To Upload File

Users are HIGHLY ENCOURAGED to make Chrome their default browser to upload files into the file center.

PEIMS files for Fall, Summer, Mid Year and Extended year become the building blocks for all of the data and is primarily visible under the following tabs :  Dashboards, Student, Staff and Finance Reports.  The Search tab allows the users to search for both Student and Staff data.  When searching for specific individuals, the results will lead you to the Student and Staff Profiles which contain a tremendous amount of PEIMS information.

Since PEIMS data is the building block, any other data you upload through the File Center is then associated to the PEIMS data that has been loaded.  For example, uploading testing data will associate the data to the student data loaded into the system.  The testing data results are then available in reports under other tabs, such as Accountability and Assessment.

TEAL – log in required to access/download TEA files released to the district.

• Accountability Application
  • CCMR Verifier – Accountability tab
  • CCMR Tracker – Accountability tab
  • Prelim 4 Year Longitudinal – Student Report Center
  • Final Graduation Longitudinal Cohorts – Accountability / OnTAPR / Cohort Longitudinal Rates
  • Testing Issues Roster
  • Accelerated Tester
• ECOS – Staff Certifications– Display on the Staff Reporting Center

Assessment Related

 

Accountability Related
The Accountability tab has reports that need to utilize data from various file types.

Always review the OnDataSuite manual PRIOR to uploading a file

In a data warehouse environment each uploaded file can be different and every file type and format can change from year to year. OnDataSuite understands this and each year we review every accepted file type for changes that may need to be implemented in order to ensure your data is uploaded without issue. We provide web based knowledge base (KB) articles specific to each file that allows us to convey timely, important information about the file structure of every file you can upload into your file center. Files that are uploaded that do not meet the necessary specification will either not be uploaded, or can result in ‘miscalculated’ reported results. This is why we ask that every person that uploads a file please review the manual PRIOR to uploading any file.

 

 

Specific file center instructions available for every file

The OnDataSuite file center makes it easy to access information about any file you are attempting to upload. Anytime you are in the file center and you click on a blue button to indicate which type of file you are going to upload, you will see the green upload button labeled with the same file upload type. This confirms that you are in the location you wish to upload to. Just above each green button is a red hyperlink that when clicked upon, will take you to the exact location in the OnDataSuite manual that is associated with the file type.

 

 

• Locate the data to be uploaded.
• Save data to a local drive if needed.
• Log into OnDataSuite.
  • Step 1  -Go to “File Center”
  • Step 2 – Select “Data Sources”.
  • Step 3 – Select the Blue tab labeled as the type of data you are going to upload.
  • Step 4 -Scroll down to see the blue hyperlinked statement that will direct you to the manual.  Click on the hyperlink and check the manual for any updates.

• • Step 5 -Return to the File Center, select the Green upload button
  • Step 6 -Browse to the location of the file that is to be uploaded
  • Step 7 -Select the file.
    • You will then be sent back to the OnDataSuite File Center screen.
  •  Step 8 -Use drop down options to ensure the proper year, and any other column options, are correctly selected to send the data to the appropriate location in the data warehouse.

• • • Click green “Start Upload”
      • NOTE: Option to Cancel Upload, is only available, if the “Start Upload” has not been clicked.

STAY TUNED: We will provide a visual walk through/example of this process at the end of the presentation today.

General Data Files 

Look for pink highlighted row in file center
After a file has been confirmed as uploaded check the file center upload area and look for anything that is highlighted as pink. This is a sure sign that the file was NOT uploaded properly.

 

Example: Pink highlight 

Check via a report center query

Every file that is uploaded has an area (report center) that allows you to query your data. Once your data file has been uploaded go to that location’s report center. For example, under the Assessment tab, click on the first available line under the report center. When this is done the date ranges of the files you have uploaded should appear to the right. If you see dates that look ‘off’ or are missing, like the example below, then that is a sure sign the file had issues during upload.

 

Example: Accuplacer files report years appear to be invalid

Users may choose to the OnSync feature in OnDataSuite to automatically upload their SAT and TSIA1 and TSIA2 files.

For details on each please visit the OnSync location inside of your file center.

 

Data Reconciliation

Need Reconciliation
Student records contained in the ACT, SAT, PSAT, AP and Readistep files may not contain student identification numbers. The matching process will occur during the file upload.  If student records can’t be matched due to a lack of a student id number, it will try to match on First Name, Last Name and Date of Birth.  If all three of these elements do not match a record in OnDataSuite, the student will be assigned a temporary ID and will be listed on the Data Reconciliation page.

• Reconciliation Matching Steps
  • Step 1: Match id number in assessment results file to SSN, TX Unique ID, or Local ID
  • Step 2: No match on step 1, exact match on all three elements: First Name, Last Name, and Date of Birth
  • Step 3: No match on step 2, student assigned ‘Temp Assigned SID’ and listed on the Data Reconciliation page

Using the Reconciliation Process
To link an existing student in your OnDataSuite database to the information from the file. Click on the temp ID assigned to the student below to display available data and then complete the record by typing in the matching students SS#. The data from the file will then be added to OnDataSuite.

Please note to ensure the highest match rate when loading data, make sure you have loaded up to date TSDS PEIMS files into your OnDataSuite database. The TSDS PEIMS files contain the most accurate matching data.

When to remove a file

NOTE: PEIMS files utilize the complete overwrite of the current file loaded. ( wipe/replace). To update the data, simply overlay it with a new file. 

However, if a files was loaded for the wrong year/wrong submission, or under the incorrect blue tab, you no longer have to submit a ticket to have it removed if you are a user with ODS Administrator access or a user with File Access.  Click the trashcan icon next to the file you would like to remove.  See details at the end of this section.  When a file is deleted, the data is completely removed from OnDataSuite and will no longer be counted on an dashboards or reports.  The removed data will also no longer be reflected in any bookmarked reports.  The only way this may be reversed is for the file to be re-uploaded.

Best Practice:  Save a local backup of the original file before deleting.

Files loaded with incorrect or non accepted format 

Issue: A file that has been loaded with an unaccepted data format cannot be uploaded into your data warehouse.
Example: The SAT file requires that the file uploaded be a text (.txt) file. but the file loaded was a comma separated value (CSV) file.
Result: The file center will appear to accept the file but it will not be imported into the location.
Solution: Delete file and reupload

 

Files loaded that have been opened
Issue: When a data file is opened it can affect the file layout structure and it may shift column values or completely change the file type prior to its upload
Example: The STAAR 3-8 file text file (*.txt) is downloaded from ETS and then it is opened at the local desktop level and the users computer default settings are set to open text files with Excel (*.xlsx). When the file is closed it may save that file as a comma separated value (*.csv) or (*.xlsx).
Result: The file center will appear to accept the file but it will not be imported into the location.
Solution: Delete file and reupload

 

Files loaded that have been manipulated from the original file type
Issue: When a data file is obtained by the user from its source and it is in a data file format that is not accepted into a file center location, users will try and manipulate the file by changing or renaming the original file type association.
Example: The SAT file is obtained from the college board in comma separated value (*.csv) format: SATfile2020.csv  . The accepted file type for SAT upload is a text (*.txt) file. So the user changes the file name to SATfile2020.txt and tried to ‘trick’ the system into uploading the file.
Result: The file center will appear to accept the file but it will not be imported into the location.
Solution: Delete file and reupload

 

Files loaded into incorrect location

Issue: A file that has been loaded into the incorrect location or into multiple incorrect locations.
Example: A STAAR EOC file has been uploaded into the STAAR EOC SIRS location. So the user tried to upload the same file into the correct location but is not seeing it upload to the correct STAAR EOC file center location.
Result: The file has been accepted into the SIRS location and associated with the SIRS location so it cannot be loaded into any other location. Even if the file name is changed it will not be able to load because the system knows it is the same file.
Solution: Delete file and reupload

 

Files that have incorrect data from the data source 

Issue: A file comes from the data source with incorrect data or errors.
Example: Jack Murphy (PEIMS student ID# 12345) takes an AP exam and his scores are sent back to the district with the wrong student ID# of 122234. When this file is uploaded into the file center the match will be made by the ID#12345 but because the AP file is incorrect, it is not making the association and thus is not showing up in the system.
Result: We do NOT adjust, insert or remove individual data elements from within a file, so this file will have to be completely removed and then re-uploaded with the correction happening at the file level.
Solution: Please read our redaction policy below for further instruction.

 

Request to remove or change individual student records within the already uploaded file

Issue: Requests for individual item removal from uploaded files.
Example: A district has been told to remove any associated records for a particular student so that they do not appear on any reports.
Result: We do NOT adjust, insert or remove individual data elements from within a file, so this file will have to be completely removed and then re-uploaded with the correction happening at the file level.
Solution: Please read our redaction policy below for further instruction.

 

 

How to submit a ticket specific to file removal

Users may not delete their own files directly from the file center, however the file delete capability is available to OndataSuite users with the following permissions:

• A user with ODS Administrator access may delete any file.
• A user with File Access access who does not have ODS Administrator access may only delete files they have uploaded.

 

Removing a file that you did not upload or do not have permission to remove.

OnDataSuite will not remove a file without an official ticket request. Tickets can be created in two ways:

1. Click on the ‘submit ticket’ button in the top right hand corner of the screen
   
2. Click on the support tab, then ticket system, then submit ticket

 

Recommended way to submit a ticket requesting file removal

Submitting a ticket for file removal requires specific data be relayed to our programming team so that we do not remove the wrong file. Below is an example of a well crafted file removal request ticket.

Note how in the description, the file center location is provided first to let the programmer know what location the file is currently in. The second item (File Name) confirms the exact file name and type and finally the uploaded date helps the programmer confirm the file that needs to be removed.

Example of file removal request for two files

Ticket Type: Error/Bug
Subject: File Center – File Removal Request

Description: 
Please remove the following file(s) from the file center

File center location: CCMR
File Name: CCMRFinal.xls
Uploaded: 02/14/2020
Issue with file: Loaded wrong file type

File center location: TELPAS
File Name: TELPASALT.dat
Uploaded 05/06/20
Issue with file: Loaded into wrong area

Phone number: 999-879-9587 extension 123

 

 

OnDataSuite Data Redaction Policy

The best solution for redacting individual records from your On Data Suite is to remove the records manually from the file.

On Data Suite is a Data Warehouse, therefore, it is our policy to not directly alter data once it is in our data store.
You will need to have the previous file removed from our system via the ticket system before uploading the altered file.
This also insures that if your file is reloaded from your original file in your data store, the redacted data is not going to be loaded again.

NOTE: Any individual data reconciliation results will not transfer with a newly edited file. This means if we remove a file by request and a new file is uploaded later with the same student data it will once again be placed into your data warehouse and you will have to repeat the removal request. 

 

Walk through of PEIMS file loading instructions

Where does the data come from: 

• Student/Business Information System(s) ( SIS) – Recommended
  • Create/Extract xml interchange files for the Fall, Summer, Midyear,  Extended Year PEIMS or any TSDS submission.
  • Files may be zipped or unzipped
• TSDS
  • edm – Instructions in the manual for retrieval of xml files
  • Retrieve Data – Instructions in the manual for retrieval of CSV files

Accepted data file format:

• xml (recommended) 
• CSV

Suggested dates for upload:

• Begin as soon as the SIS and/or BIS can allow the user to create  xml interchange files for this submission. Partial and preliminary files are welcome.
• Consider the following frequency suggestions.
  • Fall – (Sept – Jan)
  • Summer  – (Sept – May)
  • Mid-Year – (Nov- Feb)
  • Extended – ( July – Sept)

Continue uploads on a  Weekly/Daily basis, or as often as needed for clean up/review until the final submission has been sent to TEA.

• NOTE: Subsequent files will overwrite the previous file for the same year/same submission. ( wipe/replace)

PEIMS Data

• If the file is highlighted red/pink – please submit a ticket to request info on why the file did not load correctly.

 

• If the file is not highlighted, Click on the file name to open the details screen, as in the screen shot below.

• • Note interchanges that loaded/did not load in the screen shot below. ( ok, not found, failed)
  • Also note the speed of the upload!

 

• Create an adhoc report containing the data in the file that was loaded, to ensure the data is being pulled into the reports.
  • Example:
    • Student Report Center
    • Fall Enrollment to check Fall PEIMS/Summer Enrollment to check Summer PEIMS uploads
    • Year option 2021-22 should be available. Select year
    • Create report-

• • If there is no data, the file that was loaded either does not contain the data, or the file did not load correctly.
  • If the data displays, the file loaded correctly and contained the data element.
    • Solutions:
      • Go to file center/data sources and click on blue hyper link to read the manual/instructions concerning this type of data load.
      • Submit a ticket